Skechers is continuing to focus on its performance footwear division for future growth opportunities.

On the company’s third quarter earnings call on Thursday, Skechers chief operating officer David Weinberg told analysts that the company see a “significant opportunity” to build on its existing performance business, which includes technical running, golf and pickleball footwear with the addition of new categories that will attract a broader audience.

“We are in the early stages of team sports with a growing roster of Olympians and elite athletes competing in our basketball, soccer, court and cleated footwear globally,” Weinberg said. “Regardless of the sport and skill level, elite or recreational, athletes can trust that with Skechers, they will experience and enjoy comfort that performs.”

The company’s COO added that raising awareness and creating purchase intent for its lifestyle and performance technologies has been an “integral part” of Skechers’ growth.

“We achieved this through both feature-focused marketing campaigns and by leveraging our strong team of ambassadors and athletes,” he noted. “Earlier this quarter, Snoop Dogg and Philadelphia 76ers basketball star Joel Embiid both achieved golden moments at the Paris Games wearing Skechers. Joel and Team USA earned a gold medal and basketball while Snoop championed at around the world in his Skechers by Snoop Dogg Go shoes.”

Pressed further by analysts on Thursday call about the category growth, Weinberg said that the move into technical athletics is positive for the brand. “We do a lot of our own sales online, direct-to-consumer, so there’s plenty of outlets for it,” the executive said. “This is just the very, very early stages. And I think we still have a ways to go before we become a major player in that field, but we are certainly taking some steps, and it’s certainly working for us, and we’re getting some positive feedback around the world in some places, certainly more than others.”

This comes as the Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based footwear company reported Q3 sales of $2.35 billion, a 15.9 percent increase from $2 billion in the same period last year. Net earnings were $193.2 million and diluted earnings per share were $1.26, compared with prior-year net earnings of $145.4 million and diluted earnings per share of 93 cents.

These earnings came at the top of Skechers’ expectations. The company stated last quarter that it expected to see sales between $2.3 billion and $2.35 billion, with diluted earnings per share between $1.10 and $1.15 in Q3.

Looking ahead, Skechers expects to achieve sales between $2.17 billion and $2.22 billion and diluted earnings per share of between 70 cents and 75 cents in the fourth quarter.

For the full fiscal year 2024, the company raised its guidance, predicting sales to be between $8.93 billion and $8.98 billion, with diluted earnings per share between $4.20 and $4.25. This is up from its previous guidance of $8.88 billion and $8.98 billion in sales and diluted earnings per share of $4.08 to $4.18.

Rossignol is doubling down on the trail running shoe market as the French brand takes another step forward in its diversification strategy.

The company has launched its first flagship high-performance trail run shoe, the Vezor, after three years of extensive research and development work and in-depth field testing.

For Rossignol, the Vezor sneaker will spearhead the brand’s first trail-running collection for 2025. The shoe has been “thoughtfully designed with a perfect balance of precision, grip, and propulsive performance to carry committed trail runners across the most rugged and technical terrain,” the company said on Wednesday. The lightweight, stable, and altogether fast shoe is ideal for medium-distance races, in both training and competition, Rossignol added.

“At Rossignol, we’re mountain enthusiasts with a fascination for performance and pushing our limits,” Vincent Wauters, chief executive officer of Rossignol Group, said in a statement. “Our aim is to provide the best possible solutions for all aspects of mountain sport, and we are committed to developing technical solutions to make the mountains and wide-open spaces accessible to everyone, from enthusiastic amateurs to accomplished athletes.”

“For these communities of mountain sports enthusiasts who explore the mountains from one season to the next whether skiing, biking, or running, we’ve naturally extended our spring/summer 2025 range to encompass the simplest and purest form of mountain sport: trail running,” Wauters added.

This launch comes as trail running participation is on the rise, and leading footwear brands are looking to capitalize. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) 2023 Topline Participation Report, total trail running participation has increased for the fifth straight year. There were 13.3 million total trail running participants in 2022, according to the SFIA, an increase of 5.9 percent over 2021.

As for Rossignol, the company has experienced growth across activities with winter sports equipment accounting for 80 percent of its merchandise mix, while apparel, footwear and bikes make up the other 20 percent. In fiscal 2023, sales at Rossignol Group – which consists of the Rossignol, Dynastar, Lange, Look, Kerma, Risport and Dale of Norwa brands – grew 28 percent to 401 million euros, up from 313 million euros in fiscal 2022.

After launching footwear last fall, Mark Wahlberg’s premium performance brand Municipal is doubling down on the category with a steady cadence of new releases planned through 2025.

In an exclusive interview with FN, Municipal chief executive officer Harry Arnett laid out the growing brand’s footwear pipeline for the season’s ahead, starting with the release of five new colorways of the company’s debut style – the Origin sneaker.

Launching today, the Origin is now available in black/black/lime, gray/gray/gum, ice/ice/poppy, white/black/natural and white/white/white colorways and remains at the retail price of $180.

These added colors come after Municipal launched its debut Origin sneaker model in partnership with P448 parent company StreetTrend in six colorways in October. At the time of the release, the company described the sneaker as a multi-functional performance shoe that boasts “extreme comfort and innovation.”

Wahlberg, who made a “significant minority investment” in StreetTrend in 2022, called the footwear company in a statement at the time “the ideal partner” for Municipal’s expansion into sneakers. “We’ve taken special care to build Municipal in a certain way and we’re getting a lot of traction by fusing cool style with versatility, comfort, and performance that is tailor-made to do something innovative in the category,” he said at the time.

