Genesco Inc. announced that Mimi Eckel Vaughn has been named chief operating officer of the company, effective May 1, 2019. In addition to her new role, Vaughn will continue as chief financial officer until a new chief financial officer is appointed.
Category: Footwear
Academy Sports Opens Store in Ardmore, OK
Academy Sports + Outdoor opened its first store in Ardmore, OK, representing its 13th store in Oklahoma.

Modell’s Fight For Survival
In a comprehensive interview with SGB Executive, Mitchell Modell, CEO of Modell’s Sporting Good’s, discusses the retailer’s frantic outreach efforts to save the company following reports of a possible bankruptcy filing. Plans to further stabilize and improve the business were also detailed.

Report: Modell’s Re-Secures Vendor Support
A report that ran Sunday in the Wall Street Journal shows that Modell’s Sporting Goods has regained shipments from the wide majority of its vendor base following concerns over the sporting goods retailer’s hiring of a restructuring firm.
Hibbett Sporting Goods Appoints Interim CFO
Hibbett Sporting Goods appointed Christine E. Skold, a CPA, consultant and former executive of Tractor Supply Company, as interim chief financial officer, effective April 26, 2019, according to a regulatory filing.
Mother’s Day Spending Predicted To Hit Record $25 Billion
Mother’s Day spending is expected to total a record $25 billion this year, up from $23.1 billion in 2018, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation.

Puma’s Q1 Boosted By Promising Start To Basketball
With robust growth in China and the U.S. and a healthy reception to its return to performance basketball, Puma SE kicked off the year with its strongest quarter ever. Said Bjørn Gulden, “The growth in all regions and all product divisions shows that we continue to make progress.”

Puma’s Q1 Revenues Climb 15 Percent
Puma SE reported earnings jumped 40.1 percent in the first quarter as sales improved 15.3 percent and gross margins expanded 80 basis points. Sales in the Americas grew 16.3 percent on a currency-neutral basis. Bjørn Gulden, CEO, said: “The first quarter of 2019 was the best quarter Puma has ever seen.”

Sneakerheads Fueling Potential $6 Billion Resale Market
Sneakerheads—consumers who covet and purchase many different sneakers and are constantly searching for the latest, limited-edition pair of kicks—should help the already lucrative sneaker resale market hit $6 billion by 2025, according to a recent study from Cowen. “Sneakers As An Alternative Asset Class” estimates that the sneaker resale market in North America is about $2 billion and rapidly growing.
Adidas Extends Eastern Illinois Sponsorship
Eastern Illinois University agreed to a new five-year apparel contract with Adidas that runs through 2024.

Cherokee Global Brands Sees Double-Digit Q4 Growth For Hi-Tec
Cherokee Global Brands reported sales declined 11 percent in the fourth quarter due to a shift from direct-to-retail (DTR) through a wholesale licensing model. A bright spot, however, was the Hi-Tec brand, which delivered a 12 percent gain in revenues year-over-year.
Adidas Extends Kansas Deal Through 2031
The University of Kansas and Adidas announced the extension of their footwear and apparel agreement through 2031. The university said the deal is one of the largest apparel partnerships in college athletics.

Rocky Brands Inc. Ramps Up Reinvestment After Strong Q1
Marketing efforts clearly paid off for Rocky Brands Inc. in the first quarter, with the company reporting a 9.1 percent earnings increase on a 7.4 percent revenue gain, both of which beat Wall Street’s estimates. Now the company plans to double down on that strategy by reinvesting some of the profits from last quarter into a revamped and rejuvenated marketing strategy aimed at taking more share across end markets.
Adidas, Reebok and Patagonia top 2019 Fashion Transparency Index
Three sportswear and outdoor brands – Adidas, Reebok and Patagonia – are leading the way on transparency amongst the world’s 200 largest fashion brands and retailers by disclosing a wide range of human rights policies, commitments and outcomes, as well as who their suppliers are, Fashion Revolution’s Fashion Transparency Index 2019 revealed.
Burlington Stores Announces Leadership Succession Plan
Burlington Stores Inc., the off-pricer, announced a leadership succession plan. The changes include Michael O’Sullivan, formerly president and COO of Ross Stores, Inc., joining the company as CEO in September.