Sam Edelman
Sam Edelman is a women's footwear, apparel, and accessories brand founded in 2005 and headquartered in New York, operating as the lead brand within Caleres' (NYSE:CAL) Brand Portfolio and selling direct-to-consumer through samedelman.com, retail stores, and wholesale channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Sam Edelman does
Sam Edelman is a fashion-forward women's footwear, apparel, and accessories brand founded in 2005 and headquartered in New York. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Caleres, Inc. (NYSE:CAL), a global footwear company, since 2009. The brand is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025 and is positioned as the lead brand within Caleres' Brand Portfolio segment, reporting 7% standalone growth in Q1 2026.
The company's product range centers on footwear priced in the $120-$190 range, handbags starting at $145+, and an expanding apparel line. Beyond core women's categories, Sam Edelman has launched the Duet fragrance collection, a men's footwear collection (Fall 2026), and the Circus NY sub-brand targeting younger consumers. The brand operates a direct-to-consumer channel through samedelman.com and branded retail stores, complemented by wholesale distribution. International shipping has been extended to the UK, Ireland, and Canada, and capabilities such as BOPIS (buy online, pick up in store) support omnichannel engagement.
Sam Edelman's business model relies on accessible mid-premium fashion pricing, design-led product positioning, and the scale and infrastructure provided by parent Caleres. Channel extensions include the ReLove resale platform for circular commerce, and the brand has been identified as the principal growth engine within Caleres' higher-margin Brand Portfolio segment, which delivered 5.8% organic sales growth coupled with 520 bps of margin expansion.
Sam Edelman firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sam Edelman
- Legal name
- Edelman Shoe, Inc.
- Website
- https://samedelman.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Sam Edelman is a women's footwear, apparel, and accessories brand founded in 2005 and headquartered in New York, operating as the lead brand within Caleres' (NYSE:CAL) Brand Portfolio and selling direct-to-consumer through samedelman.com, retail stores, and wholesale channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sam Edelman industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Women's Fashion Footwear
- NAICS
- Shoe Retailers (45821), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)
- SIC
- Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury & Designer Footwear Retail (CRAAADAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Casual & Lifestyle Footwear (CRAAACAB), Apparel, Footwear & Accessories Resale (CRAFAGAA)
Keywords
Where Sam Edelman is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sam Edelman business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: Retail sales of women's footwear, apparel, handbags, and accessories through owned e-commerce and retail stores. Revenue generated from seasonal product cycles with new arrivals driving purchases. Accessories include handbags, belts, socks, and fragrance products.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Women's shoes priced at $120-$190 per pair |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Handbags and accessories at $145+ |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Sam Edelman product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sam Edelman is a fashion lifestyle brand that designs and sells women's footwear, apparel, handbags, and accessories directly to consumers through its e-commerce site (samedelman.com), branded retail stores, and the Caleres-owned Famous Footwear wholesale channel. The brand offers trend-forward, accessible luxury products at price points ranging from $120-$190 for shoes and $145+ for handbags, anchored by signature 'Edelman Icons' franchises such as the Bay Slide Sandal and Felicia Ballet Flat.
Product overview
Sam Edelman is a fashion footwear and lifestyle brand offering women's shoes, apparel, and accessories. The core product line centers on women's footwear across diverse categories: heels (kitten, block, slingback, pumps, evening), sandals (strappy, flip flops, wedges), flats and loafers, sneakers, mules, boots and booties, Mary Janes, and wedges. The brand features an 'Edelman Icons' collection of signature products including Bay Slide Sandal, Bianka Slingback Pump, Hazel Pump, Langley Sneaker, Michaela Mary Jane, Loraine Loafer, Linnie Bit Mule, Felicia Ballet Flat, and Sylvia High Knee Boot. Apparel offerings include dresses, tops, bottoms, outerwear, matching sets, and denim. Accessories encompass handbags, crossbody bags, belts, socks, and fragrance (Duet collection). The company also operates ReLove, a resale platform for secondhand items, and a loyalty program. A first men's collection is launching Fall 2026. Sam Edelman is a subsidiary of Caleres (NYSE:CAL) and recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Circus NY by Sam Edelman: A youthful sub-brand under the Sam Edelman umbrella targeting juniors and younger consumers with trend-forward footwear and accessories at accessible price points.
