FUTURE FUTURE

Year in Review: � e De� ning Stories FO OT W E A R N E W S .C O M / D EC E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 1 9 / @ FO OT W E A R N E W S

WHY NIKE’S

IS IN

HANDSHEIDI’S T H E W O M A N A T T H E C E N T E R O F A N A M B I T I O U S C O N S U M E R - F I R S T S T R A T E G Y O P E N S U P A B O U T D R A M A T I C C H A N G E S A T T H E B R A N D , H E R L E A D E R S H I P M A N T R A S A N D T H E N E W R E T A I L A G E .

COLD

ICEBRING IT ON.

SNOWSNOW

RAINRAIN

CUSHIONED

FOOTBED

TREAD SOLE

TEMPERATURE

RATED

-5° F / -20° C

COZY LINING

WATER REPELLINGTECHNOLOGY

COZY LINING

TREAD SOLE

CUSHIONED

FOOTBED

CUSHIONED

FOOTBED

COZY LINING

TREAD SOLE

WATERPROOF

PROTECTION

Untitled-5 2 12/6/19 2:46 PM

COLD

ICEBRING IT ON.

SNOWSNOW

RAINRAIN

CUSHIONED

FOOTBED

TREAD SOLE

TEMPERATURE

RATED

-5° F / -20° C

COZY LINING

WATER REPELLINGTECHNOLOGY

COZY LINING

TREAD SOLE

CUSHIONED

FOOTBED

CUSHIONED

FOOTBED

COZY LINING

TREAD SOLE

WATERPROOF

PROTECTION

Untitled-5 3 12/6/19 2:51 PM

Untitled-6 1 12/6/19 3:02 PM

W

C O N T E N T S

5

INSIDER 9 Tricks of the

TradeFootwear fi rms spent the year balancing business and politics on the China front.

12 Google ItWhich shoes ruled search in 2019? You might be surprised.

13 FN SpyThe most notable moments from the FNAA stage.

14 Show Tour The can’t miss global trade shows for the fi rst half of 2020.

16 FN InsightsHow 3D printing is changing the way sneakers look and feel.

FEATURES 18 Nike’s New Day

Inside the brand’s aggressive DTC push that has everyone talking.

YEAR IN REVIEW

28 Hot TopicsThe news stories that dominated the industry’s turbulent year.

29 Star WalkThese 12 celebrities were red carpet and street style mainstays.

30 High DemandThe sporty, colorful, modern and nostalgic looks that owned 2019.

31 It’s ShowtimeBrands and celebs partner to create captivating product.

32 Power MovesMarket challenges and trends that defi ned the athletic space.

33 Social MomentsThe most-liked photos and videos of 2019 from FN’s Instagram.

33 Statements MadeSome of the year’s most memorable quotes, as told to FN.

FN PICK34 Teens Idol

Lady Gaga helped keep fashion interesting during the past decade.

F O O T W E A R N E W S // D E C E M B E R 1 6 , 2 0 1 9 // F O O T W E A R N E W S . C O M

24

HERE & ON THE COVERPhotographed by JAY FRAM

“I think the hard line between a brand and a retailer blurs in the digital world. When you go to a Nike app, are you at retail or are you hanging out with Nike?”

— HEIDI O’NEILL

MICHAEL ATMORE EDITORIAL DIRECTOR SANDI MINES VICE PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

George Grobar Chief Operating Officer

Gerry Byrne Vice Chairman

Sarlina See Chief Accounting Officer

Craig Perreault EVP, Business Development

Todd Greene EVP, Business Affairs and

General Counsel

Debashish Ghosh Managing Director

Jenny Connelly Senior Vice President, Product

Ken DelAlcazar Senior Vice President, Finance

Tom Finn Senior Vice President, Operations

Nelson Anderson Vice President, Creative

Joni Antonacci Vice President,

Production Operations

Stephen Blackwell Head of Portfolio Sales

Gerard Brancato Vice President,

PMC Digital Acquisition

Young Ko Vice President, Finance

Gabriel Koen Vice President, Technology

Kevin LaBonge Vice President, Global

Partnerships and Licensing

Noemi Lazo Vice President, Customer Experience

and Marketing Operations

Brian Levine Vice President, Revenue Operations

Judith Margolin R. Vice President,

Deputy General Counsel

Julie Trinh Vice President, Global Tax

Lauren Utecht Vice President, Human

Resources and Corporate Communications

Christina Yeoh Vice President, Technical

Operations

Julie Zhu Vice President, Audience

Marketing and Subscriptions

Nici Catton Associate Vice President,

Product Delivery

Gurjeet Chima Senior Director,

International Markets

Eddie Ko Senior Director, Advertising Operations

Andy Limpus Senior Director, Talent Acquistion

Amit Sannad Senior Director, Development

Karl Walter Senior Director, PMC Content

Mike Ye Senior Director, Strategic Planning

& Acquisitions

Constance Ejuma Director, SEO

Laura Ongaro Editorial & Brand Director,

International

Katie Passantino Director, Business

Development

Derek Ramsay Senior Product Manager

Contact Us

Editorial 212-256-8120Display advertising 646-356-4847Production 646-893-3065 Individual subscriptions & single copy sales866-963-7335 Editorial reprints Wright’s Media 877-652-5295

Fairchild Offices

FAIRCHILD MEDIA AND FN ARE OWNED AND PUBLISHED BY PENSKE MEDIA CORPORATION

JAY PENSKE CHAIRMAN & CEO

LOS ANGELES11175 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025310.321.50 00

CHICAGO20 West Kinzie St., Chicago, IL 60654

NASHVILLE501 Union St., Nashville, TN 37219

NEW YORK475 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10017212.213.1900

LONDON11 Golden Square, London, England W1F 9JB

PARIS11 Rue Royale, Paris, France 75008

MILANVia Albricci, 7, 20122 Milan, Italy

MUMBAIVishwaroop IT Park, Sector 30A Vashi, Navi Mumbai 400703

HONG KONG21/F, The Phoenix, 23 Luard Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

TOKYOLapiross Bldg. 4F, 6-1-24 Roppongi, Minayo-Ky, Tokyo 106-0032

EditorialNeil Weilheimer Managing Editor

Katie Abel Executive Editor

Jennie Bell Features Editor

Eugenia Richman Digital Director

Shannon Adducci Style Director

Barbara Schneider-Levy Senior Editor, Men’s & Comfort

Jessica Fitzgerald Art Director

Sheena Butler-Young Senior Business Editor

Charlie Carballo Senior Digital Editor

Peter Verry Senior Editor, Athletic & Outdoor

Stephanie Hirschmiller European Editor

Heidi Pashman Social Media Editor

Nikara Johns Women’s Editor

Pheanny Phen Designer

Samantha McDonald Digital News Editor

Sam Peters E-commerce Editor

Ella Chochrek Assistant Digital Editor

Madeleine Crenshaw Editorial Assistant

Erin E. Clack Contributing Editor, Children’s

CorrespondentsSamantha Conti, Natalie Theodosi London

Joelle Diderich Paris

Luisa Zargani Milan

Photography/VideoAsh Barhamand Visual Media Director

Amanda Jones PMC Studio Manager

George Chinsee Photographer

Strategic Content DevelopmentMadeleine Streets Business Reporter, Strategic Content

AdvertisingDeborah Baron Account Director

Michelle Raskin West Coast Director

Samantha Rumsky Digital Account Manager

Giulia Squeri European Account Director

Gabriella Zurrow Account Manager

Gomatie Sanichar Office Manager

Emanuela Altimani Senior Sales Coordinator

Digital/Marketing/ Creative ServicesCass Spencer Creative Director, Marketing

Suzette Minetti Senior Brand Manager

Lauren-Ashley Spencer Integrated

Marketing Manager

Laney Kay Digital Strategist

Alice Kim Junior Designer

Audience MarketingEllen Dealy Vice President

Randi Segal Senior Director, Institutional Sales

John Cross Director

Production/DistributionKevin Hurley Production Director

Anne Leonard Production Manager

Michael Petre Director of Distribution

Prepress ProductionAlex Sharfman Digital Imaging

Summits & EventsMary Ann Bacher Executive Editorial Director

Fairchild Publishing LLC

Michael Atmore Editorial Director of

FN & Director of Brand Development

Ron Wilson Director, European Operations

Footwear News

@FootwearNews

@FootwearNews

EMAIL USNews web@footwearnews.com

Advertising dbaron@footwearnews.com

TO SUBSCRIBEfootwearnews@cdsfulfillment.com

FOLLOW US

V I D E O SG A L L E R I E SS T O R I E S

ootwearnews.comA S N E A K P E E K A T S O M E O F O U R B E S T U P C O M I N G C O N T E N T .

TOP MOMENTS ON THE FNAAS RED CARPET

Week of Dec. 16Check out the highlights from our 33rd annual FN Achievement Awards and hear actor Billy Porter talk about becoming fearless about fashion. Plus, Puma CEO Bjørn Gulden reveals why he left behind a pro soccer career and supermodel Adriana Lima dishes on her new gig as a sneaker designer.

TOP INSTAGRAM MOMENTS OF THE YEAR

Week of Dec. 23Whether it was Gigi Hadid’s run-in with a runway crasher at Chanel’s spring ’20 show or the high-wattage debut of Rihanna’s Fenty fashion collection, FN’s social media feed captured many of 2019’s most talked-about moments. J-LO’S BEST STYLE MOMENTS OF THE 2010S

Week of Dec. 23Jennifer Lopez turned 50 in 2019, and she’s hotter than ever. The multi-hyphenate star closed out the decade with a splash at Milan Fashion Week, by re-wearing her infamous Versace gown from the 2000 Grammy Awards. Here, FN looks at her biggest fashion moments of the last 10 years.

From left: FN senior digital editor Charlie Carballo, Billy Porter and FN

style director Shannon Adducci

57% 30%

PH

OTO

S: F

NA

AS

: BU

TT

ER

VID

EO; A

LL O

TH

ER

S: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

Gigi Hadid confronts comedian Marie Benoliel as she makes a scene at the Chanel runway show

Jennifer Lopez received the Fashion Icon award at the CFDA Awards in June 2019

SOURCE: HONG KONG RETAIL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

97%

Amid Protests, 7,000 Hong Kong Retail Stores Expected to Close

Companies that have experienced severe drops in revenue from Hong Kong protests

Businesses that said they likely will have to lay o� employees as a result of unrest

Companies that have experienced losses from the protests in Hong Kong

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT DEBORAH BARON, ACCOUNT DIRECTOR AT 212 256 8118 OR DBARON@FOOTWEARNEWS.COM

THE P OWER OF CONTENT

Pre-Show Issue ISSUE DATE: JANUARY 27AD CLOSE: JANUARY 15

BONUS DISTRIBUTION:

FFANY, FN Platform, FSNYE

Show Issue ISSUE DATE: FEBRUARY 03AD CLOSE: JANUARY 22

BONUS DISTRIBUTION:

FFANY, FN Platform, WWD MAGIC, Project LV, Agenda, The Atlanta Shoe Market, Sole Commerce, Children’s Great Event

Shoe Show, MICAM

The Tradeshow Issues

FN_HAD_TRADESHOW_V3.indd 2 11/18/19 5:15 PMUntitled-1 1 11/18/19 5:38 PM

INSIDER

9

T H E B I G S T O R Y 9 R E T A I L A N A L Y S I S 11 O N L I N E T R E N D S 12 L E G A L N E W S 12 F N S P Y 13

ALL IN THE MESSAGE How the 2019 FNAAs took on heightened signi� cance. p13

SEARCH PARTY Crocs was in high demand this year on Google. p12

FO

OT

WE

AR

NE

WS

//D

EC

EM

BE

R 1

6, 2

01

9//

FO

OT

WE

AR

NE

WS

.CO

M

Amid a tense relationship between China and America, footwear rms have had to strike a delicate balance between business and politics in 2019.

