KENT, OH.- Few names in fashion footwear evoke the kind of response that the mere mention of Donald J Pliner does. Pliner is one of America’s most successful designers of high-end footwear to grace the shelves of the best retailers in the country. The label can be found in the closets of well-dressed women and men around the world.

In April 2025, the iconic designer will be recognized as the 2025 inductee of Kent State University’s School of Fashion Hall of Fame, which Pliner considers the highest honor of his life. Joining Pliner at his induction ceremony will be his wife, muse and design partner, Lisa, who has been by his side for the past 28 years.

“We couldn’t be more grateful to have Donald J Pliner accept this honor,” said Mourad Krifa, Ph.D., director of Kent State’s School of Fashion. “His contributions to the world of American fashion and his commitment to the belief that high fashion can be comfortable and accessible to everyday consumers have been transformative to the industry.”

In its 36th year, the prestigious Kent State School of Fashion’s Hall of Fame award celebrates the outstanding contributions to fashion made by an individual. The accolade honors the unique qualities of their leadership. It champions the aspiration and inspiration they and their business of fashion offer the next generation of fashion graduates at Kent State. Pliner joins an illustrious group of inductees that includes Kenneth Cole, Estée Lauder, Oscar de la Renta, Dana Buchman, Leonardo Ferragamo, Josie Natori, and most recently, Dame Zandra Rhodes.

“I am honored and awestruck to be inducted into the Kent State University School of Fashion Hall of Fame,” Pliner said. “Simply awestruck!”

Pliner grew up in the shoe business. His father, an immigrant from what is now Poland, was the proprietor of a chain of fashion footwear stores in the storied “Black Belt” of Chicago under the name of Pliner’s Florsheim Family Shoe Stores. As a child, Pliner would spend time in the stores playing with the store’s fitting machines and mingling with the customers while they were being fit for their shoes. As he came of age, he began working in the stores as a salesperson.

A few years later, he followed an opportunity to move to California with the renowned Pappagallo shoe stores. Pliner’s vision, however, was much larger than the Pappagallo management would allow, and he left a few years later to open the Right Bank Clothing Co. on Rodeo Drive, one of the most fashionable addresses on Earth. The emporium became a place to be seen and to see such regular clients as Elizabeth Taylor, Cher, Tina Turner, Elton John, Suzanne Somers, Wayne Newton and countless others.

It wasn’t long before he launched his own label, right around the same time as he met his soulmate, his wife, Lisa F Pliner, who was working in Miami with legendary fashion designer Gianni Versace. The two met on a blind date, and the rest, as they say “is fashion history.”

Pliner hopes his legacy will be defined by him proving that fashion footwear can indeed be comfortable. Pliner has been compared to the greats in the global footwear business, and to this day, his label is still on the shelves of the best retailers in the country.

“I’m so proud of my husband for receiving an award like this,” said Lisa F Pliner. “It’s an honor and tribute to his life as a father, husband and iconic designer who has graced the feet of countless millions of the best dressed people the world over.”

Pliner’s induction into the Kent State School of Fashion’s Hall of Fame will take place on April 26 as part of the school’s Annual Fashion Show. Featuring an eclectic mix of styles, materials and concepts, the Annual Fashion Show showcases the work and talent of Kent State seniors and graduate students.