Signature shoes: From the garish purple and gold Converses made famous in the 1980s by Magic Johnson to the current glut of kicks endorsed by today's NBA and hip-hop stars, consumers have always seemed willing to pony up the cash to own a piece of their heroes. But what makes one signature shoe sell while another flops? Retailers told Footwear News that several factors -- price, the popularity of the endorser, how saturated the market is with the shoe -- affect sales, but they all agreed the appeal is about fashion as much as anything else. Make it a sharp, hip-looking shoe, and people will buy it.

Glenn Lyon, president, Finish Line; Indianapolis

"The signature ...