Products and services
- Women's Heels
- Women's Sandals
- Women's Flats & Loafers
- Women's Sneakers
- Women's Mules
- Women's Boots & Booties
- Women's Mary Janes
- Women's Wedges
- Women's Apparel
- Handbags & Accessories
- Fragrance (Duet Collection)
- Kids Shoes
- Sam Edelman Men's Collection
- ReLove Resale Platform
- Circus NY by Sam Edelman
- Sam Edelman Loyalty Program
- Gift Cards
- Jeanie Heeled Mule
Quantifiable outcome
- 7% growth in Q1 2026 as lead brand within Caleres Brand Portfolio
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Sam Edelman
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sam Edelman technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature1 record
Sam Edelman partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Circus NY by Sam EdelmanminorRelated brand under Sam Edelman umbrella targeting younger/different market segment. Cross-promoted on samueledelman.com footer and navigation.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sam Edelman competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tory Burch: Tory Burch is a larger accessible-luxury lifestyle brand with a significant footwear category at higher price points ($200–$500), competing for the same fashion-conscious female consumer but operating as a broader portfolio brand.
- Cole Haan: Cole Haan is an established footwear brand with strong women's fashion and casual lines alongside men's, operating across more price points and channels; it competes in overlapping categories (flats, sneakers, boots) at slightly higher average prices.
- Stuart Weitzman: Stuart Weitzman is a Caleres-owned sister brand in premium women's footwear (higher price points, $300–$700+), competing at the upper end of the accessible-luxury category and sharing the same parent distribution infrastructure.
- Marc Jacobs (Footwear): Marc Jacobs' footwear line operates at higher accessible-luxury price points and competes in the same women's fashion footwear occasions (pumps, boots, sandals), though as part of a broader designer portfolio rather than a footwear specialist.
- Kate Spade: Kate Spade is a lifestyle brand with a meaningful footwear category positioned as accessible-luxury, sharing the same handbag-and-footwear cross-sell model that Sam Edelman is pursuing with its accessories and apparel expansion.
Direct peers
- Steve Madden: Steve Madden is the closest direct peer — a women's fashion footwear and accessories brand at comparable accessible-luxury price points (typically $100–$200), with a strong DTC and wholesale presence and a similar product breadth across heels, boots, sandals, and sneakers.
- Vince Camuto: Vince Camuto is a sister brand under the same Caleres parent and a near-identical peer in women's fashion footwear at accessible-luxury price points, sharing distribution through Caleres retail and competing directly for the same customer occasion.
- Jessica Simpson Footwear: Jessica Simpson Footwear is a celebrity-led women's fashion footwear brand at comparable price points, distributed heavily through wholesale and department stores; it competes directly with Sam Edelman in the accessible-luxury women's category.
- Dolce Vita: Dolce Vita is a contemporary women's footwear brand operating at very similar price points ($100–$200) with comparable trend-driven product cycles, DTC e-commerce focus, and wholesale distribution into department stores and specialty retailers.
- Schutz: Schutz (part of Arezzo) is a direct competitor in fashion-forward women's heels and sandals with comparable accessible-luxury positioning and strong North American distribution, frequently co-shelved with Sam Edelman at retailers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sam Edelman social profiles
Digital presenceSam Edelman financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sam Edelman leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Sam Edelman subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Sam Edelman funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sam Edelman M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sam Edelman
What does Sam Edelman do?
Sam Edelman is a fashion lifestyle brand that designs and sells women's footwear, apparel, handbags, and accessories directly to consumers through its e-commerce site (samedelman.com), branded retail stores, and the Caleres-owned Famous Footwear wholesale channel. The brand offers trend-forward, accessible luxury products at price points ranging from $120-$190 for shoes and $145+ for handbags, anchored by signature 'Edelman Icons' franchises such as the Bay Slide Sandal and Felicia Ballet Flat.
Is Sam Edelman a public or private company?
Sam Edelman is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sam Edelman founded?
Sam Edelman was founded in 2005. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Sam Edelman based?
Sam Edelman is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sam Edelman make money?
One revenue line is on record: direct Product Sales.
Who are Sam Edelman's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tory Burch, Cole Haan, Stuart Weitzman, Marc Jacobs (Footwear) and Kate Spade. Direct peers are Steve Madden, Vince Camuto, Jessica Simpson Footwear, Dolce Vita and Schutz.
Does Sam Edelman have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sam Edelman.
What industry is Sam Edelman in?
Sam Edelman's product category is Women's Fashion Footwear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAADAH, Luxury & Designer Footwear Retail, with a secondary code of CRAAACAB, Casual & Lifestyle Footwear. Its NAICS code is 45821 and its SIC code is 5661.