In an interview with SGB Executive, Tony Post, CEO of Topo Athletic, said the brand’s 24 percent growth in the second quarter was driven by healthy growth across running and trail styles, robust reorders and success securing new specialty accounts. His comments come as Doug Howe, CEO of Designer Brands, Topo’s parent, said on the quarterly analyst call that the brand is on track to generate over $100 million in 2027.
Topo’s growth rate has reached another gear since being acquired by Designer Brands, best known as the owner of DSW, in December 2022. The 24 percent growth in the second quarter follows gains of 30 percent in the first quarter and 42 percent in the fourth quarter. Overall, for 2025, Topo’s sales surged 46 percent, more than doubling the size of the business compared to 2023.
Post, who founded the brand in 2012, said of Topo’s Q2 performance, “We’re seeing balanced growth across both road and trail, as well as men’s and women’s product lines. Strong wholesale sell-through continues to drive healthy reorders, and we’re adding carefully selected specialty retail partners on an ongoing basis.”
Post also said the brand is seeing an enthusiastic response to the launch of the Pro Series, an elevated range of performance running shoes with a redesigned midsole and higher stack height to support a bouncy, energetic ride without sacrificing Topo’s signature roomy toe box. He said, “Topo has long been known for fit and comfort, and the Pro Series has helped demonstrate that we’re equally committed to performance, attracting new consumers and raising awareness of the brand.”
Topo’s growth helped drive an 18 percent gain in sales of Designer Brands’ Brand Portfolio segment, which also includes the Keds, Vince Camuto, Kelly & Katie, Jessica Simpson, Lucky Brand, Mix No. 6, and Crown Vintage footwear brands. Sales in the segment reached $86.3 million, up from $73.2 million in Q2 last year.
Topo is getting more attention from Wall Street as the brand has started to become a more impactful contributor to Designer Brands’ results.
Asked by an analyst on Designer Brands’ quarterly call about Topo’s growth potential, Howe said the brand still has ample room to expand in specialty retail and is not yet sold in DSW stores. Said Howe, “We think the sky’s the limit with regards to very long runway on the brand. Still is in relatively modest distribution, about 1,600 doors. Lots of opportunity with our existing customers, lots of opportunity and new points of distribution. As a reminder, it’s not actually sold in DSW, so there’s a large runway to be able to continue to build that out in specialty runs, specifically. The brand continues to do very well.”
Howe also said he was “encouraged by the progress of our recent actions to integrate Topo sourcing into the broader DBI platform and expect meaningful profitability improvement from sourcing optimization and further business integration moving forward.”
Post elaborated on the benefits the brand is realizing under Designer Brands’ platform. He said, “We’re very encouraged by our integration with DBI’s sourcing and product development organization. DBI brings world-class capabilities, deep expertise, and resources that can help support Topo’s long-term growth.”
Post added, “What’s been most impressive is the commitment to preserving the product attributes our consumers love, including fit, comfort, quality, and performance. Having recently spent time with our teams in Asia, I saw firsthand how well the teams are working together and the opportunities this creates to further strengthen the Topo brand. These efforts are helping drive greater efficiency, product innovation, and long-term growth while preserving the qualities that have made Topo successful.”
Asked about Topo’s growth potential, Post said, “Our focus remains straightforward: make great product and provide exceptional service. We continue to see significant opportunity in road running, trail running, and the premium specialty channel. Strong performance with existing retail partners is helping attract new specialty dealers, while growth across both our retail and direct-to-consumer channels, together with the additional capabilities and resources available through DBI, positions us well for continued growth. As a result, we believe there is still substantial runway ahead for the brand.”
Topo’s robust growth comes as several retailers have noted a downturn in lifestyle athletic footwear that’s driving elevated promotions in the marketplace, but Post confirmed reports elsewhere that the running footwear category is faring well.
Post said, “Performance running remains one of the healthiest categories in footwear. Consumers are engaged, knowledgeable, and willing to invest in products that deliver comfort, performance, and value. Competition is stronger than ever, but that ultimately benefits runners by driving innovation and raising the bar across the industry. For Topo, we remain focused on delivering differentiated products and supporting our retail partners, and we continue to see strong demand and healthy engagement from both consumers and retailers.”
Images courtesy Designer Brands
