Overall U.S. footwear industry sales revenue was down 3% in Q1 this year versus Q1 2022, but the performance category was up 2% in that period, according to point-of-sale data from Circana (formerly IRI and The NPD Group).

“The footwear market slowed during Q1 largely due to weakening demand, but average price increases managed to keep the overall revenue losses in the low-single-digits,” said Beth Goldstein, footwear and accessories analyst at Circana. She noted there were pockets of growth within the performance and fashion footwear segments, “as sports and social activities regained their rhythm post-pandemic.”

Some highlights from the Q1 data:

• Performance footwear outperformed the market, led by basketball, the fastest-growing segment in performance footwear, followed by baseball, track and field, soccer, football, and lacrosse.
  
• Weather across the country played a large role in a challenged boot season. The Pacific region including California, Oregon, and Washington, ranked as the second-best selling region for cold weather boot sales in Q1, based on revenue – up from its fourth position last year – and it was the only region to show growth in this segment. High shaft boots were the only fashion boot silhouette to experience sales growth in Q1, versus last year.

• Casual sneaker sales (sport lifestyle footwear) were up 3%, generating over one-third of footwear sales and gaining market share.

• Sales of fashion shoes grew 7%, driven by drivers and loafers (which have returned to pre-pandemic 2019 sales levels) and pumps.

• Slipper sales slipped in Q1. While the segment remains above pre-pandemic 2019 sales levels, slipper sales were down double-digits for the quarter, versus the same period last year.