CAT Footwear's Night of Booze & Shoes

Nascar's Luke Lambert and DJ GENE

Never did I think I would see the day when a construction equipment company with an iconic name, would be putting on a legitimate runway show. But this is today's world where boundaries are blurred and your reach is only limited by the scope of your ideas. 

Caterpiller, the company best known for it's iconic yellow construction machinery has an alter ego. It's alter ego is called CAT, and CAT has a big time shoe fetish! CAT Footwear has actually been around for over 20 years but has largely been known for work boots. That's all about to change, however, because there is a serious marketing push to modify our perception of the brand. I say modify, and not change, because it's not really a change per se. The brand calls its fans 'earthmovers' after it's famed machines and the logo still contains that testosterone-charged yellow color we're all familiar with. So there is a definite effort to channel the brand's heritage and keep some continuity. Now, I know you're thinking right now the same thing I was thinking yesterday. How the heck is a brand known for construction equipment and dirty, smelly men going to convince me that their shoes are fashionable? Well, let me start with constructing last night's event (pun absolutely not intended, but still funny anyway).

I live in Manhattan and am one of those types that rarely leaves the island. No elitism. It just is what it is. So with everything normally within a half hour reach by subway, I was shocked (not in a good way) to learn it was going to take me a whopping 50 minutes by subway and another 10 minutes walking to get to the venue which was in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Well, maybe that is a little snobby. After chastising myself the whole train ride for not reading through the entire email to learn the location of the event. And after pulling out my GPS to figure out which direction to walk and dreading it the whole time, a vintage, or vintage-looking, trolley pulled up in front of the subway entrance with the CAT logo on the windows. I knocked on the door and asked the driver if he was shuttling people to the event. He nodded in the affirmative. And after my inner self stopped being in awe of my first time inside of a vintage coach, I knew that from that moment on, I had to go into this with a fully open mind. 

 ....THE JUMP 

Tyler Hilton

The trolley shuttled myself and few others to the venue which was the Kings County Distillery at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The ambiance was so on point! There was an outdoor runway set up with seating and gift bags (remember those?) in front of a fashionably industrial building with a dimly lit exterior. The building housed the distillery and when I stepped inside I felt as if I'd walked into a GQ photoshoot with the wood and brick interior and CAT boots and shoes displayed on wooden shelves amongst whiskey bottles containing varying levels of the fiery liquid. Of course after being there for a half hour I learned the event was called "Footwear & Firewater". Yeah, I have to get better at that reading until the end of the email thing. In another room, stacks and stacks of small barrels full of aged whiskey were stored and on display. It was quite amazing. G-d I love New York.

After sipping the whiskey and taking in the footwear, we were led to the main event. The runway show. What does a runway show put on by a construction company look like? Pretty damn good! The music, the atmosphere and the production rivaled some of the better shows I've seen at New York Fashion Week, truly. The models, both male and female, wore denim on denim ensembles of chambray shirts and raw jeans courtesy of LA-based Agave Denim while they modeled the shoes and boots. I think that would be my only complaint. I understand the focus was on the shoes but I thought the clothing was a little toooo uniform and didn't give enough of an idea of all the different looks the shoes can go with. But other than that, it was superb and tightly produced. A few pleasant surprises were the appearance of NASCAR crew chief Luke Lambert as a runway model. He walked in the 'Phantom' and the 'Abe Canvas' boots. Up-and-coming singer/musician Tyler Hilton also walked in the show modeling the 'Haverhill' and the 'Vinson'. Representing the ladies, the DJ for the night, DJ GENE (anyone else notice all the female DJ's at fashion events?) walked in two of my favorite styles the 'Carlene' and the 'Helena' (not available yet).

 

Cat Footwear 'Kendra'  Boot

After the show was over we were given an additional goodie. Tyler Hilton sang two of his songs while playing guitar and he was amazing. His new CD was in the gift bag and I am for sure going to download it into my iTunes. As I left the event on the trolley (yes inner giddiness ensued), I thought to myself, I'm going to contact CAT and see if I can get my hands on a pair of shoes for a feature. But wouldn't you know. I looked in the gift bag and there was a gift card for a free pair. So of course I ordered them first thing this morning. There is no waiting when it comes to shoes. Can I get an Amen. I ordered the 'Kendra' boot (right). I thought they'd be a nice pair of rugged, statement-making snow boots for New York City winters. What do you think about my choice?

And what do you think about CAT Footwear? Are you ready to wear construction couture on your feet? See the rest of the collection below and tell my what you think. Sound off anywhere...Comments (below), Twitter or Instagram. 

xoxo

Shanna

 Luke Lambert (top) in 'Phantom' , Tyler Hilton in 'Vinson' (bottom)

DJ GENE in 'Helena'