Ontario, Canada-based brand Biion partnered with Warner Brothers ahead of the recent global release of Wonder Woman 1984 on an exclusive, limited-edition footwear style inspired by the superhero. The Wonder Woman Icon shoe, available in adult unisex ($110) and kid ($60) sizes, features...

“Craving Convenience,” “Outdoor Oasis” and “Playing with Time” are among the Top 10 Global Consumer Trends 2021, according to global market research firm Euromonitor International. Craving Convenience is described as the desire for a return to the on-the-go simplicities of pre-pandemic life.

Iconic brand Birkenstock, owned by a German family since its founding in 1774, is reportedly in negotiations to a sell a majority stake to a private equity firm. Luxembourg-based CVC Capital Partners is said to have the inside track for a controlling interest for the company, which sold...

Mizuno has launched the 17th edition of its Wave Inspire Running Shoe. The most notable upgrade in the latest version of the Wave Inspire is the inclusion of the brand’s Mizuno Enerzy foam technology in the heel wedge for increased softness and responsiveness.

The Genesco-owned retail chain Journeys realized a 4 percent drop in comparable sales (Stores and Direct) for the period ended Dec. 26, 2020 as it recorded strong full-price selling. Same-store sales declined 14 percent, but ecommerce revenues rose 49 percent with results bolstered by...

The Japanese brand, which is promising an ongoing focus on the run specialty channel, is taking to social media channels worldwide today to engage consumers with the message that is a Latin phrase embedded in its brand name...

The American Apparel & Footwear Associations (AAFA), Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA), National Retail Federation (NRF) and the U.S. Fashion Industry Association are supporting the more than 200 apparel and footwear companies that have asked...

Andrew Gray, EVP and Chief Commercial Office for Foot Locker, has joined the board of Nashville-based nonprofit Soles4Souls. Elsewhere, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) recently promoted Thomas Crockett.

Jim Zwiers, president of Wolverine Worldwide’s International Group, has been named president of the Rockford, MI company’s Global Operations Group. Zwiers, a 23-year WWW veteran, will retain the international group position and responsibilities he has had since 2014.

Adidas, aiming to divest the Reebok business it acquired 15 years ago for $3.8 billion, has at least one suitor group interested in the Vector brand. The Three Stripes has said it will formally announce its plans for Reebok by March 10.

Sportsman’s Warehouse, the 112-door, publicly-traded chain across 12 U.S. Western states, which will become part of the privately-held Great American Outdoors Group (parent of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s) during the second half of 2021, is known for its focus on...

Any run-of-the-mill retailer looking to sell the Swoosh in 2021 can forget about it. Nike is proceeding with its three-pronged approach focused on Digital, Direct-To-Consumer and Differentiated Retail, a strategy that has Wall Street bullish on the company following a second quarter where...

UK-based footwear brand inov-8 has donated £9,600 ($12,981) towards the planting of new trees and the restoration of peat habitats in the battle against climate change. The money was raised through a “Green Friday” sales initiative on its website and a donation was made to the non-profit...

After three years of collaboration with sneaker maker APL, Lululemon will take on the footwear category alone next year. The brand’s offerings in the category, which could include run-, training- and yoga-specific styles, will be introduced in the latter half of 2021 with sell-in slated...

Designer Brands, waiting for a chief digital officer to come onboard and effects from the COVID-19 pandemic to subside, is currently forecasting “a return to normalized customer behavior or profitability” for the Back-To-School 2021 season. In the meantime, the company’s DSW retail segment will...

The British footprint in U.S. retail athletic specialty is getting larger. JD Sports Fashion, which paid $558 million for The Finish Line in June 2018, has now purchased the San Jose, CA-based Shoe Palace chain for $325 million cash and a 20 percent stake in JD’s wholly-owned U.S. company...

FootJoy’s new FJ Stratos spikeless golf shoe leverages Lubrizol’s advanced material science for traction on and off the course. Estane TRX TPU from Lubrizol, a rubber alternative, provides traction on wet and dry surfaces. The material’s flexibility also helps ensure the successful molding of...

Genesco President and CEO Mimi Vaughn thinks trends among the banner’s fashionable teen set have steady legs and that the “casual trend” offers upside potential for its Journeys business.

Currently available in 24 U.S. markets and 150 stores, Zumiez Delivery may provide the specialty retailer with an advantage during the holiday season as traditional shipping companies set restrictions due to capacity constraints. The in-house delivery service, staffed by Zumiez employees...

Ski brand Spyder is getting into footwear. Authentic Brands Group-owned Spyder has struck a licensing deal with Footwear Unlimited that will enable the outdoor sportswear brand to enter the category with an assortment of outdoor, hike, trail, lifestyle and Aprés ski styes for...

As privately held New Balance prepares to open its “Factory of the Future” in Methuen, MA next summer, the company has publicly disclosed plans to shutter its Boston neighborhood (Brighton) factory on Feb. 5, resulting in 63 layoffs. New Balance disclosed its plans in a regulatory filing with...

The eco-smart, lightweight footwear brand Rackle, which launched a successful Direct-To-Consumer test over the summer, is initiating a B2B retail program for Spring 2021. The Wilsonville, OR company has hired a team of independent sales reps across the U.S. with the goal of...

Jennifer Lynch, who spent more than a decade developing the footwear and apparel businesses for New Balance, is the new VP of global products for Keds, a division of Wolverine Worldwide. In her new role, she will manager design, product development and product management for...

During his two decades leading online shoe retailer Zappos, known as ShoeSite.com when he joined in 1999, Tony Hsieh was described as the architect of a movement to spread happiness, of “Zappiness,” through the three “C”s of clothing, customer service and company culture.

Global adoption of athletic shoes for daily use and other sports-related footwear is forecast to escalate dramatically over the next three years, according to respondents to the latest Business Conditions Survey from World Footwear, an initiative from the Portuguese Footwear, Components and...