Tricks of the Trade

BY SAMANTHA MCDONALD

T H E B I G S T O R Y

10

PH

OTO

S:

PR

OT

EST

ER

S: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

; PAY

LES

S: A

P IM

AG

ES

10%

Tensions between China and the United States reached an

all time high this year, with a trade war and government censorship fueling the angst. // With the world’s two largest economies slapping punitive tariffs on billions of dollars worth of products and the ongoing divisive debates over free speech, here are the major moments of 2019.

FO

OT

WE

AR

NE

WS

//D

EC

EM

BE

R 1

6,

20

19

//F

OO

TW

EA

RN

EW

S.C

OM

PH

OTO

: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

TRADE TROUBLESMarking a turning point for the U.S. and China

was a so-called “phase one” deal announced in

mid-October that served as a temporary truce to

their financial dispute. As part of the agreement,

President Donald Trump paused plans to increase

tariffs to 30% from 25% on $250 billion worth of

Chinese goods, or the combined three tranches

of tariffs in the U.S. Trade Representative’s Sec-

tion 301 investigation. In exchange, China said it

would purchase $40 billion to $50 billion worth

of American agricultural products and agree to

guidelines on intellectual property.

Since the announcement, however, Trump and

China President Xi Jinping have made conflicting

statements on what such an accord would entail

— and whether it would’ve included the removal

of another round of tariffs that were scheduled to

take effect on Dec. 15.

“[Tariffs have] caused severe damage to U.S.

companies, the millions of U.S. workers they em-

ploy and the hundreds of millions of U.S. consum-

ers they service,” American Apparel and Footwear

Association president and CEO Rick Helfenbein

wrote in a letter addressed to Trump on Dec. 12.

“The uncertainty associated with the talks only

magnifies the pain by forcing companies to create

and constantly revisit multiple tariff mitigation

scenarios.”

In June, hundreds of industry executives

testified in Washington, D.C., in public hearings

regarding tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese

imports. Tariffs on the first round of that fourth

tranche hit businesses on Sept. 1, introducing a

15% levy on certain Chinese products, including

footwear, apparel and accessories. A 15% duty on

the second round of the fourth tranche — also

comprising consumer goods — was scheduled for

Dec. 15. (At press time, Trump suggested that the

U.S. is nearing an agreement that could put a halt

to its trade war with China.)

With 70% of America’s shoes imported from

China, footwear trade groups as well as brands

and retailers — including Nike, Crocs, Macy’s and

DSW — have expressed concerns over the raised

costs within supply chains. Some companies, such

as Puma and Steve Madden, have forecast a hit in

profits and even suggested price hikes.

“2019 will be remembered as the year of

uncertainty for the American footwear industry,”

Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America

president and CEO Matt Priest told FN. “This year

will also be remembered as the year the footwear

industry was fully engaged in advocacy. With a

presidential election year upon us and no end in

sight of the trade war, 2020 is certain to be an

uncertain and chaotic year.”

BASKETBALL BACKLASHBeyond the trade war, athletic brands have also

found themselves wading into contested political

The amount of the NBA’s revenue that China is responsible for, according to projections

issues abroad.

In October, friction occurred between the NBA

and China when Houston Rockets general man-

ager Daryl Morey tweeted his support for Hong

Kong’s pro-democracy demonstrators. The tweet

— which included the words, “Fight for freedom,

stand with Hong Kong” — was deleted but still

angered Chinese officials and fans.

The controversy highlighted the importance of

China to the NBA: The country accounts for 10% of

the league’s revenue — a share that some analysts

project could increase to 20% by 2030.

Meanwhile, on its home turf, the NBA has

sparked bipartisan backlash for appearing to sub-

mit to Chinese censorship, with lawmakers con-

demning the league’s response. Los Angeles Lakers

star and Nike athlete LeBron James also drew heat

for speaking on the issue, calling Morey’s tweet

“misinformed” and suggesting the Rockets GM did

not consider the ramifications of his words.

But it’s not just public denouncement: Morey’s

comments also had financial consequences, with

reports surfacing that some players may have lost

out on deals with Chinese companies. Athletic

brand Anta — sponsor of several NBA athletes

including Golden State Warriors guard Klay

Thompson — took offense at the tweet, announc-

ing it would no longer align itself with the league.

Fellow sportswear label Li-Ning, which works

with athletes such as Portland Trail Blazers guard

CJ McCollum, also cut ties with the Rockets amid

the debacle. Way of Wade, the Li-Ning-backed

brand of retired NBA legend Dwyane Wade,

added Golden State Warriors guard and former

A demonstrator holds up a U.S. flag during a rally in Hong Kong

U.S. retailers have announced a stagger-ing number of store closures this year: more than 9,200 as of late November, according to Coresight Research, com-pared with just over 5,800 for all of 2018.

While this may seem like evidence of dire circumstances for the industry, insiders suggest it may also be a sign that retailers are finally right-sizing their brick-and-mortar fleets for the way consumers shop today, and that they are armed with better data with which to do so.

Earlier this year, analysts from the investment bank UBS told clients they expect to see these closures continue as e-commerce takes a larger share of the

Nike athlete D’Angelo Russell to its ambassador

roster — further proof of China’s importance to

the league’s international expansion efforts.

UNDER PRESSURECompanies from all corners of the market were

closely monitoring the situation in China, espe-

cially during the back half of the year when pro-

democracy protests heated up.

While high-end fashion players were grappling

with uncertainty surrounding Brexit in the U.K. as

well as concerns about the U.S. economy and the

challenged department store sector, the top worry

during fashion month was the Hong Kong com-

mercial landscape. Analysts estimate that Hong

Kong accounts for between 5% and 10% of global

luxury goods sales.

“The situation is troubling and certainly for

our businesses, it is unprecedented,” said Pedder

Group president Peter Harris, which operates On

Pedder, the Lane Crawford shoe division and is a

major retailer for most high-end shoe brands.

In the athletic sector, few had closer ties to the

situation than Nike. The sportswear giant — also

the exclusive on-court uniform provider of the

NBA — is considered the leading athletic company

in China, with a 22.1% market share, according to

a 2016 Euromonitor report. It has also positioned

itself as a champion of free speech, casting former

NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, for example,

in a polarizing anniversary campaign that debuted

on Labor Day in 2018 that was met with boycotts.

On its earnings call in September, CEO Mark

Parker called Nike “a brand of China for China”

— words he has used in the past when outlining

its growth plans in the country. (Greater China —

which includes mainland China, Hong Kong, Ma-

cao and Taiwan — had driven double-digit revenue

growth for Nike for 21 consecutive quarters.)

In June, the Swoosh pulled the remaining

sneakers from its collaboration with Japanese

streetwear label Undercover from retailers in

China after the Jun Takahashi-led

brand posted an image in support

of the protests. A similar incident

befell Vans in October in the heat

of the controversy: The skate brand

removed a sneaker design featuring

figures in gas masks and hard hats

from its annual customization con-

test. “We have never taken a political

position and therefore review de-

signs to ensure they are in line with

our company’s long-held values of

respect and tolerance,” the company

said in a statement.

The uproar demonstrated the

pressure faced today by American

brands that sell merchandise in Chi-

na. While some companies

opted for silence or remained

neutral to avoid strains, oth-

ers were willing to risk losing

business in favor of taking

a stance that supports the

values of their customers.

“The U.S. consumer has

made it clear that they want

brands to take visible stands

on social issues; it is pos-

sible those positions will not resonate in other

cultures, but brands that want to win in the U.S.

are left with no alternative,” said The NPD Group

senior sports industry adviser Matt Powell. “This

illustrates the downside of the world being flat.

Western brands have been leaning hard to China

for growth, [and] these brands may have to sacri-

fice some of that growth to maintain their position

in the U.S.”

PH

OTO

S:

PR

OT

EST

ER

S: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

; PAY

LES

S: A

P IM

AG

ES

BY HILARY GEORGE-PARKIN

Shrinking to grow has been a common theme for retailers.

WHY STORE CLOSURES IN 2019 WERE A SIGN OF EFFICIENCY

retail pie, writing in a note, “store ratio-nalization needs to accelerate meaning-fully as online penetration continues to rise.” If, e-commerce accounts for 25% of retail sales by 2026, about 75,000 more stores will need to close, they wrote — putting the next several years on track to keep up 2019’s pace.

More optimistically, the analysts said these closures “should help the store productivity of surviving locations.”

A new report from Placer.ai, a foot traffic analytics platform, supports this conclusion, naming store optimization one of the trends most likely to define re-tail in 2020. The report highlights a small wave of store closures at Walmart that generated headlines earlier this year.

While some might construe the move as a win for Amazon and other competi-tors, Placer.ai data suggest that Walmart may ultimately benefit more, given the cost savings and proximity of neighbor-

ing stores. Looking at what it calls the “true trade areas” of two of the shuttered stores, it found “tremendous overlap with other nearby locations,” indi-cating that the stores may have been canni-balizing one another’s foot traffic.

“Shrinking to grow” has been a common theme this year among retailers

saddled with too many stores and overly expensive leases. In May, Abercrombie & Fitch announced that it would shutter three of its flagships — bringing the total to five — in an effort to focus on “smaller, more omnichannel spaces” that it hopes will drive improved sales without being a drag on the bottom line.

Even some of the most successful retailers have recently whittled their brick-and-mortar store count: Nike reduced its footprint from 392 stores at the end of fiscal 2018 to 384 a year later, shuttering less profitable locations and investing in innovative concepts such as its tech-driven Nike Live stores, as well as sprawling flagships in major markets like New York and Paris.

There will, of course, be casualties as consumers move more of their shopping online. Sears and Kmart owner Trans-form Holdco have announced hundreds of store closings this year — so many, in fact, that by February 2020 there will only be 182 left in the country, down from around 2,000 in 2013. So far, the struggling department stores have yet to turn themselves around, seeing year-over-year traffic declines in each month this year, according to the report.

