Naot U.S. President Ayelet Lax Levy on Elevating Women’s Voices: Women Who Rock
There has long been a misalignment in the fashion industry.
“More women’s shoes than men’s shoes are sold in this country and yet more men are making decisions about the direction of the industry [than women],” said Ayelet Lax Levy, president of U.S. operations at Naot. “It’s just good business to not only listen to the women in the room, but to elevate their voices.”
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For instance, she noted, the language that men and women use to describe footwear is even different. “Most women know what ‘band-aid ankle’ means, but when I say that to a man, I usually get a blank stare,” Levy said.
And while she believes that strides have been made to put more women in positions of power and influence, the shoe industry needs more mentoring opportunities to ensure they stay there.
At Naot, for instance, Levy said many of its longest-tenured members of top management are women. “I believe their ability to not only climb the ladder but [have] long tenures here are a result of support we have provided them in their pursuits both in and out of the office,” she said.
In her own career journey, Levy said her biggest challenge was balancing full-time work with the responsibilities of motherhood. “When I had my first child it was very hard for the men who were in charge of our company at the time to realize that I needed support and help in order to find that work-life balance,” she recalled. “By empowering young women and letting them know that we don’t expect them to ‘have it all,’ but rather that we are there to support them in their quest to balance it all, it elevates and empowers them.”
In all cases, she believes in the importance of listening — both to women in the workplace and to female consumers. In fact, that was one of the driving forces behind her new venture, Ayelet by Naot, a made-in-Italy dress shoe line that prioritizes the comfort and fit that women crave.
As she looks to the future of footwear, Levy hopes that the fact that there are more women in leadership today will pave an easier path for the next generations. “I hope that we can inspire the next generation, but that they also introduce more balance into women’s lives,” she said.
A version of this article appeared in the Feb. 3 print issue of FN, as part of the “Women Who Rock” special section. On Feb. 4, FN and Two Ten Footwear Foundation will honor these women at the annual live event in New York City.
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