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THE VOICE OF INDEPENDENT SHOE RETAILERS
Footwear Insight provides the market with leading edge reporting in every
issue. No fluff, no designers. Just ideas and useful information retailers can
use to make buying decisions and run their businesses.
PLAYING IN PEORIA KIDS’ POINT OF VIEW A FEMALE CAT
SHOE CARNIVAL / THE FINISH LINE / STYLE UNCORKED
Sandals get
NEXT LEVEL
PERFORMERS
feminine.
Technology
And Style For
Spring 2015
(and fun)
Bold
Beautiful
FOOTWEARINSIGHT.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014
OUTDOOR
FOOTWEAR SLIPS
INTO STYLE
FOOTWEARINSIGHT.COM • JULY/AUGUST 2014
SKATE SHOES: ON THE RUN 50 YEARS: ECCO’S ANNIVERSARY COMFORT STRATEGIES
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SPECIAL SECTION: THE FOOTWEAR EVENT PREVIEW
MEET THE
HOTTEST NEW
CONSUMER
AT RETAIL
W
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t in
FEE
Et
FlE
t FuElS
cRoSSFi
21ST CENTURY RETAILING
AT HARRYS, NEW YORK CITY
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FOOTWEARINSIGHT.COM • MAy/JuNE 2013
FOOTWEARINSIGHT.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2013
2015 MEDIA PLANNER #11
footwearinsightmag.com
2015 CALENDAR
Category
Coverage
Deadlines
• Outdoor Lifestyle
• Women’s Comfort
• Surf
• The Boot Book
• Athletic
• Socks
Ad Close
12/22/14
• Men’s Style
• Retailer’s Guide to Walking
• Accessories
• The Gold Medal
Retailer Awards
• Comfort
• Athletic
• Shoe Care
Ad Close
2/25/15
• Women’s Athletic &
Active Lifestyle
• Classic Comfort
• Made in USA
• New Materials
Ad Close
5/1/15
• The Boot Book
• Outdoor Lifestyle
• Trail
• Surf meets Outdoor
• Sandals
• Insoles
Ad Close
6/26/15
• Women’s Comfort
• Beach Lifestyle
• Women’s Comfort
• Socks
• Kids
Ad Close
9/3/15
• Women’s Boots
• Running
• Workplace Footwear
• Recovery
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Features
Jan/Feb
Mar/Apr
May/Jun
Jul/Aug
Sep/Oct
Nov/Dec
Material Due
12/29/14
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• Platform
• Atlanta
Material Due
3/4/15
Material Due
5/8/15
Material Due
7/6/15
• FFANY
• The Running & Fitness
Event For Women
• ORSM
• Platform
• FFANY
• Atlanta
• PFA
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9/10/14
Ad Close
11/2/15
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• The Running Event
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11/9/15
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Sports Specialty Stores
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8%
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Published 6X each year. Key issues published for Outdoor Retailer Markets, FFANY, Platform,
Atlanta Shoe Market, The Running Event, and The Running & Fitness Event For Women.
IN EVERY ISSUE
RETAIL PROFILES
BRAND STRATEGIES
THEFOOTWEAREYE
WILD
ABOUT
HARRYS
Manhattan’s iconic shoe
store offers its take on
21st Century retailing
WOMEN’S STYLE
STRATEGY
W
earing a pair of
Vibram FiveFingers
at a New York City
café during a recent
sit-down interview, Michael Gionfriddo described to us how he once
walked into quite a “muddy” situation at work. A promotion catapulted the exec from COO to CEO of Vibram USA in July 2012, just around
the time Vibram was experiencing
some of its biggest challenges ever.
Becoming CEO meant cleaning
Fashion-infused style runs throughout the CAT women’s line, which includes a mix of pumps, sandals and boots ranging in price from $70 to $220.
W
The Harrys Team:
Sister and brother
Randi and Robert
Goldberg.
Photo Frank James
March/April 2013 ~ Footwear Insight • 23
MARKET INSIGHTS
SNEAKER
BOOTS
A HYBRID STYLE ON THE RISE
Vibram FiveFingers Bikila EVO
Vibram Plots its Next Move
Story by Mark Sullivan / When Manhattan’s Harrys Shoes planned its
expansion a little more than a year ago, Robert Goldberg and his sister Randi
wanted to do more than make the store bigger. They wanted to create a 21st
Century footwear store: one that combined the caring service of the store in
which they grew up. But also a store that would offer a compelling selection of
merchandise, purchased and displayed around the taste
level of a demanding and sophisticated consumer base.
Six months after the grand re-opening, industry pundits
would say they’ve succeeded on all fronts. “This store
is fantastic,” says Bruce Munro, the president of Munro
Shoes and one of more than 100 vendors to Harrys.
“I can see consumers driving hours to get here and shop.”