1 1

97% Of Hong Kong

businesses surveyed sustained losses

amid the protests

“WITH A PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION YEAR UPON US AND NO END IN SIGHT OF THE TRADE WAR, 2020 IS CERTAIN TO BE AN UNCERTAIN AND CHAOTIC YEAR.” —MATT PRIEST, FDRA

PH

OTO

: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

Protesters wear masks of NBA star LeBron James and Chinese President Xi Jinping

PH

OTO

S: W

OLV

ER

INE

: SH

UT

TE

RS

TOC

K; S

HO

ES: C

OU

RT

ESY

OF

CO

MPA

NIE

S

YEAR IN REVIEW: GOOGLE’S HOT LIST

12

FO

OT

WE

AR

NE

WS

//D

EC

EM

BE

R 1

6,

20

19

//F

OO

TW

EA

RN

EW

S.C

OM

Wolverine to Pay Nearly $70M to Fix Water Contamination Issue� e company has faced more than 90 lawsuits in the past two years.BY SHEENA BUTLER-YOUNG

#1 LUKE COMBS CROCS

#2YEEZY 350 V2

#3AIRFORCE 1 SHOES

#4 NIKE AIR MAX 720

#5 ADIDAS “GAME OF THRONES”

#6BETSY ROSS SHOES

#7JESUS SHOES

#8POST MALONE CROCS

#9SPONGEBOB SHOES

#10KAWHI LEONARD SHOES

Google’s annual Year in Search is a revelatory peek into the people, trends and products that piqued America’s interest in the past 12 months. For the footwear industry, it’s also a snapshot of today’s buzziest brands, top collaborations and most newsworthy styles.

For 2019, Crocs’ ascen-dancy was cemented by the � rst-place performance of the brand’s twice-sold-out collaboration with country singer Luke Combs. The � rst style, released in June, was a wood-grain printed version of Crocs’ Classic Clogs; then, last month, they followed that up with a pair of camo-print clogs with hunting-themed Jibbitz charms and bottle opener on the heel strap.

Farther down the most-searched list, too, was Crocs’ Post Malone partnership, the fourth edition of which sold out in minutes on Tuesday.

Sneakers, unsurprising-ly, dominated the remain-der of Google’s top trends: Adidas and Kanye West took second place with the much-hyped Yeezy 350 v2 sneaker, due in stores later this month, while Nike grabbed � ve separate slots, ranging from the $4,000 Air Max 97 “Jesus Shoes,” with soles � lled with holy water from the River Jordan, to the classic Air Force 1. The athletic giant’s controversial “Betsy Ross” sneaker — which it pulled in response to criticism that the early � ag design on the shoe’s heel brought up connotations of slavery — also made the cut. A Nike spokesperson told FN the company halted distribution ahead of its Independence Day release “based on concerns that it could unintentionally of-fend and detract from the nation’s patriotic holiday,” but the decision prompted backlash from conservative critics.

THE MOST SEARCHED SHOES OF 2019: CROCS, CONTROVERSIAL SNEAKERSHere’s what ruled on Google this year.BY HILARY GEORGE-PARKIN

Wolverine World Wide Inc. is making prog-

ress in addressing water contamination issues

stemming from previous waste management

practices at several of its Michigan facilities.

In tandem with what the company has

described as ongoing environmental remedia-

tion e� orts, the Rockford, Mich.-based shoe

manufacturer said last week that it has made

a tentative agreement to provide $69.5 million

toward the extension of municipal water to

more than 1,000 properties in Plainfi eld and

Algoma Townships in Michigan.

Over the past two years, Wolverine World-

wide — the parent of Sperry, Saucony, Merrell

and other shoe brands — has faced more than

90 lawsuits related to its prior waste manage-

ment practices and use of 3M’s former Scotch-

gard ingredients that some claimed are harmful

and contaminated drinking water and damaged

properties in parts of Michigan.

The company said that when it learned

Scotchgard PFAS chemicals were discovered in

area groundwater in 2017 it “acted quickly and

voluntarily” to ensure “all a� ected residents had

access to safe and reliable drinking water.” (It also

fi led suit last year against chemical manufacturer

3M, alleging the latter concealed information

about the potential environmental risks of chemi-

cals in Scotchgard and other products.)

Wolverine said it also” worked closely” with

regulators to conduct environmental investiga-

tions at its House Street and former Tannery

properties — “including drilling dozens of

monitoring wells, and collecting hundreds of

soil, groundwater, sediment and surface water

samples.” “Wolverine Worldwide has been part of

this community for almost 140 years, and we are

committed to being part of water quality solu-

tions for our friends, families and neighbors in

the years to come,” said Blake Krueger, Wolverine

Worldwide president, chairman and CEO. “That’s

why we took fast, proactive steps from the very

beginning, and that’s why we are taking the ad-

ditional steps being announced today.”

Wolverine’s $69.5 million fi nancial contribu-

tion will also be used to help fund the Plainfi eld

Township’s planned construction of a perma-

nent PFAS fi ltration system and a new munici-

pal well fi eld. Plainfi eld Township will manage

the construction of the municipal water exten-

sion, which is expected to begin in 2020.

“...WE ARE COMMITTED TO BEING PART OF WATER QUALITY SOLUTIONS...” —BLAKE KRUEGER, WOLVERINE WORLD WIDE

L E G A L N E W S + O N L I N E T R E N D S

*In some cases, Google searches didn’t correspond with proper shoe names.

I N S I D E RF

OO

TW

EA

RN

EW

S//

DE

CE

MB

ER

16

,2

01

9//

FO

OT

WE

AR

NE

WS

.CO

M

PH

OTO

S: B

RIN

KLE

Y, C

HO

I: A

ND

RE

W H

. WA

LKE

R; A

LL O

TH

ER

S: P

AT

RIC

K M

AC

LEO

D

Heart & Sole Six memorable moments from the

2019 FN Achievement Awards.BY KATIE ABEL

As the decade comes to a dramatic

close, one thing is clear: Much-

needed change has swept across

the industry in 2019 — and the

Footwear News Achievement

Awards captured a defi ning

moment in fashion.

While the buzzed-about event

has honored the biggest shoe stars

for 33 years now, the FNAAs took on

heightened signifi cance this year —

bringing together a diverse group of

infl uential players from every corner

of the business on Dec. 3.

“This room is a testament to the

power that lies within this industry

— the power to change, the power

to react, the power to infl uence,”

said FN Editorial Director Michael

Atmore in his opening remarks.

That theme was prevalent

throughout a joyful and emotional

evening — and speakers delivered

important messages about passion,

perseverance and standing up for

what you believe in.

“Everything is about expression. Music and fashion. What looks hot right now is being a

better person and a good human being. That’s what I see right here so keep inspiring us,” said

Style Infl uencer of the

Year J Balvin, who wowed

the crowd with both his

Dior ensemble and larger

message about

inclusivity.

During

Designer

of the Year

Amina

Muaddi’s

acceptance

speech, which

came just one year

after she stood on the FNAA stage

to accept the Launch of the Year

Award, the fast-rising star said she

doesn’t take freedom for granted.

“I’d like to thank my mother for my fi rst gift, which was the gift of freedom. It seems like a basic right, but for me to have the freedom to live the life I wanted and to do what I want for work — it is not often given to women from my side of the world,” the Jordanian-Romanian designer

said onstage.

Kim Myers, the sister of Dick’s

CEO Ed Stack — who accepted

the Retailer of the Year honor

for Dick’s — recalled the call she

received from her brother after

Parkland, Fla. It was that mass

shooting that prompted Stack and

his team to change their stance.

“He said, ‘Kim, this is going to be bad for us, this is going to cost a fortune. But I don’t care, we have to do something.’”

Screenwriter and actor Lena

Waithe presented Kerby Jean-

Raymond with Person of the Year.

“We are forever tethered. …We live our lives victoriously. We refuse to bow or take anything less than what we are worth. Thank you for reminding us to never forget who we are and where we come from. We are royalty, and it’s in our DNA.”

Jimmy Choo creative director

Sandra Choi has been making

waves for more than two

decades. “It’s been 23 amazing years of

dedication, hard work and believe it or not, a little bit of luck,” said

the designer,

who naturally

dedicated her Hall

of Fame award to her

loyal Jimmy Choo family.

While Choi has always been

humble, her presenter Billy

Porter loves to be front and

center. Decked out in Choo

heels, he told the crowd, “I

grew up in a black church, and

for those who don’t know, that’s

a fashion show every week.”

Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner Bob Campbell, founder

of BBC International, has loved

the footwear business since he

got his start in the stockroom of

his local Kinney Shoes store at 15.

Now at the helm of a blockbuster

company, his sharp business

acumen has earned him a lot of

accolades. But it’s his generosity

that gave him his highest praise.

“When you hear his story, he has truly lived the American dream,” Diane Sullivan,

CEO, president and chairman of

Caleres Inc. told the crowd as she

presented the award.“Bob Campbell is the most amazing mix of the best of what it takes to be a great man. They just don’t make them the same way they did with Bob.”

(L-R): Christie Brinkley, Tommy Hilfi ger, Donna

Karan and Kenneth Cole on the FNAA red carpet

Seth Campbell accepted the award on behalf of his father

J Balvin

Amina Muaddi

Lena Waithe and Kerby Jean-Raymond

13

Ed Stack and Kim Myers

Sandra Choi and Billy Porter

36

PH

OTO

S: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

` T R A D E S H O W C A L E N D A R

PH

OTO

S: C

OU

RT

ES

Y O

F T

RA

DE

SH

OW

S

14

JANUARY

Pitti Uomo Jan. 7-10Fortezza da BassoFlorence, Italy

CouromodaJan. 13-15Expo Center Norte, São Paulo, Brazil

ExpoRivaSchuhJan. 11-14Riva del Garda Exhibition CenterRiva del Garda, Italy

PremiumJan. 14-16Station Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Pitti BimboJan. 16-18 Fortezza de Basso Florence, Italy

TranoïJan. 17-19 Palais de la Bourse Paris, France

Who’s NextJan. 17-20 Porte de Versailles Paris, France

ISPO Jan. 26-29 Neue Messe MünchenMunich, Germany

FEBRUARY

India International

Leather Fair Feb. 1-3Chennai Trade CentreChennai, India

MOMAD Feb. 6-8 Feria de Madrid Madrid, Spain

Première Vision Feb. 11-13 Paris-Nord Villepinte Paris, France

TheMicam Feb. 16-19 Fiera Milano Rho Milan, Italy

LineapelleFeb. 19-20 Fiera Milano Rho

Milan, Italy

Première ClasseFeb. 28-March 2 Jardin des TuileriesParis, France

Tranoï Women’sFeb. 28-March 2 Carrousel du Louvre/Palais de la BourseParis, France

MARCH

Gallery Shoes March 8-10 Areal Böhler

Düsseldorf, Germany

SAPICA March 3-6 Poliforum LeónLeón, Mexico

MosShoes March 10-13 Crocus Expo, Moscow

Fashion Access/APLF March 31-April 2Hong Kong Convention CenterHong Kong, China

JUNE

ExpoRivaSchuhJune 13-16Riva del Garda Exhibition CenterRiva del Garda, Italy

Pitti Uomo June 16-19 Fortezza da Basso Florence, Italy

Pitti BimboJune 25-27 Fortezza da Basso Florence, Italy

GLOBAL GATHERINGSA look at the lineup of major international footwear trade shows happening in 2020.

Colorful pool slides on display at ExpoRivaSchuh

Attendees at the Pitti Uomo trade show

LABS

P O W E R E D B Y

ASICS celebrates its retail employees and their glowing performance this holiday season.

Best in Class

The ASICS brand has always believed in maintaining the spirit of a sound mind in a sound body. It’s something that the sales staff embodies on a daily basis, supported by the North American corporate offices in Irvine, CA. But this holiday season, ASICS retail employees have gone above and beyond during one of the busiest shopping times of the year – and one team has shone in particular.

