Wolverine World Wide, Inc.’s Merrell footwear brand received the Drapers Record Footwear “Brand of the Year” award on May 17 at a special ceremony held in London. Each year, Drapers Record recognizes top retailers, designers and manufacturers for excellence in the U.K. retail footwear market. This year’s winners were announced in the publication’s May 20th issue.
In recognizing Merrell, Drapers Record cited the brand’s exceptional product design and first-rate distributor relationships with U.K. retailers. Specifically, the publication noted recent new product launches in Merrell’s fashion lifestyle and women’s lines as key factors in its success.
“We are proud to have Merrell receive this honor from one of Europe’s most prestigious industry publications,” said Blake Krueger, president and COO of Wolverine World Wide. “Strong retail partnerships and innovative design have helped make Merrell the brand of choice in outdoor footwear in the U.K. and more than 120 countries worldwide.”
Merrell is the principal brand within the Company’s Outdoor Group, which has experienced eight consecutive years of double-digit growth. The Outdoor Group also includes the Sebago brand and the recently announced Patagonia footwear initiative. Since becoming a part of Wolverine World Wide in 1997, Merrell has sold more than 10 million pairs worldwide. The Company is also currently focused on accelerating the strong growth of the Merrell brand through the development of a Merrell apparel program, scheduled to be introduced for the fall 2007 season.