Harrys has always drawn consumers from the tri-state
area, but in the complex social geography of Manhattan
– where longtime residents don’t leave their neighborhoods except to go to work – it was important to the Goldbergs that they offer
a store that would appeal to residents of the Upper West Side, where Robert
lives (and where the store is located) and the East Side where sister Randi
lives. The goal was to “get younger” and in the process “more elegant and
ophisticated,” according to Robert, who said before the re-model the average
age of the shopper was about 50. “The average age in the country is 51, so
we weren’t far off from that,” Robert explains, “but the store felt stodgy to us.”
footwearinsight.com
THEFOOTWEAREYE
A Female CAT
hen Margaret Doran
joined CAT Footwear
earlier this year to head
up sales for its women’s
line, she admits that some retailers
questioned the logic of a women’s shoe
brand named after a tractor. “Most
retailers know us as a men’s industrial
boot brand,” says Doran of the line
produced under license by Wolverine
Worldwide. “But once people began
seeing the product the common reaction was ‘this is not what I expected’.”
In fact, CAT has had a rather large
women’s business outside the United
States for a number of years now.
CAT has more than 100 mono-branded stores in 141 countries that carry
men’s, women’s and children’s footwear and a range of accessories. CAT
women’s is particularly strong in Latin
America, which Doran attributes to a
strong distributor and the fact that
8 • Footwear Insight ~ September/October 2014
a decade at Brown Shoe, joined CAT,
stores and consumers don’t necesthe women’s line was sold by the same
sarily associate the CAT brand with
sales force that handled the men’s
gigantic yellow tractors.
work boots. Doran has assembled a
The CAT women’s line features a
team of 10 agencies who
mix of pumps, sandals and
handle only the women’s
boots with retail prices
product and has made sigranging from $70 to $220
nificant inroads thus far.
with an average of about
The line has been picked up
$120.
The
consumer,
by a range of online sellers
according to Doran, is an
including Zappos and Shop
age 20+ shopper looking
HQ as well as Zumiez and
for quality, comfort and
many independents. The
understandable fashion.
line will also be featured in
For Spring 2015, CAT
Hilton Hotels and Resorts
women’s introduced its Margaret Doran
shops.
first major collaboration,
The line currently features 150
a line designed by London-based
skus and Doran says that number will
graphic print designer Camille Walala
double in the next year. “It’s an excitcalled Cat Footwear X Walala. The
ing time for the brand,” she says. “I
collection includes Walala’s version
want retailers to start thinking of us
of work-influenced boots and will ship
as a footwear brand that also makes
to retailers starting February 1, 2015.
tractors.” O
Until Doran, who spent more than
footwearinsight.com
Michael Gionfriddo, CEO of Vibram USA
out a closet cluttered with SKUs
and ending a roller coaster ride of
cyclical sales figures. In addition, a
recent class action lawsuit having to do with alleged false claims
about Vibram’s FiveFingers running
shoes drained company resources,
including time and money.
To right the ship, Vibram
decided to settle claims that it
had falsely advertised health
benefits associated with the
FiveFingers shoes – including
that shoes prevent injuries and
strengthen muscles – and set up
a $3.75 million settlement fund.
The brand also voluntarily took
down its “5 Reasons” platform
from its site, which listed Vibram’s
ability to improve range of motion,
stimulate neural function and
improve posture. “5 Reasons”
was a large part of the brand’s
DNA and competitive advantage
over other minimalist offerings.
While independent studies – some
commissioned by the brand –
concerning health benefits exist,
Gionfriddo decided to drop the
issue and start fresh. “We did it to
move on,” the exec says.
Since the announcement of a
settlement in May 2014, Vibram has
witnessed a 17 percent increase in
retail accounts, according to the
firm. “It brought a lot of publicity,
some bad, some good,” says
Gionfriddo. In the press, some have
equated settling with implied guilt.
On the consumer side, “there
has been an increase in online
activity and purchases. People
may have seen it, heard about it
and said, ‘I’m looking for these
shoes again,’” says Michael Martin,
business unit director for Vibram
FiveFingers.
For consumers who may still be
on the fence, Vibram has made a
guarantee. Anyone who purchases
a pair of FiveFingers from now
until the end of the year through
VibramFiveFingers.
com and is not
satisfied after six
weeks can return the
shoe and get a full refund.
For Spring 2015, Vibram
has slimmed down (SKUs
have been cut by 50 percent over
the last year) and refashioned its
offerings. Gone are the Classic
and the KSO models; in are new
versions with better materials,
along with the addition of several
training and fitness shoes.
For off-roading (mud runs), the
Spyridon MR has a molded 3D
Cocoon nylon mesh technology
midsole with a “rock block” effect
to disperse impact over a wider
are barely visible. “This is what
women have been asking for,”
Martin commented.
