Elyse Walker may have been in business for 27 years, but she’s been working in retail since she was 14, at her mom’s store putting shoes on women’s feet. To this day, her heart lies on the shop floor, specifically the dressing room, where she’s able to provide customers with what she considers a true luxury experience.
“I don’t think luxury has anything to do with price point. I think true luxury is someone that you’re working with telling you ‘You know what, I don’t think you need that. I think we can do better.’ To me, that’s true luxury,” said Walker at WWD’s 2026 Women in Power event on Monday in New York City.
Customer relations has been central to the veteran merchant’s philosophy on building a viable retail business, along with the relationships she nurtures with her employees — some of whom have been with the company for 22 years.
“What’s our most valuable asset? It’s not a sweater or jewelry, but it’s our people,” said Walker.
After the tragic Pacific Palisades fire destroyed the town’s homes and businesses along with Walker’s stores, the Women in Power honoree went into survival mode, assessing the situation and mobilizing, relocating the Pacific Palisades staff to different stores, renting houses, as well as buying bicycles for them to commute. Walker never let one person go from her Pacific Palisades team.
That’s a testament to her leadership, composure and ability to manage multiple moving parts during a time of crisis. Faced with the loss of not one but two stores, she prioritized people over profits, ensuring her team had both jobs and support as they navigated the aftermath of the disaster.
Beyond her compassion, Walker has good instincts. Although educated as a mathematician, the retailer believes that “intuition always beats the numbers,” adding that “instinct and authenticity will outbeat any reporting” when it comes to which styles to buy, how many and which one of her eight stores (nine by the end of the year) to stock it in.
“I think you shouldn’t take on a trend if you don’t feel it. If it’s not authentic and it’s not organic, it’s not going to translate in your business,” advised Walker. She, on the other hand, has an advantage in that she has multiple stores and can test out a trend at a larger one before introducing it to the rest.
After nearly three decades in business, Walker said the most meaningful compliment she hears is that mothers, daughters and granddaughters can all find something they love in her store. For Walker, success isn’t about chasing fleeting trends but about creating a place that resonates across generations and where customers want to return time and time again. That enduring appeal, she believes, is what allows the store to remain a vital part of the neighborhood and its community.
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