TRENDS, PERSPECTIVE & ANALYSIS
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023

Crowd Pleasers

A little bit of this, and a little bit of that. Standout new comfort styles for 2023 add a dash of a few different trends to give consumers what they want.

Past Magazine Features

New Year, New Boots

Tell them what you want. Consumers are raising their voices about what is fit for their feet. Whether for work or outdoor activities, the boots in our closet circa 2019 just aren’t cutting it any longer.

5 Issues to Watch in the Year Ahead

After two years where business developments were dominated by impacts from a global pandemic — everything from supply chain costs to hiring and product availability — the world is faced with embracing the Year of the Rabbit with plenty of challenges.

Planning for the Future

I've been thinking about the events of this past year, which included my retirement from the retail shoe business (40 years) as well as my board service to the NSRA trade association (29 years).

Crowd Pleasers

A little bit of this, and a little bit of that. Standout new comfort styles for 2023 add a dash of a few different trends to give consumers what they want.

Ready For Anything

The outlook for the year ahead is an optimistic one for many leading independent retailers. The past 12 months have been filled with plenty of challenges, but there are many bright spots to find as well...

Destination Dardano’s

If you’re looking for a store that has plenty to offer, Dardano’s Shoes has you covered in more ways than one with its new location in Broomfield, CO.

How Consumers Shop For Boots

Comfort and durability are the top traits consumers look for in their boots. And boots are in-style year-round for many consumers. Those are just two of the takeaways from our latest consumer survey which focused on, you guessed it… boots!

Built for Success

Success is generational at Beck’s Shoes. Founded in 1919, Beck’s Shoes is run today by cousins Adam Beck and Julia Beck-Gomez, the fifth generation to helm the business. Headquartered in Campbell, CA, Beck’s Shoes is the top scoring store on the 2022 Gold Medal Service Award list.

MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

We believe in the foundation and success of independent specialty brick-and-mortar stores. Shopping is not just about commerce. There’s something called the in-store experience. The touching and feeling of product. The sit-and-fit process. The curated assortment and exciting impulse purchases. The trusted service after the purchase. And, the customer’s immediate gratification. We cover news, trends and analysis of key markets that are most profitable to retailers. View More Archives
MARCH 15, 2023 NEWSLETTER

Famous Footwear Dialing into Millennials

Caleres-owned retail chain Famous Footwear, which generated 22 percent sales growth in FY22 to more than $1.32 billion despite closing 21 stores year-over-year, is sharpening its focus on reaching Millennial consumers.

Adidas Commences “Transition Year” Under New Leadership

Bjorn Gulden, who crossed his German town from Puma SE headquarters to become CEO of Adidas on Jan. 1, isn’t afraid to offer an honest assessment of the challenges that he and his new brand face in 2023.

Allbirds to Slow U.S. Retail Expansion, Expand Wholesale Biz

San Francisco-based brand Allbirds plans to slow the pace of its store openings and continue expanding its wholesale business. Other measures being undertaken as part of a transformation plan include shifting all footwear production to Vietnam by year’s end.

IN THE NEWS: OrthoLite + Novamont, Import Forecast

OrthoLite announced this week that it is partnering with Novamont in the creation of OrthoLite Cirql, the world’s first circular foam material solution for footwear. OrthoLite Cirql was first unveiled to the industry last year — initial production is slated for the back half of 2023.

Obituary: James M. Chick, 76

James M. (Jim) Chick, a legend in the world of sporting goods retail, died last week at the age of 76. Chick was president & CEO of Chick’s Sporting Goods, headquartered in Covina, CA, for nearly 40 years.

mōshn® is the most comfortable shoe for people on the move. Found in a variety of stylish uppers, mōshn® features Dynamic Motion Technology™, a new technology that works holistically with your foot to stabilize your heel and naturally move you forward.

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FOOTWEAR INSIGHT INDEX

Week of March 15 2023: 225

With the markets still concerned about interest rate hikes and the state of the economy going forward as we prepare to close out Q1/2023, the largest bank failure since 2008 emerged to contribute to the week’s tailspin. The Dow lost more than 1,612 points last week, or 4.8 percent. That compares to a 6.72 percent drop for The Footwear Segment where all entrants, except Mizuno and Adidas (both essentially flat) were down for the period. Shares of Genesco, Crocs, Under Armour, VF Corp. and Genesco fell by double-digits on a percentage basis. –Bob McGee

Company name
(Ticker Symbol)

% Change over week
Price 3/6/23 • Price 3/13/23

ASICS Corp.
7936.T

3.35%

$27.20 • $26.29

Boot Barn
BOOT

8.00%

$78.83 • $72.52

Crocs
CROX

10.99%

$125.06 • $111.31

Designer Brands
DBI

-15.51%

$9.48 • $8.01

Genesco
GCO

19.03%

$46.20 • $37.41

JD GROUP
JD.L

7.90%

$217.40 • $200.22

Nike
NKE

2.77%

$120.17 • $116.84

Rocky Brands
RCKY

7.92%

$25.87 • $23.82

Skechers
SKX

7.44%

$45.01 • $41.66

VF Corp.
VFC

16.14%

$24.85 • $20.84

Company name
(Ticker Symbol)

% Change over week
Price 3/6/23 • Price 3/13/23

Adidas
addyy

0.04%

$78.22 • $78.25

Caleres
CAL

8.90%

$25.16 • $22.92

Deckers
DECK

5.52%

$433.52 • $409.6

Foot Locker
FL

8.17%

$43.57 • $40.01

GEOX
GEO.MI

5.60%

$1.25 • $1.18

Mizuno
8022.T

0.78%

$24.25 • $24.44

Puma
PMMAF

6.04%

$59.13 • $55.56

Shoe Carnival
SCVL

1.52%

$25.05 • $24.67

Under Armour
UAA

14.08%

$9.59 • $8.24

Wolverine
WWW

2.67%

$16.49 • $16.05

TOTAL
Week over week

6.72%

$1,436.30 • $1,339.84

The Footwear Insight Index tracks 20 of the most important publicly traded companies that have a substantial footwear business (6 retailers, 14 brands). Index base of 100 is key to the closing prices of 12/29/17

More from Formula4Media's Publications

Roaring Back

There is no denying that participation and sales for most team sports, male and female, experienced setbacks during the key pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 — but 2022 thankfully marked a bit of turnaround.

Looking Beyond to Find Planet-Friendly, Future-Wise Materials

A little bit of everything is generating reason for optimism in 2023 within the textile business. Supply chain headaches are subsiding while excitement about product innovation in the pipeline is on the rise.

Directional Developments

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