The Napa store, overseen by Head Coach Samantha Laird, has been recog-nized by ASICS for its outstanding per-formance over Thanksgiving weekend. Despite the large crowds, the Napa team showcased the brand’s commitment to collaboration and improvement with tre-mendous growth from last year. Laird shared with FN her thoughts on her team and what makes them standout represen-tatives of the ASICS brand.

FN: How do your employees embody the ASICS spirit?Samantha Laird: Several of my

team members come from a sports

background, so our group understands

that there is no “I” in TEAM. Every single

member knows that sometimes we win

and sometimes we lose but, no matter

what, we always do it together.

What separates your team from others across the industry?SL: Our core values as a brand are what

sets us apart from all others. Ultimately,

we are empowered to do what is right

for the customer and always try to learn

from our mistakes, so we can improve.

We are empowered to work together and

support one another, as we win and learn

as a team.

Can you think of an example of when your team went above and beyond, in true ASICS style?SL: At our store, we pride ourselves

on giving our team the tools and

resources they need to truly connect

with the customer. Recently, one of

The ASICS team in Napa are recognized

for their first-class customer service

our team players, Kenji Deragon, took

those tools and gave a new customer

a comprehensive gait analysis, which

she had never experienced before. He

identified her wants and needs and

gave her several options of footwear to

choose from, which ultimately led her to

purchase ASICS for the first time. Kenji

did such a fantastic job on connecting

with that customer that she later came

back in to commend his service and

update the team on how much she loved

the shoes.

What makes the ASICS in-store experience so memorable?SL: We all genuinely love our brand. We

eat, breathe, and live ASICS. Whether

on the sales floor or off, our customer

feels the genuine passion we have for our

brand before they even test our product.

Throughout your tenure with the brand, what are you most proud of? SL: The chance to grow and succeed.

The opportunities I have been given

and challenges I have faced. I have been

awarded so many opportunities to grow

my career individually, but also to inspire

the internal and external customer.

At ASICS, our

employees are not

only our greatest

asset, but also our

greatest brand

ambassadors. We

are so proud of our

retail teams that

bring the brand to life

in our stores across

the U.S. every single

day and especially

during this very busy

holiday time period.”—KOICHIRO KODAMA,

ASICS NORTH AMERICA CEO

The Irvine office is home to the

North American operational teams

FNLABS_ASICS.indd 2 12/11/19 3:16 PMUntitled-3 1 12/11/19 3:21 PM

INSI

GH

TSB Y M A D E L E I N E S T R E E T S MAN U FA C T U R I N G

For decades, insole and midsole

manufacturers have been using

the same foam as a baseline for

innovation. Today, advances in

3D printing have produced a new

alternative material, created to

improve performance and design

flexibility at a cheaper cost.

While footwear manufacturing is

one of many industries now readily

using 3D printing, the requirements

are unique. Unlike with cars, for

instance, the production time

for shoes is usually a matter of

months rather than years; as a

result, designers need to innovate

quickly to satisfy trend-conscious

consumers.

“I’ve witnessed a dramatically

faster innovation cycle,” said

Fabian Krauss, North American

global business development

manager at technology company

EOS. “[Footwear] is less regulated,

so there are not nearly as many

qualification hurdles as in other

industries, making it easier to go

to market. But you see a high cost

pressure from the very beginning.”

Previously, the cost of

3D-printed materials was a

deterrent, especially if there was

the risk of decreased performance.

But the growth of athleticwear

and performance footwear has

encouraged leading sports brands

to invest in product development.

The new material must be able to

handle high impact exercise and

support variations in user weight.

The result has led to a number

of product styles, from the Adidas

FutureCraft 4D to the New Balance

TripleCell, that leverage the latest

in 3D-printed midsole technology.

Created in partnership with

3D-printing platforms Carbon and

Formlabs, respectively, these shoes

have each replaced the traditional

foam midsole with a lattice

structure that works to support the

wearer during athletic activity.

“Carbon DLS technology

makes it possible to generate

complex lattice geometries and

After disrupting product design and prototyping, 3D printing is changing the end-components that make shoes feel and perform even better.

The Future of Fit

16

“3D printing allows [companies] to convert individual consumer data into individual products.” — Fabian Krauss, North American global business development manager at EOS

Carbon creates its lattices using its M-series printers and

programmable liquid resin PH

OTO

S: C

OU

RT

ESY

OF

BR

AN

DS

24

By the Numbers

EOS additive manufacturing is used in industries ranging from aerospace and medical to lifestyle products like footwear

40MThe number of parts printed on Formlabs 3D printers to date

60+Years since the foam still used across many footwear products was first created

designs with material properties that improve impact absorption,

enhance protection and have the potential to reduce injury,” said a

spokesperson for Carbon. “These are all highly relevant attributes for

high-performance footwear.”

Where these items were once limited-edition or specialty products,

industry executives believe the technology is ready to be scaled.

Through platforms such as Formlabs, EOS and Carbon, brands

can develop a custom midsole for their specific requirements and

then either manufacture in-house or in partnership, depending

on capabilities.

Advances in

the underlying

3D-printing and

scanning technology

has also reduced the

cost of production.

3D-printing

benefits have already

been seen in footwear with prototypes. The flexibility of manufacturing

enables brands to adapt to changing customer demands quickly, while

also minimizing product waste. When used to create end-product, the

agility of the manufacturing tool also lends itself to customization and

comfort products such as orthotics.

“One of the most important shifts within the manufacturing

industry occurred when we went from the mass production

of thousands of identical parts at a low cost per unit to mass

customization, which we’re seeing with high-value products such as

dental,” said Jeff Boehm, global marketing lead at Formlabs.

This is also being seen at Aetrex, which partnered with EOS to

Now“Earlier this year we announced a partnership with Riddell to create the first digitally designed and manufactured football helmet pads for the SpeedFlex Precision-Fit Diamond helmet, and partnerships with Specialized and Fizik to produce the

produce custom insoles and orthotics.

Through the use of both 3D foot scans and

3D printers, Aetrex collects customers’

individual foot data and produces customized

insoles within two weeks, which are then

shipped directly to the customer.

EOS’ Krauss believes this system is a big

draw for brands.

“All companies have a digital strategy and

part of the digital strategy is converting the

data they’re gathering around the consumer

into products,” said Krauss. “They do that

in apparel, they do that in protective wear,

and they do that with footwear. 3D printing

allows them to convert individual consumer

data into individual products.”

The market for shoes that include

3D-printed components is limited to

some of the biggest players in the space.

However, now that working examples

have been created — and proven popular

with consumers — a number of smaller

brands have been encouraged to adopt the

technology.

Carbon is working to expand its vertical in

sportswear innovation, following its Adidas

partnership, while EOS has hinted at several

product collaborations for 2020. At Formlabs,

the focus is on expanding access to digital

fabrication to more players, across all stages

of the manufacturing process.

The Adidas Alphaedge 4D Parley style uses

ocean plastic and features the Carbon 3D-printed midsole

In a short amount of time, 3D technology has impacted the way brands conceptualize and produce footwear. As it becomes more accessible to brands of varying sizes, experts say 3D printing will open up opportunities across the performance space.

first 3D-printed bike saddles.”

- Carbon spokesperson

Next“Where design, parts and technology make sense to be printed, they will scale; certain components of footwear, like the

cloth, may not be good candidates for 3D printing. Others, such as the midsole, clearly are.”

- Jeff Boehm, global marketing lead at Formlabs

“A focus area will be a running shoe that outperforms the current running foam in terms of energy return and lightweight attributes. At the same time, another focus will be the full

digital chain from the consumer data scan into bespoke products.”

- Fabian Krauss, North American global business development manager at EOS

17

FO

OT

WE

AR

NE

WS

//D

EC

EM

BE

R 1

6,

20

19

//F

OO

TW

EA

RN

EW

S.C

OM

SOURCES: BRANDS

WHAT 3D PRINTING WILL PRODUCE NEXT

“3D printing allows [companies] to convert individual consumer data into individual products.” — Fabian Krauss, North American global business development manager at EOS

PH

OTO

S: C

OU

RT

ESY

OF

BR

AN

DS

26

PH

OTO

S: J

APA

N S

TR

EE

T S

CE

NE

: SH

UT

TE

RS

TOC

K ;

ALL

OT

HE

RS

: CO

UR

TES

Y O

F B

RA

ND

Nike’s Harajuku store is a decade old but received a major revamp this year

NIKE’S NEW DAY

PH

OTO

S: J

APA

N S

TR

EE

T S

CE

NE

: SH

UT

TE

RS

TOC

K ;

ALL

OT

HE

RS

: CO

UR

TES

Y O

F B

RA

ND

19

BY SHEENA BUTLER-YOUNGNEW DAYNew concepts in Tokyo and Long Beach set the tone for a recharged Swoosh. In an exclusive, FN follows the brand for the global execution.

The 10-year-old — but newly

remodeled — Nike Harajuku store

has opened its doors for the day.

In minutes, all three of its fl oors

are brimming with shoppers. The

16,000-sq.-ft. space — one of Nike’s

tricked-out large-format stores — is

situated at the competitive epicenter

of Tokyo tourism.

Just two or so miles from this

space is a newly opened “Nike Live”

store. That location is one of the

brand’s “hyper-local, data-driven”

small-format spaces, as Cathy

Sparks, global VP and GM of Nike

Direct Stores, described it.

At just 1,900 square feet, this

outpost (modeled after the Japa-

nese term for 7-Eleven-style conve-

nient stores, “konbinis”) sits inside

Shabuya Scramble Square, a 47-story

shopping-and-offi ce complex that

debuted last month and is adjacent

to one of the busiest and most iconic

pedestrian crossings in the world,

Shibuya Scramble. About 1,000

people can be seen crossing — or

“scrambling” — the multi-cornered

intersection at any given time of day.

Nike by Shibuya Scramble

will likely nab wallet share from

millions of tourists who frequent

the area. But when FN joined the

brand’s executives in Tokyo recently

as they were putting the fi nish-

ing touches on the store, they said

they’re particularly focused on the

roughly 150,000 daily commuters —

or 1.1 billion annually — who pass

through the Shibuya Station. (The

complex sits right above the busy

train station.)

Despite the store’s super-localized

features, its ecosystem has been

highly infl uenced by an unlikely

source: A year-and-a-half-old Nike

outpost located more than 5,000

miles away on Melrose Avenue in

Los Angeles.

“For the last year, we’ve adopted

the mindset of ‘test and learn.’ The

consumer is moving so fast that

having a sense of urgency to move

quickly [is important] — but we also

want to make sure what we’re doing

is truly in tune to them,” explained

Sparks. “Since we opened ‘Nike by

Melrose,’ we spent that whole year

testing 80 diff erent things in the

consumer journey — from product to

IT’S A WEDNESDAY MORNING IN TOKYO AND THE STREETS OF THIS HARAJUKU NEIGHBORHOOD ARE BUZZING. SCORES OF TOURISTS — MANY FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA — AND MILLENNIAL-AGED LOCALS ARE BOUNCING UP AND DOWN ON THE SIDEWALKS AND SPILLING OUT OF BUBBLE TEA SHOPS, RAMEN CAFES AND A STRETCH OF MID- TO HIGH-END RETAIL SHOPS.

