(FORTUNE Magazine) – Is the world ready for the power sock? Vivek Nagrani, founder of the Ovadafut Hosiery Co., is finding that businessmen will pay big bucks for what Donald Trump might call truly outstanding foot coverings. Offered by only a handful of boutiques a few years ago, Nagrani's high-end men's hosiery--$25 to $30 a pair--will be sold in 188 outlets, such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Fred Segal, this fall.

Nagrani started the firm in 1999 because he noticed that men were wearing more fashionable clothes and pricey jeans, but socks had not made the same kind of progress. With sales up 72% last year, he's definitely onto something, but the fall line, which features bull's eyes and snakes in bold colors like pistachio and orange, isn't for everyone. "You definitely need a personality to pull off this look," says the 33-year-old designer. In other words, it's for the kind of guy who knocks your socks off. -- Stephanie N. Mehta