Footwear designer Vince Camuto died of Cancer at his home in Greenwich, on Wednesday. The 78 years old was very well respected in the fashion industry and launched some successful shoe brands, one of them being Nine West, founded with Jerome Fischer in 1978. The duo took Nine West public in 1993 and sold it for about $900 million in 1999.
In recent years, he has expanded dramatically and built a multibillion-dollar empire consisting of a number of brands across a wide range of categories, as well as his own concept stores. In 2001, Camuto got back in the footwear business and founded the Camuto Group, which started designing and producing exclusive lines.
One of his most notable business relationships was with Jessica Simpson, Camuto teamed up with the star in 2005 to help her build her now $1 billion clothing brand, The Jessica Simpson Collection. She took to instagram to mourn his death, by sharing a photo with the late co-founder of Nine West along with a quote from Camuto himself. “‘It is never about one person,'” the multi-hyphenate reflected. “‘It’s the teams you put in place. Without the right people, you’re nowhere’ -Vince Camuto.