PH

OTO

S: C

OU

RT

ESY

OF

BR

AN

D

experiences to digital connection to

diff erent consumer activations.”

The successful concepts fi ltered

through the Melrose store — along

with several regional-specifi c ideas —

have found their way into the “Nike

Live” door in Shibuya and another

location, in Long Beach, Calif., both

opened in the past month.

Nike has long been admired,

and even analyzed, for its size and

dominance. Now, as it chips away

at a plan it unveiled two years ago,

dubbed the “Consumer Direct Of-

fense” — aimed at selling more of its

wares directly to consumers — this is

how a behemoth brand builds scale.

All of these stores — part of the

company’s burgeoning portfolio of

owned doors — marry three of Nike’s

most critical objectives right now:

sell more product directly to con-

sumers; make sure a large number

of those consumers are women; and

inform all of it through data and

digital.

CONNECTING THE DOTSSince Nike embarked on the new

DTC strategy in 2017, the company

has enjoyed sizable gains in a dif-

fi cult climate. For fi scal 2019, the

Swoosh’s direct revenues spiked

16% to $11.8 billion, driven by a 35%

increase in digital commerce and 6%

growth in comparable store sales.

The fi rm’s wholesale revenues also

advanced 10%.

On the brick-and-mortar side,

the brand’s “Live” outposts in Long

Beach, Melrose and Shibuya best

exemplify — informed heavily by

data from its apps — its “micro” ap-

proach to building tighter consumer

bonds. A signifi cant facet of Nike’s

direct off ense includes a focus on 12

cities: New York, London, Shanghai,

Beijing, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris,

Berlin, Mexico City, Barcelona,

Seoul and Milan. These key geog-

raphies are expected to represent

over 80% of Nike’s projected growth

through 2020.

“We believe this is a concept that

connects our digital and physical

ecosystem in service to the member

and allows us to build the types of

relationships we want to have with

our [customers] moving forward,”

noted Sparks.

Case in point: Nicole Otto, VP

and GM for Nike Direct North

America, said nearly everything in

the Long Beach store — from its

female-focused design to the kinds

of products that are front and center

— was driven by data gleaned from

user-generated patterns on Nike’s

four apps.

“We looked at our member

information and saw we had a high

density of females participating with

us and driving activity both in our

running app and our Nike Train-

ing Club app. So we leaned a little

heavier into the women’s aesthetic

and thinking about how we were

going to serve her,” Otto said. “We

have pant hemming and bra fi tting

and we’re really thinking about how

we remove friction at any stage with

buy online, pickup in store, ‘reserve

for you’ and ‘scan to try on.’”

It’s no secret that female consum-

ers have challenged sportswear fi rms

for years, and Nike’s latest eff orts are

focused on this sector of the market

with a goal to advance its women’s

sales to $11 billion by 2020. In 2015,

when Nike released that goal, the

women’s division was bringing in

$5.7 billion in revenues. “We like to

use the language ‘from her for all,’”

said Sparks. “What that means is

that when you take her insights and

you build strategies and experiences

from those, the [results] are better

for everybody. We know she’ll shop

for her whole family and that we can

help her make sport a bigger part of

her life — especially in a market like

Tokyo.”

This push will be vital for the

brand in the lead-up to the 2020

Summer Games in Tokyo: “The

Olympics are a moment when

sports take hold of everyone’s life,

and that’s right where Nike is,” said

Sparks. “Our ability to be in the

hearts and minds of our consum-

ers and members when everyone is

watching sports on the main stage

[is signifi cant]. We put a ton of eff ort

into making sure our athletes are

heroed. Especially now, with our

focus on making sport a daily habit

20

“WE BELIEVE THIS IS A CONCEPT THAT

CONNECTS OUR DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL ECOSYSTEM IN SERVICE

TO THE MEMBER.” -CATHY SPARKS

“WE LEANED A LITTLE HEAVIER INTO THE

WOMEN’S AESTHETIC AND THINKING ABOUT HOW WE WERE GOING

TO SERVE HER.”-NICOLE OTTO

Nike by Long Beach opened in November

It’s all here.community | education | discovery | products

brands | trends | innovation | inspiration

OUTDOOR +

SNOW SHOW

J A N U A R Y 2 9 - 3 1 , 2 0 2 0

D E N V E R , C O

S U M M E R

M A R K E T

J U N E 2 3 - 2 5 , 2 0 2 0

D E N V E R , C O

O U T D O O R R E T A I L E R . C O M

Untitled-7 1 12/6/19 3:26 PM

PH

OTO

S: C

OU

RT

ESY

OF

BR

AN

D

as a company. We see this as an op-

portunity — just as we did with the

women’s World Cup — to make it

mean more than the event.”

Where the Tokyo market is con-

cerned, Angie Callaway, GM of Nike

Direct Stores for Asia-Pacifi c and

Latin America, said Japanese con-

sumers — a prime target for brands

because of their affi nity for luxury

goods and willingness to pay pre-

mium prices for convenience — are

embracing technology in a way that

has created a new inroad for Nike.

“[We’ve] watched how comfortable

people in Tokyo are with [online]

shopping and leveraging their mo-

bile devices, [as well as] their ability,

when it’s easy, to work with the tech-

nology,” explained Callaway. “How

that helps consumer experiences is

game-changing.”

One signifi cant end goal of Nike’s

“test and learn” eff orts in the DTC

channel is to fi nd the right balance

of local fl air and global brand mes-

saging for each of its key cities.

“In Nike by Shibuya Scramble, we

have a very cool concept called ‘Nike

Store Chat’ — because culturally

chat resonates better than text does,”

explained Sparks of one regional-

focused concept the brand is using

in Tokyo. “And we’re doing the text

through ‘Live’ — the No. 1 social

media platform in Japan.”

Still, when a Japanese consumer

enters the Shibuya store, his or her

experience will be driven by the

brand’s global platform. Shoppers

who have the Nike app on their mo-

bile devices will fi nd

it is instantly aware

of their location when

they enter a Nike

outpost and can aid

their shopping experi-

ence with features like

“scan to price check.”

“The good news is

that Nike has thought

about their digital

platforms to serve

the world,” explained

Otto. “So we run a

single platform in

most of the countries

we’re in. With that

common backbone,

as we think about

these services, we can

think about how to

nuance them for the

community and also

leverage the capabili-

ties around building

for scale and service

across the globe.”

It boils down to this: Nike is

making small, targeted steps, but the

goal is always to be big.

OUTGROWING RELATIONSHIPSEven with its apparent successes,

Nike’s DTC path is not without

casualties. The company signaled

two years ago that its journey would

mean moving away from certain

wholesale partners it believes no

longer share its vision. Then-brand

president Trevor Edwards notably

told investors, “We know that undif-

ferentiated, mediocre retail won’t

survive.” Still, it seems the industry

at large is just waking up to the real-

ity of what the execution means.

The brand over the past few

months has faced scrutiny for its

decision to pull out of several, small-

er independent stores. Headlines

hinted that mom and pop retailers,

in particular, were feeling pinched

by the company’s decision to stop

supplying sellers whose methods

were no longer aligned with its new

goals. (Even e-tail giant Amazon

didn’t go unscathed: Nike last month

announced it ended a two-year pilot

program to sell its shoes and cloth-

ing directly on Amazon’s website.)

Despite the noise, market

watchers have been largely bullish

— viewing Nike’s refi ned distribu-

tion strategy as a necessary business

step, even as reports implicating the

brand in the demise of some smaller

retailers struck a nerve with certain

groups. “For Nike, the ‘Consumer Di-

rect Off ense’ is about the consumer

connection and the brand-building

— that’s what eventually results in

higher sales. It’s a long-term plan,”

explained Sam Poser, an analyst with

Susquehanna Financial Group LLLP.

“The way they’re communicating

with their customers and trying to

personalize the experiences is being

done in a very methodical manner.

Nike wants to strengthen and en-

hance its brand — not just sell stuff .”

Plus, as Sparks points out, the

fi rm has identifi ed certain top-tier

partners — like Foot Locker, which it

recently collaborated with on an in-

novative location in New York City’s

Washington Heights — with whom it

will cultivate new ideas.

“This is what ideally happens:

We’ll grow with the long-term

partners and we’ll work to make

sure we diff erentiate and map the

marketplace in the right way,” said

Sparks, calling out Foot Locker and

Nordstrom as examples of partners

the brand is working with more

closely as part of its expanded ‘Nike

Network.’ “The ‘Nike by Nordstrom’

space [in New York] is focused on

the style side. It’s very diff erent

from a typical Nike environment. …

The way we can have our physical

destinations work together like that

is powerful.”

As the company forges ahead

with its objectives to more seam-

lessly fuse digital and physical,

Sparks expects the ‘test and learn’

approach will persist. “We adapted

the mentality that some things aren’t

going to work,” she said. “Culturally

at Nike, we like to win and failing

is hard. But what’s been really fun

about the past few months is that

we’ve said, ‘Our job is to fail at some

of this and prove it wrong before we

go to scale.’”

The Nike app lets members

scan and price-check product

in stores

22

Nike’s 16,000-sq.-ft. store in Harajuku, Japan

“[WE’VE] WATCHED HOW COMFORTABLE PEOPLE

IN TOKYO ARE WITH [ONLINE] SHOPPING

AND LEVERAGING THEIR MOBILE DEVICES.”

-ANGIE CALLAWAY

Luxury to Lifestyle Branded Footwear for

Men, Women, Juniors, and Children

FEBRUARY 5-7, 2020MANDALAY BAY LAS VEGAS

AUGUST 17-19, 2020LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER

Contemporary Footwear for Men

JANUARY 19-21, 2020JACOB JAVITS CENTER, NYC

JULY 19-21, 2020JACOB JAVITS CENTER, NYC

Women’s Contemporary Footwear

FEBRUARY 11-13, 2020JACOB JAVITS CENTER, NYC

SEPTEMBER 22-24, 2020JACOB JAVITS CENTER, NYC

Luxury Footwear for Women

FEBRUARY 11-13, 2020JACOB JAVITS CENTER, NYC

SEPTEMBER 22-24, 2020JACOB JAVITS CENTER, NYC

SEE YOU

NEXT YEAR

APPLY TO ATTEND OR EXHIBIT

MAGICFASHIONEVENTS.COM

Untitled-2 1 12/12/19 9:12 AM

PH

OTO

: JAY

FR

AM

Several years ago, when Heidi O’Neill was run-

ning Nike Inc.’s women’s business, she identifi ed

a critical issue: Her division lacked diversity.

But not in the way one might expect. O’Neill

was helming an all-women team at a time when

many U.S. corporations hadn’t fully embraced

the notion that women could and should hold

key leadership positions — particularly at fi rms

that push female-centric products.

In this regard, Nike could have been consid-

ered ahead of the curve, but O’Neill was think-

ing even further. “[I thought] we should have

women focused on the NFL and we should have

men focusing on women’s,” she said. “I lean to

the place of: More voices and diff erent voices

are better for everything. Our challenge with

growing women’s wasn’t because we didn’t have

enough women [working] on the business. We

really started to light it up when we brought in

new teammates.”

