Nine West Handbags

Nine West Group, Inc. is a leading designer, developer, and marketer of women's casual and dress footwear, offering a full selection of women's shoes in three retail price ranges, from $25 for a pair of shoes to $150 for a pair of leather boots. The three market segments of the U.S. women's shoe market in which Nine West competes are classified by industry terms as 'better,' 'upper moderate,' and 'moderate.' Nine West has realized considerable success in both wholesale and retail operations, and the company's footwear is available through department, specialty, and independent stores nationwide, in addition to the company's own retail outlets. The company's nationally recognized brands include Enzo Angiolini, Calico, Spa, and Westies. In 1999, in the wake of slumping sales and an SEC investigation of the company's accounting practices, Nine West was purchased by Jones Apparel Group, Inc., becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary. The Women's Shoe Market in the 1970s and 1980s. This growth came to an abrupt halt in May 1997, however, when the SEC announced its intention to launch an investigation into Nine West's accounting practices, in particular its manner of reporting sales. After Jones entered into a settlement agreement with the Nine West Store owners in March 2000, it seemed the shoe company was once again on an even keel, and analysts were projecting sales for the newly-combined businesses to rise as high as $4.18 billion for the coming year, with profits increasing by 20 percent.