Similarly, consumers may
squint to see those trademark
toes in the Furoshiki lifestyle
shoe. The digital-printed shoe is
a fun, functional fashion piece
that hugs the foot and showcases
Vibram’s ability to produce fabrics
interwoven with rubber. The
For consumers who may still be on the fence, Vibram has made a
guarantee. Anyone who purchases a pair of FiveFingers from now until
the end of the year through VibramFiveFingers.com and is not satisfied
after six weeks can return the shoe and get a full refund.
area of the shoe. Bikila EVO and
Bikila EVO WP are positioned
as offerings fit for those making
the transition from traditional to
minimalist running shoes. The
KMD EVO can be used for running,
as well as for cross training/
CrossFit activities.
Specifically for women, the
Alitza is positioned as an “elegant”
offering for barre, yoga and
training, while the Alitza Loop
offers a barefoot experience with
optimal traction. Unlike in other
VIbram FiveFingers shoes, toes
shoe could also open some new
distribution possibilities due to its
fashion quotient. “I can envision
this in a fashion boutique,” says
Martin.
The company’s execs feel that
the slimmed down portfolio
has benefits. “This is the first
time retailers are saying we’re
rightsized and stable,” Martin
explains. Moving forward, the
goal is to be lean and mean and
continue to seek ways to serve
unfulfilled needs. O
— Suzanne Blecher
14 • Footwear Insight ~ September/October 2014
footwearinsight.com
BUSINESS REPORTS
Comfort&
JOY
Dansko
Bonita, a cut-out
bootie from the
Barcelona Collection.
MSRP $185.
FALL 2014 FORECAST
They’re part sneaker and part boot. Some people are calling them sneaker boots.
Whatever you call them, they’re a style on the rise. What exactly is a sneaker boot?
It’s more laid back than a “dress sneaker” and less techy than a hiking boot. The recipe
is simple: Combine certain elements of a sneaker, such as a high-top athletic silhouette,
and add in a few boot-like ingredients, such as fancy upper materials or thick, molded
rubber soles. From the outdoor vibe of Patagonia to the skate style of Vans to the urban
appeal of Palladium, the trend is crossing boundaries. Sneakers + Boots = Style.
INSIDE THE
HEARTS,
MINDS &
WALLETS
OF TODAY’S
RUNNERS
The running market remains the hottest
category in the footwear business.
The business has grown by almost 40 percent
since 2006 and runners have shown they will
run through the recession and continue to buy
the latest and greatest shoes, apparel and
accessories. Retailers, of course, are clamoring for this alpha
consumer. Dick’s Sporting Goods has opened a run specialty
store, True Runner, to target the running consumer. Finish Line
has formed a joint venture with Gart Capital Partners and has
already rolled up 25 run specialty stores, including the highly
regarded Run On! in Dallas. And Internet sellers love targeting
the affluent run consumer with choices and bargains. What do
runners make of all this attention and craven desire for their
wallets? We asked them. In a survey of about 1000 dedicated
runners nationwide, conducted exclusively for Formula4 Media
by Leisure Trends Group, we learned plenty. For this study, we
wanted real runners, so The Competitor Group, publishers of
Competitor magazine and owners of the Rock’N Roll Marathon
series of races, supplied us with a list that allowed us to obtain
967 responses nationwide from individuals who run at least 10
miles or three times a week. Respondents also had to have
purchased shoes, apparel and accessories in the last year and
most recently at a run specialty store.
So many choices and so much money to spend. Our exclusive consumer research study reveals
what runners think about the burning issues of the day: the specialty shopping experience, why
they buy online and what they really think of the minimal footwear movement. The answers on
the following pages offer up great insight, a few surprises and a road map to their spending.
Fall 2014 is just about a year away, but some clarity is already starting to emerge. The boot trend
that has put money in everyone’s pockets over the past decade will abate and give way to a range
This study breaks runners into three groups:
High Frequency: 25-plus miles a week
Medium Frequency: 16-24 miles a week
Low Frequency: 1-15 miles a week
of shoes that emphasize design, color and material texture. Women’s shoes emphasize sleek
feminine silhouettes mixed with built-in comfort features, while color and new upper materials
Vivobarefoot: The Scott (in black, above, left), MSRP $185 and the Gobi Suede, MSRP $150. The Scott is a winter-proof boot. The
Gobi combines sneaker style into a desert boot style. Vans: The Breton Boot (above, far right), MSRP $140, has a Vans OTW sneaker
silhouette with a Vibram outsole for maximum wear and grip. The upper’s shape, materials and colors offer a more sophisticated boot look.
s&OOTWEAR)NSIGHT^.OVEMBER$ECEMBER
More than half of consumers sampled have an income of $80,000 or more.
are creating interest for the men’s category. Here’s a sneak peak at directional styles for Fall ’14.
28 • Footwear Insight ~ November/December 2012
FOOTWEARINSIGHTCOM
s&OOTWEAR)NSIGHT^.OVEMBER$ECEMBER
FOOTWEARINSIGHTCOM
Consumers ages 45-plus are particularly likely to belong to a running club/group.
footwearinsight.com
footwearinsight.com
November/December 2012 ~ Footwear Insight • 29
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