And O’Neill also recognized that shepherding

growth in any business category requires targeted

investment. “If [women make up] 50% of the

world, we should pivot resources and investment

that way at Nike: We’re shifting to make sure that

all the power of Nike [is matched] to the footprint

that women represent in the world,” she said.

It’s O’Neill’s ability to develop dynamic long-

term strategies that uniquely positions her to

lead Nike’s Direct business at a critical time.

The athletic-industry behemoth’s 2-year-old

“Consumer Direct Off ense” sees the brand refi ne

its positioning amid immense digital disruption,

the rise of niche brands and frantic changes in

consumer shopping. In tandem with its execu-

tion, longtime Nike CEO Mark Parker will exit

his role in January, handing over the reins to

tech-focused executive John Donahoe, president

and CEO of ServiceNow Inc. and chairman of

PayPal Holdings. (Parker will remain with the

company as executive chairman.)

Since O’Neill landed in her post as president

of Nike Direct last December, analysts suggest

the fruits of her eff orts have been undeniable.

“Nike continues to grow its DTC business

at a much faster pace than they’ve grown their

wholesale business and they’ve instituted a lot

of new programs and apps that have enhanced

that process,” said Matt Powell, VP and senior

industry adviser for The NPD Group. “Heidi

has shown terrifi c leadership. She’s had a plan

and executed against that plan. She’s very well

thought of inside the company.”

On a public stage, O’Neill also represents a

meaningful north star — demonstrating the ability

of women to rise at Nike and occupy impactful

posts following broader industry reckonings and

the brand’s own admittance last year that it had

previously fallen short in promoting women and

other minorities. Just last week, employees at its

Beaverton, Ore., headquarters staged a protest

calling for the brand to elevate its treatment of

women employees and athletes. And O’Neill was

among the senior leaders to participate in the

gathering. Held on the same day Nike reopened a

building named after former Nike Oregon Project

coach Alberto Salazar, the demonstration could be

viewed as an extension of Nike’s cultural challeng-

es. But insiders suggest O’Neill’s presence, as well

as management’s decision to welcome uncomfort-

able dialogue, is a sign of progress for the Swoosh.

Here, O’Neill talks about leadership during

disruption, women in power and measuring suc-

cess in the digital age.

HOUSE OF HEIDI

24

� e heralded leader is reengineering Nike’s game plan as it tackles disruption and culture criticisms. BY SHEENA BUTLER-YOUNG

PH

OTO

: JAY

FR

AM

WHEN IT COMES TO COMPANY CULTURE, HOW TOUGH

IS IT TO EXECUTE CHANGE AT NIKE?

HON: “Nike has an amazing playbook that has

lasted decades and that playbook need not go

away. But it needs to merge with a new playbook

on serving faster, more responsibly, through

digital. One challenge is how we bring the teams

together and break down walls between people

who are making footwear and apparel product

with people who are making digital product.

[We’re integrating] people who think about

stores first with people who think about digital

first and there’s magic that happens when we do

that. Consumers don’t live in channels and silos.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO HAVE WOMEN IN POWER IN

THE ATHLETIC SPACE?

HON: “It’s really important: It’s a job of our team

and a job of the world. If you were to come visit

us in Portland and take a look around, you’ll

see a lot of powerful senior women voices: The

person who is running categories is a woman,

the person running women’s is a woman. I could

go on. We’ve matured to that state.”

YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITY AT NIKE AT

SUCH A CRUCIAL TIME. HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN YOUR

ENTHUSIASM AND STAY MOTIVATED?

HON: “I have a goddaughter and we had dinner

recently and she looked at me and said, ‘You

know, Heidi, you can make the world better. You

can change the world.’ She truly believes it. She

wasn’t being [sappy], she was challenging me. I

honestly [believe in] the power of Nike through

digital to change the world through helping

people be active — starting with kids and play to

movement to fitness to running to sport. That’s

something that makes me want to keep pushing

because no one is doing that. [Nike founder]

Phil Knight always wanted to change the world,

but now — with digital powering us and us be-

lieving if you have a body you’re an athlete — we

really can.”

MANY INDUSTRY PLAYERS HAVE STRUGGLED WITH THE

DIGITAL EVOLUTION AND CONSUMER SHIFTS. HOW IS

NIKE APPROACHING DISRUPTION DIFFERENTLY TO GET

AHEAD?

HON: “One of the separators for Nike is that

before we think about disruption and transfor-

mation, we think about [our mantra of ] ‘making

sport a daily habit.’ As someone who has been at

Nike for 21 years, over time, I think it’s grown on

me that there’s a privilege and power of having

such a great vision to serve consumers with. If

you’re entering times of transformation and dis-

ruption and you have ‘how can we make sport a

daily habit?’ as your compass, it’s really powerful.

With that goal, we’re building an ecosystem of

sport that’s powered by digital.”

WHAT ARE THE KEY COMPONENTS?

HON: “It starts with our app portfolio — the

Nike app, our Run Club and our Training Club

— [which is] just an incredible suite of digital

experiences. Then there’s our store experiences

that are connected digitally and provide that

human connection. And we’re launching some

great innovations from a service perspective with

Nike Fit and challenging ourselves to look at

new business models like the Adventure Club, [a

subscription service model for parents and kids].

We’ve also just launched our first premium train-

ing service with Nike Training Club Premium.”

IN EXECUTING THE NIKE DIRECT OFFENSE, THE BRAND

HAS DECIDED TO END CERTAIN RETAIL RELATION-

SHIPS, WHICH HAS LED TO SOME CRITICISM. HOW DO

YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

HON: “I had a nice session recently talking about

this with [Nike CEO] Mark Parker and we were

both talking about the importance of partners.

That’s really been a part of Nike’s heritage:

Whether it be through supply chain, retail, media

or marketing, we built this company together

with partners. I don’t see that changing. I see it

shifting in how we show up.”

WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT FOR

NIKE RIGHT NOW — AND WHAT ARE YOU MOVING AWAY

FROM?

HON: “We believe in partnerships where the

partners have a strong voice, play, message and

connection with the consumer. The partners

that will work with us are ‘one plus one equals

three.’ With the amount of transformation [that’s

happening], we have to be agile. We have to look

for retailers who are investing in themselves and

creating great consumer experiences because

that is a part of partnerships — it can’t be Nike

alone. Those partners and independents that

have great followings — and there are cult-like

followings behind some of our partners — we

will stay with them. They make us better.”

HOW DO YOU REDUCE FRICTION BETWEEN GROUPS

THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY WORKED SEPARATELY?

HON: “[I tell my team] that we have to take time

to educate each other. We have to slow down to

speed up and make sure we’re speaking the same

language. The second thing is: I really believe

in this idea of the outside in. I’m on the Spotify

board and we just brought some Spotify team-

mates together with some Nike teammates to

think about the future. It’s important to value the

diversity on the team and to value those leaders

at Nike who help us get where we are [but] also

to bring in new talent.”

OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, NIKE HAS MADE A SERIES

OF EDUCATIONAL ACQUISITIONS OF NON-ATHLETIC

NAMES — ISRAEL’S INVERTEX IS ONE SUCH EXAMPLE.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

HON: “When we acquired Invertex, we acquired

amazing talent, technology around 3D program-

ming, machine learning and computer vision.

But mostly we solved a problem — [launching

Nike Fit] — and now we can scale using those

capabilities ... When we bring in leaders from

the outside, they can teach us new things to do,

places to go and things to see that we cannot see.

I just love that clash — it’s a beautiful, virtuous

play, because the teams are all growing together

and having great experiences.”

HOW WILL YOU MEASURE THE SUCCESS OF

NIKE DIRECT?

HON: “I am a big believer in: Change the score-

card, change the game. I think the digital

scorecard for what success looks like is better

than the scorecard for a traditional store. Digital

looks at how engaged your customers are; [who]

your monthly users are; and [whether or not]

people come frequently and [return] frequently.

Those are metrics we should care about if we’re

thinking about building relationships and life-

time value.”

FINISH THIS SENTENCE: THE FUTURE OF SPORT

RETAIL IS?

HON: “We shed retail. I think this hard line be-

tween a brand and retail blurs in a digital world.

When you go to the Nike app, are you at retail

or are you hanging out with Nike? Retail is — in

a person’s mind — about selling stuff. And we’re

going to sell stuff but we’re also going to build

community. We’re going to provide you content

that helps your life be better. We’re going to find

community for you — whether that’s a sneaker-

head or a running community.”

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT ADVICE WOULD

YOU GIVE TO YOURSELF AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR

CAREER?

HON: “I would say, ‘Settle in Heidi, it’s going to

be OK. Love the journey.’ Also, leadership is

about finding your voice, using your voice and

practicing it. I have all these stories in my career

where I felt it was hard to get my voice out there

— maybe because I was young, or I felt like I

didn’t have the open forum — there were a lot of

reasons. But every time — even when I practiced

in little ways — I brought my voice to the table, I

felt better. And I think the work was better and

the team was better.”

“NIKE HAS AN AMAZING PLAYBOOK THAT HAS LASTED DECADES AND THAT PLAYBOOK NEED NOT GO AWAY. BUT IT NEEDS TO MERGE WITH A NEW PLAYBOOK. ”

25

373,009367,008367,007367,006367,006367,005

373,010

* Numbers as of December 10. Total includes: LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest, Tumblr

157,139 Facebook

153,182 Instagram

26,795 Twitter

footwearnews.com

’s Social Media

Followers*

FN_HAD_DIGITAL.indd 2 12/11/19 10:45 AMUntitled-1 1 12/11/19 1:39 PM

G l o b a l p o l i t i c a l u n c e r t a i n t y. S t re n g t h e n i n g d i re c t- t o -c o n s u m e r b u s i n e s s e s . T h e d o w n fa l l o f d e p a r t m e n t s t o re s . A n d a g ro w i n g a p p e t i t e fo r a l l t h i n g s s u s t a i n a b l e . I f t h a t w a s n ’ t e n o u g h t o h o l d yo u r a t t e n t i o n , t h e fo o t w e a r i n d u s t r y w a s a l s o fo c u s e d o n t h e U. S . - C h i n a t ra d e w a r, m a j o r m ove s w i t h i n t h e exe c u t i ve ra n k s a n d t h e o n go i n g d i ve r s i t y a n d i n c l u s i o n d i s c u s s i o n . I n t h e f i n a l 3 6 5 d a y s o f t h e d e c a d e, t h e s e w e re t h e s t o r i e s t h a t m a t t e re d .

BY FN STAFF

YEARIN

RE VIEW

PH

OTO

: XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

X

CEO ShakeupsFashion and footwear saw a wave of hirings, fi rings

and promotions amid a challenging business climate. Under Armour and Nike sent tremors through the athletic marketplace in October when it was an-

nounced on the same day that Kevin Plank and Mark Parker would step down as CEOs from their respective

companies. (See sidebar for more.)

Tit-for-Tat Tari� s

The United States and China said in October they were working on a “phase one” agreement but had since made confl icting announce-ments on what such a deal would entail. In the past year and a half, the world’s two largest economies

have imposed new duties on billions of dollars of items coming

from both countries.

