Susan Bennis

Susan Bennis, co-owner and designer of SUSANBENNISWARRENEDWARDS (1972–1997).

Career

In 1972, Susan Bennis and Warren Edwards, founders of SUSANBENNISWARRENEDWARDS had the opportunity to purchase a British-owned shoe boutique in New York City. At the time, Bennis and Edwards were in the beginning phases of a clothing design company and with the purchase of the shoe store hoped to incorporate the retail of their clothing label with shoes manufactured and supplied through the initial owner. When the original supplier defaulted on his agreement to supply the pair with footwear, the partners made the decision to begin designing their own shoes. At this point, Bennis and Edwards changed the original name of the store to SUSANBENNISWARRENEDWARDS and began to design under their own label, which would arguably come to be one of Manhattans hottest footwear retailers and compete with the likes of today's shoe legend, Manolo Blahnik. Susan Bennis and Warren Edwards were a team of shoes and boot designers who created shoes and boots for the world's most affluent people. Designing shoes between the late 1970s to mid-1990s, they were known for creating the most expensive boots and shoes in the world. If you wanted luxurious unique footwear, the team of Bennis and Edwards would produce it. Everything was crafted in very limited runs. The shoes and boots were all handcrafted of the most luxurious leathers, skins, and exotic reptiles known to man. The detailing is spectacular, and unusual. The design team broke up in the mid-1990s when Susan decided she wanted to "retire" from her designing career, to raise a family. She has 7 kids.

Bennis and Edwards eventually moved their flagship store from 440 Park Avenue to 22 West 57th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in New York City, and later expanded their retail orbit by permitting larger department stores such as Henri Bendel's and Neiman Marcus to carry their line. Since stepping down as co-owner to pursue family priorities in 1998, Bennis has continued to freelance from her home in upstate New York.

Education and Honors

Bennis is a graduate of New York's Fashion Institute of Technology. Awards include the Coty Fashion Critics Award and the Cutty Sark Award. Fifty SUSANBENNISWARRENEDWARDS styles were also selected to be housed in the permanent collection of archives at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

References

Author Unknown. "Fashion; Who's Who in High-Style Shoe Design," The New York Times, February 15, 1981.

Author Unknown. "Neiman Marcus to Market Susan Bennis Warren Line." Women's Wear Daily, December 2. 1991.

Duka, John. "Karen and Dell'Ollio Voted Into Coty Hall of Fame," The New York Times, May 27, 1982.

Duka, John. "Notes on Fashion," The New York Times, June 19, 1984.

Duka, John. "Notes on Fashion," The New York Times, May 25, 1982.

Dunlap, David. "Commercial Property: 57th Street; A New Glitter Added to a Premier Retail Boulevard". The New York Times, September 30, 1990.

Halbfinger, David. "Boutique for Shoes Quietly Closes Down," The New York Times, May 16, 1997.

Lee, Georgia. "Bennis/Edwards Going Into Wider Retail Orbit," Footwear News, June 3, 1991.

McNally, Pamela. "Bennis, Edwards Plan Move in NY With Coast to Follow, Footwear News, March 1990.

McNally, Pamela. "New York Footwear Stores That Are On Worth-Seeing List," Footwear News, February 1991.

Morris, Bernadine. "Banks and Adry Win Coty Awards and Cheers," The New York Times, September 25, 1982.

Petzke, Diane. "The Scourge of Walls and Subways Enters the World of Haute Couture," The Wall Street Journal, September 13, 1984.

Schiro, Anne-Marie, "New Store With Same Distinctive Shoes," The New York Times. July 18, 1990.

Spindler, Amy. "Patterns," The New York Times, February 23, 1993.