FFANY, Investor Conferences Provide Forward Look at Product, Margins and Strategy

The interesting part is that the word – which has many definitions – clearly has a variety of implications and provides a multitude of opportunities to the many brands racing to catch up in the whole move to lightweight footwear.

 

According to weekly retail point-of-sale data compiled by SportScanInfo, the All Lightweight  Running Footwear business, which includes Lightweight Running, Barefoot/Natural Running and Minimalist Running was up roughly 250 percent in the fiscal month of May to just under $110 million in the channels tracked by SportScanInfo.  The year-to-date trend for All Lightweight Running Footwear through last week was up just over 300 percent.  The trend was roughly the same when looking at All Lightweight Sport Footwear, which also includes the lightweight, barefoot/natural and minimalist sub-categories in Training/Fitness and Outdoor Footwear.

The lightweight business represented all the growth in overall Running Footwear and overall Sport Footwear for the year in the U.S.

But even as the consumer reacts positively to product with less make, zero to minimal drop from heal to forefoot and product with visible toes, the terms lightweight and minimalism are being adopted by a broader range of brands and for many different reasons as the market heads into the uncertainty of 2012. 

 

As Sports Executive Weekly visited FFANY booths, footwear showrooms and investor conferences last week the trend embraced by the consumer may also just be the answer for brands looking to counter rising input costs and shrinking margins. Along with a growing owned-retail base, the move to take out bells & whistles, features & benefits and costly design elements will provide a hedge against rising costs.

 

 

 

Merrell Footwear, which is part of Wolverine World Wide Outdoor Group, is significantly expanding its wildly-successful barefoot collection, including introducing its first road running shoe. Seth Cobb, VP and general manager of the brand, said the Barefoot Run was designed with wide range of input from Merrell consumers.

“Fans of the Trail Glove were like, If youre going to make a great road running shoe, just make a little bit wider in the arch, make it so there’s not quite so much toe spring, and then just change the lacing system up slightly. So we did those three things and they loved it,” said Cobb. “As a brand weve never been closer to the consumer.”

Another key model is the Bare Access (for men) and Bare Access Arc (for women) positioned as gateway shoes that maintain Merrells zero drop, foot contoured design approach with an 8 mm M Bound cushion. Said Cobb, “Rather than going straight all the way to a true barefoot close-to-the-ground shoe, they might stop here first.” The price is also a friendlier $90 versus $100 to $110 for Merrell’s other barefoot models. Also in running, Road and Dash Gloves offer a natural fit for road surfaces.

New styles also include the Barefoot Train for athletic training, Barefoot Water for water enthusiasts and the Barefoot Life collection of flats, sneakers and a slip-on moc that brings the barefoot fit and feel to other parts of their lives. Said Cobb, “Consumers love the feel in the foot and the feel of the ground is just appealing so theyre asking for this type of product in all the different parts of their lies.”

Cobb said barefoot continues to see strong demand at retail.
“The shoes work,” said Cobb.”They answer very specific consumer needs, provide true consumer benefits and they also look great. Were getting a nice broad base of customers.”

Merrell also introduced its first full SPD compatible cycling collection, including the Rollout SPD hiking shoe for men. For women, cycling offerings include the Avian feminine-styling multi-sport design, Mimosa ballet flat and Everea MJ pump. A wide selection of water-friendly multi-sport shoes is also being launched.

At Chaco, which Wolverine acquired in early 2009, one noticeable push is an amplification of its heritage in color in a sleeker design to encourage the consumer to “emotionally get connected to the shoe on the wall” in a bid to invite more fans to the brand, according to Brandan Hill, product designer for Chaco. But Chaco continues to work on perfecting the lightweight sandal solution with several styles including Chacos new XO3 framework ChaPUmidsole that provides support, strength and durability while shaving weight. Combined with Chaco’s LUVSEAT footbed, the XO3 platform promises “instant adventure” outside the box. Said Hill, “As soon as you put it on, it feels great under the foot.
One key launch is the Updraft Bulloo, a classic sandal featuring a TPU chassis that bridges the foots arch as well as ergonomic side heel posts that assist with foot alignment. The sandal is also equipped with adjustable straps and a Vibram Bulloo outsole for slip resistance on wet and dry surfaces.

At Patagonia Footwear, a licensed brand at WWW, one highlight for Spring 2012 is the Fore Runner, a new minimalist trail running shoe with a 4 mm heel to toe drop, according to Michael Bruno, a regional sales rep for the brand. The brand worked closely with ultra-trail runner and brand ambassador Krissy Moehl testing the shoe.  The Tsali 2.0 is a soft, flexing, neutral-cushioning trail shoe for multi-surface running.  Cragmaster is a climbing shoe that also features a 4 mm heel-to-toe drop but is still supportive enough to handle bouldering and moderate climbs.