Bankruptcy WoesSome of the biggest retailers

that fi led for Chapter 11 protec-tion included Barneys New York,

which will close its existing stores following its November

acquisition by Authentic Brands Group. Also, Payless ShoeSource went bankrupt in February and

shuttered all 2,500 stores in North America.

O� -Price’s Winning Streak

Low-price and discount retailers have consistently bucked industry-wide trends through their ability to o� er both cheap prices and a treasure-

hunt experience that can’t be easily replicated online. TJ Maxx and Mar-

shalls parent TJX Companies, Ross Stores and Burlington Stores all posted third-quarter earnings

that beat expectations, defying the challenges that have af-fl icted most of the sector.

HOT TOPICS2 0 1 9 M A R K E D A T U R B U L E N T T I M E FO R T H E I N D U ST RY ’S TO P F I R M S .

T H E S E A R E T H E STO R I E S T H AT D O M I N AT E D H E A D L I N E S .

BY SAMANTHA MCDONALD

PH

OTO

S: P

AR

KE

R, T

RU

MP

& J

INP

ING

, MA

RS

HA

LLS

, BA

RN

EYS

, MA

: SH

UT

TE

RS

TOC

K;

FUR

NE

R, Z

EIT

LIN

, HA

RT

MA

N: C

OU

RT

ESY

OF

CO

MPA

NIE

S

28

Jim Gold, president and chief merchandising o� cer at Neiman Marcus, exits

REI president and CEO Jerry Stritzke resigns

Koichiro Kodama replaces Gene McCarthy as president and CEO of Asics North America

John Furner takes over as Walmart U.S. president and CEO as Greg Foran steps down

Clarks taps Giorgio Presca as CEO

Tom Ford elected chairman of the CFDA

Hibbett Sports announces retirement of president and CEO Je� Rosenthal

Fila North America appoints Jennifer Estabrook as president

StockX CEO Josh Luber hands over post to Scott Cutler

Neal Newman leaves role as president of Two Ten Footwear Foundation

Carlos Crespo named Inditex’s new CEO

Tapestry announces departure of CEO Victor Luis, replaced by chairman Jide Zeitlin

American Apparel and Footwear Association president and CEO Rick

Helfenbein to exit, succeeded by EVP Stephen Lamar

Stephanie Pugliese joins Under Armour North America as president

Alibaba chairman Jack Ma steps down as CEO Daniel Zhang takes over

Burlington Stores appoints Michael O’Sullivan as CEO

Ebay president and CEO Devin Wenig departs, Scott Schenkel serves as interim

Sequential Brands Group CEO Karen Murray steps down

Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank to step down, replaced by president and COO Patrik Frisk

Nike CEO Mark Parker to leave role, succeededby John Donahoe

Barneys New York president and CEO Daniella Vitale departs

Genesco appoints Mimi Vaughn as president and CEO

Gap president and CEO Art Peck steps down

Le Tote names Ruth Hartman president of Lord + Taylor

Macy’s president Hal Lawton resigns

EXECUTIVE MOVESThe industry heavy-hitters who came and went in 2019.

Mark Parker has been a Nike employee since 1979

President Donald Trumpand PresidentXi Jinping

29

STARWALKR E D CA R P E TS A N D

ST R E E T ST Y L E O P P O RT U N I T I E S C O N T I N U E TO B E

T H E B E ST RU N WAYS FO R FAS H I O N — A N D

T H E S E 1 2 C E L E B S S H I N E D I N T H E

S P OT L I G H T.

BY SHANNON ADDUCCI

Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle

UnionThe NBA star may have

retired in April, but he seems to have found a new hobby

in couple’s fashion with his actress wife. The duo

often hit the red carpet in coordinating looks — and even wore beaded hoods

together to the Met Gala. Their 1-year-old

daughter, Kaavia James, is often in a mini

matching ensemble.

Bella andGigi Hadid

The Hadid sisters have a tight grip on the fashion world — not just as the

most in-demand runway and ad cam-paign models. Their infl uence

is equally important

in women’s mainstream street style

and fashion, and this

year they upped the

style quotients of brands

including Dr. Martens and

By Far.

Katie HolmesIt started with a cash-

mere bra and a few unique sandal choices

this summer, but by late September, media outlets

everywhere were abuzz with the actress’s style as

a post-breakup fashion statement. (Her split

from Jamie Foxx was an-nounced in August.)

J BalvinThe reggaeton sensa-

tion was one of the most streamed artists of the

year, and as his mainstream appeal climbed, so did his fashion stardom. The 2019 FNAA Style Infl uencer had

a Bape collab and, clad in Dior Homme, was the

inaugural cover star of the Bazaar Men’s magazine.

Billy PorterThe multihyphenate talent

became the fi rst openly gay black man to be nominated

for, and win, a Primetime Emmy Award for his role in FX’s “Pose” — and Porter made sure his wardrobe

was equally loud and proud. His red carpet looks were not only gender fl uid, they were also downright fun.

ZendayaThe always-precocious star came into her own

this year, and a hit collab with Tommy Hilfi ger was just the beginning. After

debuting the collection in Paris in March (alongside fashion icons Grace Jones

and Anna Cleveland), the actress’s role as

Rue in the hit HBO show “Euphoria” cemented

Gen-Z style icon status.

Jennifer Lopez

She has dominated the red carpet for years, but

2019 was owned by Lopez. Attention-grabbing moments included the Oscars buzz for her “Hustlers” performance,

a surprise runway walk in that iconic Versace dress, and the new 50-year-old capped November with a long-term

Coach endorsement.

Tracee Ellis Ross

One of fashion’s most de-pendable ambassadors, the “Black-ish” star translated haute looks from Marc Ja-

cobs and Rodarte to the red carpet and continued her

legacy of multiple cos-tume changes while

hosting awards shows (most recently at the British

Fashion Awards). The actress is also a champion of black fashion, supporting and wear-

ing brands such

as Pyer Moss and Christopher

John Rogers.

Diane KeatonThe actress has long been a style icon by way of “Annie Hall” and “The First Wives

Club,” but 2019 was the year that

a new genera-tion discovered Keaton’s innate

chicness, by way of her all

caps-heavy Instagram ac-

count. A strictly black-and-white

palette and penchant for neck scarves,

tall hats and platform shoes have

solidifi ed her modern look.

Dua Lipa Winning big at the 2019 Gram-my Awards while wearing a Ver-sace safety pin dress kicked o¡ a stylish and successful year for the British singer, whose fashion versatility includes head-to-toe Chanel and a vintage-inspired matching Staud minidress and knee boots. With a sophomore

album slated for early 2020, the outfi t parade is sure

to continue.

PH

OTO

S: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

PH

OTO

: SH

OES

: JO

SH

UA

SC

OT

T; A

LL O

TH

ER

S: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

30

HIGH DEMANDT H E Y E A R WAS B OT H M O D E R N A N D N O STA LG I C, W I T H S P O RT Y ST Y L E S

A N D LOTS O F C O LO R

BY SHANNON ADDUCCI

Lime GreenBoth a street style and musician red carpet favorite, seen on stars including Billie Eilish and Lil Nas X, the Gen-Z-friendly hue reigned year-round. In the attention-seek-ing age of Instagram, the popular-

ity of the look-at-me color was inevitable.

Hot PinkAnother look-at-me color

took over the red carpet and fashion weeks worldwide, transforming itself from a

Barbie and “Legally Blonde” hue to a post #MeToo

feminist power statement from head to toe.

Tie-DyeFrom high-end versions at Giuseppe Zanotti and Dries Van Noten to summer camp interpretations and the per-

sistence of the “scumbro” look made popular by Justin Bieber and Jonah Hill, the DIY-print

touched all categories.

Haute Hiker Tactical gear a là Virgil

Abloh’s Louis Vuitton, as well as fi sherman’s vests, bucket

hats and hiking boot hybrids all gave men’s collections a sportsman vibe. Luxury

brands including Gucci and Prada also tapped into key outdoor silhouettes such

as Keen’s Newport and the original Teva sandal.

Animal PrintsThe print has a long legacy in fashion cycles, but this year’s leopard midi skirt made it ubiquitous, even for the o� ce. Head-to-toe animal prints were an all-ages, genderless

a� air on the carpet, while the snakeprint knee boot became one of the biggest fall ’19 musts for retailers.

Menswear Moves On From

the Fashion Sneaker

After purveying the Triple S “dad” shoe in 2018, Balenciaga

made a few turns away from the chunky sneaker,

introducing square-toed boots. Other brands such as Prada and Amiri explored life after the fashion sneaker with jet-

black leather clompers.

Square Toes — and Bottega Veneta

Heralded as the “new-Céline,” Bottega Veneta’s comeback (courtesy of creative director Daniel Lee) also ushered in the era of the revamped square toe. Since debuting on the fall ’19 runway, both luxury and mass-market footwear has

embraced the silhouette.

’90s ManiaWith an infl ux of key colors and shapes, and

accessories such as scrunchies and belt bags, it was impossible to escape the infl uence of the decade, even as 2020

approaches. Platforms made their comeback on fall ’19 runways and continued into spring ’20

collections.

31

Cara Delevingne x PumaDelevingne brought in Balmain for the fi rst collection she designed for Puma. Working in collaboration with creative director Olivier Rousteing, the duo — with the help of the brand — launched a boxing-themed line of

footwear, apparel and accessories.

Luke Combs x Crocs

Crocs went country with a special edition of its signature Classic Clog made in collabo-ration with singer-songwriter

Luke Combs. It sold out in minutes. Last month, Combs and Crocs teamed up again for a hunting-themed style.

Tommy Hilfi ger x Zendaya

FN’s Collaborator of the Year made headlines for his partner-ship with Zendaya, teaming on

’70s-inspired collections for spring and fall. Both see-now, buy-now fashion shows in Paris and at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, N.Y.,

respectively, were lauded for its inclusivity. Hilfi ger also worked with racecar driver

Lewis Hamilton.

Gigi Hadid x Reebok

The supermodel launched her full athleisure Reebok x Gigi collection in Febru-ary. And in October, Hadid debuted her second collec-tion with the brand, featur-ing ’90s-inspired pieces that

played o� her love of the out-doors. The line also included a new DMX 2k Zip sneaker.

Travis Scott x Nike

The rap star had fans on their toes throughout 2019 with several

limited-edition sneaker drops, reworking classics including the

Air Jordan 1 High and Low, the Air Force 1 Low and the Air Jordan 6.

The collaborations featured nods to Texas and his Cactus Jack

record label.

IT’S SHOWTIMEB R A N D S A N D STA R S T E A M E D U P T H I S Y E A R

TO C R E AT E O N E- O F-A- K I N D P R O D U CT.

BY NIKARA JOHNS

PH

OTO

S: C

OU

RT

ES

Y O

F C

OM

PAN

IES

; BE

YON

CÉ

: SH

UT

TE

RS

TOC

K

the hashtag #Arivenchy.

Beyoncé x AdidasThe athletic brand

announced in April that

the superstar has joined the Adidas family. According to the Three Stripes, the partnership is multilayered and will include new signa-ture footwear and

As part of her new role, Banks participated in brand acti-vations, which will continue through 2020.

Ariana Grande x GivenchyIn May, Givenchy announced that the pop singer would be its new face with a video of Grande hitting a high note and adding

including Project Rock’s fi rst-ever women’s

training shoe.

