Designer: Adam Derrick

Founded: 1979

Based: New York City

Who wears it: Well-heeled men about town

You know it for: Quality men’s footwear for every day—and any occasion

Brand backstory: Adam Derrick says he couldn’t have launched his Manhattan cowboy boot shop at a better time. “Urban Cowboy was a big hit and New Yorkers wanted cowboy boots to go out to the clubs and discos,” recalls Derrick. “We took off practically from day one.” His modest shop could accommodate only a handful of people at a time, so Derrick installed a sign that read: “To Boot is at capacity. Please wait.” And wait they did, even as the brand reinvented itself after the cowboy trend faded. Derrick added Italian-made dress shoes to his line in the early ’80s, and now he offers a hundred new styles a season, including business, formal, and casual options. Of course, there are still plenty of boots. “I enjoy being a specialist—the only designer in the market working exclusively with men’s shoes,” says Derrick. “When I started, men didn’t have the many footwear options they have today, and I’ve enjoyed helping to push that door wide open.”