The Crocs Chameleons collection largely aimed at kids appeared to be getting the most attention. The shoe changes colors based on the sun’s strength (UVA), but Mike Martin, Crocs director of retail marketing, said new technologies will soon enable Chameleons to change colors based on heat, water and even stepping in snow.  Crocs popular Translucent collection is also being updated with vibrant colors. One unique model is the Springy, ultra-flexible and ergonomically-designed to hug to the foot. On the more sporty side, the successful Hover sneaker model will also be updated with new colors. Other new sporty models include the Cros-Mesh, described by Martin as a “perforated” version of its croslite-based heritage shoe; as well as Cros-Weld, a non-sew and non-glue version. 

Crocs is also rebranding Ocean Minded, the leather surf line it acquired in 2007, as Ocean Minded by Crocs and incorporating croslite technology in some models in a bid to attract a younger consumer.  Said Martin, “We do well with kids and those 30 and over. We need to reach the 12 to 30 year olds.”

At Timberland, a major focus for Spring 2012 will be boat shoes. Brian Moore, VP, global men’s footwear, said Timberland in the U.S. is trying to build on the success they are having with boat shoes in Europe and Asia, where it benefits from Timberland’s sizeable owned-retail presence in those regions. Timberland recently became the technical sponsor of the Spanish Olympic Sailing Team as part of that effort.

One key boat shoe release for Spring 2012 is the Formentor series, which features a siping pattern in multiple directions to improve grip on a deck. The upper material features Ion Mask water-repellent technologies and Ecstatic antimicrobial odor control sits in the lining. Said Moore, “Technically it’s the best boat shoe we ever made. The grip properties are fantastic.”

One successful program being updated is the Radler Camp Moc, a zip-boat shoe for $59.99. Said Moore, “People in the summer tend to go lower price and more minimal on shoes. And this is as minimal as you can get.”

In hikers, the Lite Trace, launched last fall to a strong reception, will be coming back in a low-ventilated model. Another key launch will be the Pathrock, a multi-sport shoe providing more traction as well as extra protection near the toe than a traditional multisport shoe.

The Skechers showroom underscored the company’s newfound commitment to active lifestyles with about half of its offerings focused on fitness and ultra-lightweight running models. For serious runners, options include the SRR (Skechers Resistance Runner) ProSpeed shoe featuring advanced Shape-Ups technology and a Smart Shoe bottom that encourages a mid-foot strike.

 

The shoes promise to strengthen muscles, increase calorie burn and build endurance. The running collection, including Resalyte cushioning technology for shock absorption, also includes the PRO-RR (Pro Resistance Runner) built for distance and the PRO-TR (resistance trainer). Other options include the urban-themed Skechers Go Run and the Shape-Ups Liv lightweight toning show that encourages natural motion.

Lugz is particularly seeing strength in its vulcanized wallaby shoes across a variety of different textures and colors, according to Joe Amoruso, VP of sales. Blue and gray denim have been particularly strong sell-through in the market but other looks, such as herringbone and pinstripes, are also being well received.
Aetrex showcased its RX recovery shoe for high-performance runners. Runners can use the shoe to walk around or even to run while theyre recovering from Plantar Fasciitis and other common running injuries. Said Bruce Finestone, Aetrex’s eastern regional manager, “Feet are still feet and there still going to be pain.”
Aetrex’s Edge running collection includes lock-down technology that adjusts for an individual who has different left versus right foot sizes. Although the toning trend has slowed, the Bodyworks rocker model includes a shank that provides more lateral stability than other toning models.    

Dansko introduced two new silhouettes to its strong-selling Sanibel canvas collection, the Valerie with straps and the Viv. The coated-canvas Volley Rain shoe has also been popular with store buyers. Dansko’s popular Mirabel collection is being updated with a slightly lower bottom. Its Stapled clogs collection features new soft full-grain leathers as well as coated canvas offerings. Diana Rowland, retail marketing specialist at Dansko, said more and more of Dansko’s model are vegan.

Rockport has also renewed its focus on boat shoes. Following on the launch of its Hydromotion 2 boat shoe last year, the Adidas-owned brand brought back the shoe that marked its 1994 sponsorship of the Whitbread ‘Round the World Race (which became the Volvo Ocean Race), said Shari Fabiani, VP, global brand marketing at Rockport. It also sponsored the Telefonica team in the 2009–2010 Volvo Ocean Race.

Rockport’s truWALK architecture that encourages national motion in walking, was launched last fall with its classic World Tour collection and is now being extended to sneakers, flip flops, high heels and slip-ons. The EVA footbed on most Rockport models now feature Adidas adiPRENE cushioning to absorb shock.