Tyra Banks x Nine West

The model joined the Authentic Brands Group-owned label as its global ambassa-

dor in September.

Lindsey Vonn x Project RockFollowing her retirement, skier Lindsey Vonn was named global ambassa-dor of Under Armour and Dwayne Johnson’s Project Rock brand in March. She has since worn the product made for athletes,

apparel, as well as a relaunch of her Ivy Park brand.

Jennifer Lopez x CoachThe actress and singer was

named the global face of Coach in November. Beginning with the spring ’20 season, Lopez will star in campaigns for leather goods, ready-to-wear and footwear.

THE CELEBRITY PARTNERSHIPS THAT KEPT THE INDUSTRY TALKING…

Reebok ForeverFloatride Grow

Eco-Friendly Movement

Sustainability was a hot industry-wide topic, and athletic brands embarked

on eco-friendly missions. Notably, Ree-bok revealed its fall ’20 Forever Float-ride Grow running sneaker made with natural materials and casual sneaker

fi rm Allbirds launched synthetic material and chemical-free weather-

resistant styles.

32

Agents of ChangeAs employees called out the top athletic brands over racial inequities, thought

leaders including Kerby Jean-Raymond, Pensole Footwear Design Academy founder D’Wayne Edwards and others advocated for industry-wide change.

(Jean-Raymond and Edwards were tapped by Reebok and Foot Locker, respectively, to foster diverse talent within the companies.) Also, athletes such

as soccer star Megan Rapinoe and Olympic runner Alysia Montaño fought for equal pay and fair maternity policies.

Make RoomAthletic heavyweights Nike

and Adidas maintained their market leads, but smaller brands

mounted serious challenges. Puma earned the respect of

the lifestyle and performance crowds, and Hoka One One and On gave runners everything they

were looking for.

The TakeoverHistorically, New York Fashion Week has

been a platform for luxury labels. But that is no longer the case, as Ronnie Fieg with Kith Air and Kerby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss

undoubtedly provided the biggest moments. A month after NYFW, Dick’s Sporting Goods

entered the fashion conversation with its debut runway show starring soccer star Carli

Lloyd and baseball great Alex Rodriguez.

POWER MOVEST H E AT H L E T I C M A R K E T ’S B I G G E ST STO R I E S I N 2 0 1 9 CA M E F R O M S M A L L E R B R A N D S F I G H T I N G

FO R A S E AT AT T H E TA B L E A N D T H O U G H T L E A D E R S A D D R E S S I N G I N D U ST RY-W I D E I S S U E S .

BY PETER VERRY

PH

OTO

S: J

EA

N-R

AYM

ON

D: A

ND

Y B

OY

LE; L

IMA

: CO

UR

TES

Y O

F P

UM

A; A

DID

AS

; CO

UR

TES

Y O

F B

RA

ND

; LA

PO

RT

E: A

ND

REW

MO

RA

LES

; KIT

H A

IR: S

HU

TT

ER

STO

CK

All Terrain

Hikers and trail run-ners aren’t required for walking the city

streets, but that didn’t stop fashion

customers from wear-ing them regularly in

2019. Rugged looks from brands

including Salomon, The North Face and

Columbia owned street style.

Kerby Jean-Raymond, shot exclusively for

FN in December

Andrew LaPorte in the Salomon Supercross, shot for FN in June

Adriana Lima for Puma

Three looks from Kith Air

SOCIAL MOMENTSThe videos and photos that popped. Take a look back at FN’s most-liked Instagrams of 2019.

BY HEIDI PASHMAN

FN’s video of a green, glittering look from Alexandre Vauthier’s spring ’19 haute couture show, with shoes by Amina Muaddi. It was watched 157,000 times.

Bella and Gigi Hadid twinned in the front row at the Tommy x Zendaya runway show at New York Fashion Week.

Beige had a moment this spring, and Bella Hadid embraced the color with this head-to-toe look during Cannes Film Festival.

“I’ll always remember when something would happen, there would be a surprise of a beautifully written letter from Blake. He took such great care not to let things pass without noting them.”— Je� rey New York founder and president Je� rey Kalinsky on the late Blake Nordstrom (January)

“He was just so excited that all of these things were starting to fall into place, and yet he was very humble about his role about it. He kept bringing more and more people into the room to introduce them to me, saying this person did that and that person did this. It was never about Jon; it was always about the team.” — The NPD Group’s Matt Powell on Fila’s recent success under the late Jon Epstein (April)

“I’m always critical of myself. Everything keeps me up at night. This con-versation will keep me up tonight. I’ll think about all the answers I gave you and all the answers I didn’t give you. Everything is always in motion in my brain; it’s like open applications the way you would have in a phone.”— Kith founder Ronnie Fieg on not being comfortable despite his success (October)

“I used to think, ‘When I succeed, that’s enough. I don’t have to do any more.’ I realized that was an imma-ture position. If you want to work with women, you have to be the one who makes the change.”— Mindy Kaling on inclusivity in entertainment (June)

“We did all the same s**t that every other footwear company does. That f**cked us. That’s not what built us in the fi rst place or why people buy our shoes.”— Toms founder Blake Mycoskie on the challenges in growing the irreverent brand (March)

“I want to change the whole perception of Latinos; I want to show the world how we are fresh, too.” — Reggaeton star J Balvin on shining the light on fashionable Latinos (December)

“Our cultural fat phobia runs so deep that we fi nd excuses to excuse it.”— Micki Krimmel on the plus-size market (September)P

HO

TOS

: IN

STA

GR

AM

S 1

-3: F

N; I

NS

TAG

RA

MS

4 &

5, B

ALV

IN, K

ALI

NG

, SH

UT

TE

RS

TOC

K; M

YCO

SK

IE: J

OS

HU

A S

CO

TT;

FIE

G: A

ND

Y B

OY

LE; N

OR

DS

TR

OM

, EP

ST

EIN

: CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

CO

MPA

NIE

S

FN’s video of Gigi Hadid confronting runway crasher French comedian Marie Benoliel at Chanel’s spring ’20 show. It received 232,000 views.

A detailed look at the shoe styles from Rihanna’s Fenty pop-up shop in Paris.

STATEMENTS MADES O M E O F T H E M O ST M E M O R A B L E Q U OT E S O F

T H E Y E A R , AS TO L D TO F N .

BY FN STAFF

1

2

3

4

5

Statement Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685 showing the Ownership, Management and Circulation of FOOTWEAR NEWS, published twice per month with one additional issue in September for October 1, 2019. Publication No. 204-120. Annual subscription price $59.00.

1. Location of known office of Publication is 475 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10017.2. Location of the Headquarters or General Business Offices of the Publisher is 475 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10017.3. The names and addresses of the Vice President, Publisher, Editorial Director, and Executive Editor are: Vice President, Publisher, Sandi Mines, 475 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10017. Editorial Director, Michael Atmore, 475 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10017. Managing Editor, Neil Weilheimer, 475 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10017. 4. The owner is: Fairchild Publishing, LLC., 475 Fifth Ave, New York, New York 10017. Stockholder: Directly or indirectly through intermediate corporations to the ultimate corporate parent, Penske Business Media, LLC, 11175 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025. 5. Known bondholders, mortgagees and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities are: None. 6. Extent and nature of circulation

D Nonrequested Distribution (1) Outside County Nonrequested Copies 4,519 3,633

Stated on PS Form 3541 (2) In-County Nonrequested Copies Stated 0 0

on PS Form 3541 (3) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Through

the USPS by Other Classes of Mail (4) Nonrequested Copies Distributed Outside the Mail

0

1,309

0

264 E Total Nonrequested Distribution 5,828 3,897 F Total Distribution

14,334 10,899

G Copies not Distributed 216 183 H Total 14,550 11,082 I Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation 59.34% 64.24% J Paid Electronic Copies 4,991 7,391 K Total Paid Print Copies (line 15c) 13,497 14,393

L + Paid Electronic Copies Total Print Distribution (Line 15f) 19,325 18,290

M + Paid Electronic Copies Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) 69.84% 78.69%

7 I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. (Signed) Danielle Romero, Financial Analyst

Untitled-1 1 11/16/17 1:45 PM

Average No. Copies each issue during preceding 12 months

Single Issue nearest to filing date

A Total No. Copies 14,550 11,082 B Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution

(1) Outside County Paid/Requested 8,183 6,694 Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541

(2) In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions 0 0 stated on PS Form 3541

(3) Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, 323 308 Counter Sales, and Other Paid or Requested Distribution Outside USPS®

(4) Requested Copies Distributed by Other Classes 0 0 of Mail Through the USPS

C Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation 8,506 7,002

FN Weekly Quarter pg new.indd 1 12/9/19 12:26 PMFN Weekly Quarter pg new.indd 1 12/9/19 12:57 PM

FN SPEAD SINGLE TEMPLATE.indd 1 12/11/19 5:45 PM

P I C K

TEENS IDOL Throughout the 2010s, Lady

Gaga has shocked, ba ed and amused us with her seemingly

endless array of imaginative ensembles. From her cosmic

gown and gravity-defying Armani platforms at the 2010

Grammy Awards (seen here) to her multilayered “camp” outfi t

and Pleaser boots at this year’s Met Gala, the singer-turned-actress has proven to be the ultimate fashion entertainer.

FO

OT

WE

AR

NE

WS

//D

EC

EM

BE

R 1

6,

20

19

//F

OO

TW

EA

RN

EW

S.C

OM

FN IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. COPYRIGHT ©2019 FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 75, NO. 25. December 16, 2019. FN (ISSN 0162-914X) is published twice per month with one additional issue in September by Fairchild Publishing, LLC, which is a division of Penske Business Media, LLC. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 475 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10017. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post: return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO FN, P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, IA, 51593. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to FN, P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, IA, 51593, call 866-963-7335, or e-mail customer service at footwearnews@cdsfulfillment.com. Please include both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. For New York Hand Delivery Service address changes or inquiries, please contact Mitchell’s NY at 1-800-662-2275, option 7. One-year subscription price: U.S. $72, Canadian $149, foreign $295. Single-copy cost $10. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfied with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy of a new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. We reserve the right to change the number of issues contained in a subscription term and/or the way the product is delivered. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to FN, 475 5th Ave, 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10017. For permissions and editorial requests, e-mail licensing@pmc.com. Visit us online at www.footwearnews.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild Publishing, LLC magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.wwd.com/subscriptions. FN IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANU-SCRIPTS, UNSOLICITE ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CON-SIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY FOOTWEAR NEWS IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS , PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.

PH

OTO

: CH

RIS

PIZ

ZE

LLO

/SH

UT

TE

RS

TOC

K

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT DEBORAH BARON, ACCOUNT DIRECTOR AT 212 256 8118 OR DBARON@FOOTWEARNEWS.COM

CREATE AN ADVENTUREFIND YOUR NEXT JOURNEY

Outdoor Retailer ShowISSUE Jan 13 | CLOSE DATE Jan 02BONUS DISTRIBUTION OUTDOOR RETAILER SHOW

FN_HAD_OR_V5.indd 2 11/19/19 4:27 PMUntitled-1 1 12/10/19 12:30 PM

Untitled-8 1 12/6/19 4:53 PM