Soviets Tour Southland in Search of Trade Partners

The hosts spoke English, went without ties and socks and offered kiwis and strawberries. The guests, who spoke Russian and wore suits, ignored the fruit but accepted coffee and puffed on cigarettes.

But executives of trendy footwear maker L.A. Gear and the delegation of visiting Soviet trade officials found Friday that they had a common interest: making money.

The footwear company’s Marina del Rey offices were the first of several Los Angeles area companies the delegation visited during a whirlwind tour aimed at drumming up interest in the Soviet market.

From L.A. Gear, the six-man delegation went to Westwood to call on Occidental Petroleum’s chairman, Armand Hammer, to Camarillo to visit health equipment maker Everest & Jennings and to Sunland to check out women’s sportswear maker Cherokee.

The delegation is made up of officials from the Soviet Union’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry and of economic consultants. According to Noach Dear, New York City councilman who organized this and previous tours aimed at encouraging U.S.-Soviet economic ties, the Soviets are particularly interested in meeting with makers of consumer goods, which are perennially in short supply in the Soviet Union.

A stronger Soviet economy, Dear pointed out, would support government efforts to give citizens greater political and religious freedoms. “They don’t care about freedom of speech if they don’t have shoes or clothes to wear,” he said.

And there were plenty of shoes to see at L.A. Gear. The Soviets examined some of the colorful footwear displayed on the mirrored walls of a conference room.

Invited to Trade Show

L.A. Gear already sells $50 million worth of shoes in 100 countries--though not in the Soviet Union--and expects international sales to double next year. So far, it has no plans for Soviet sales.

After finding out that the Soviets make the blue jeans, L.A. Gear executive Elliott Horowitz pointed at some samples and said: “When children wear blue jeans, they wear footwear like that. That’s the outfit, you know.”

The Russians nodded quietly and later invited L.A. Gear to attend a trade show in Moscow next month. Despite the late notice, the L.A. Gear people were interested in the offer.

“They will meet with great approval in the Soviet market,” said V. L. Malkevich, chairman of the Soviet chamber.