The brand’s entire range of shoes feature Municipal’s M. Float comfort technology, which is based on sandwiching different compound densities on an anatomical baseline last composed of rubber, memory foam, 40 shore EVA and latex.

In March, the company released its second footwear model, the Podium Slide.

“We want to create a ton of value for consumers,” Arnett told FN in an interview last week. “We are setting a high bar for the category and for ourselves. We have a really phenomenal product pipeline on the way.”

According to Arnett, the next style to come will be a hybrid sneaker called the Sport Cross. The CEO noted that it will be multi-functional for many sports, including golf and outdoor trail running.

“This one has three different technologies, M. Float being one of them,” the CEO said. “Plus, it has a completely waterproof system, and a brand-new grip system that gives the traction and grip of a cleat, but in a sneaker, which we think is super cool. We think not only will golfers and outdoor enthusiast love this shoe, but we think that it’s also cool enough that a lot of non-golfers and non-outdoor enthusiast will like it as well.”

Moving into spring 2025, Arnett teased a new workout-focused shoe called the Cross Trainer. “This is Mark’s baby,” he said. “We’ve been working on this one for two and half years. We’re really excited about this one and it will feature a lot of the same tech that’s in the Origin and Sport Cross.”

Looking ahead, Arnett noted that the company will continue to add at least one new shoe every six months – with a court shoe and a running sneaker in the works that will drop in early 2026.

As far as where the label’s shoes are sold, Arnett added that Scheels is one of its largest wholesale accounts, with a few other boutiques making up the rest of its mix.

“Shoes are becoming the first thing we talk about in our meetings,” Arnett said with a laugh. “We joke all the time that suddenly, we’re a shoe company, which we never really thought would be the case. There’s a lane that we didn’t even expect would be open to a smaller brand like ours in the footwear industry.”

And shoes aren’t the only thing on Arnett and Wahlberg’s plate. The duo just opened the doors to its first permanent store in West Hollywood, Calif. earlier this month. The new outpost at 8609 Melrose Avenue comes after a seven-month-long pop-up that opened last November at New York City’s Hudson Yards.

Arnett noted the company will open the doors to its new 6,000-sq.-ft. flagship in the San Diego area later this year. “It will be connected to our headquarters and will feature a barber shop, a coffee shop and a lounge space,” he said. “Over the next five to 10 years, we plan on opening more stores across the country in about 15 to 20 markets.”

Charles Finch and James Barshall, two serial entrepreneurs with a passion for the open sea, fly-fishing, and fashion, are launching a new, performance footwear brand aimed at serious sailors.

The brand, Équipement De Vie, or EDV, currently offers a single lace-up style in variety of colors and textures. It also has various patent-pending features, high-grip, anti-slip soles, and a drainage hole system for when waves start to crash onto the deck.

The plan is to launch a slip-on style later this summer, and there is a “tremendous pipeline” of product ready to be rolled out in the coming years, said Barshall in a joint telephone interview with Finch.

The two were speaking from Italy, where they are soft-launching the brand as sponsors and participants in the Argentario Classic Regatta, part of Argentario Sailing Week in Porto Santo Stefano on the Tuscan coast.

They’re racing two boats: Finch’s classic yacht “Gael,” and “Java,” which belongs to Finch’s captain Nat Lemieux, the inspiration behind the brand.

“We want to be a specialist, and we’ve been laser-focused on making the best possible sailing shoe,” said Barshall, a distribution veteran who brought Vans to the U.K. and Europe in the early ‘90s. He’s also the former owner of the American outerwear company Penfield, and founder of its sister brand, Cape Heights.

The shoes’ design and materials, Barshall added, “came from understanding the real needs of sailors. There is a very high level of technical ability built into them, but we’ve also tried to make these shoes elegant, and wearable.”

Barshall and Finch started working on the brand two years ago after Lemieux, an accomplished American racer, bemoaned the lack of sailing shoes with the grip and durability to withstand the toughest conditions.

The result was the Lemieux Elite style for men and women, which has features such as high-grip, anti-slip soles and special drainage channels “for optimal traction and water displacement on all marine surfaces,” according to the website.

The style also has a fast-lacing system, rubber toe protection, and a dual-layer breathable upper. The company said the shoe also provides “precise contact” with the boat’s winch buttons through a specialized engagement pad on the sole that’s meant to promote stability.

The shoes come in a technical fabric, leather, or suede in a neutral palette of white, gray, black, navy and chestnut. They’re priced at 185 pounds.

Finch described them as “quite sturdy,” and said they are meant to get better with age. “Over time, they become more glued to your foot, and more glued to the deck. They’re sustainable in the old-fashioned way” because they last, he said.

Finch, whose businesses range from film to lifestyle to publishing, and who founded the Chucs Dive & Mountain brand and restaurant franchise, funded the initial development stage.

Last year the partners also raised funds through a friends and family investment round. Investors include Jonathan Newhouse, the Givenchy family, and film producers P.J. van Sandwijk, Eric Fellner, Jeremy Thomas, and Ginevra Elkann.

Finch and Barshall worked with a freelance designer to create the shoe, and Barshall used his supply chain contacts to secure a Taiwanese-owned factory that works with high-end brands and also has technical expertise.

They’ve spend the past few weeks testing the shoe on sailors and crew members during races and trials, and will be soft launching this weekend during the regatta.

Finch argued the Lemieux Elite works on land – and at cocktail parties – while Barshall said he’s been testing his shoes onshore, offshore, and in every single environment – successfully – for the last nine months.

The shoes have sustainable elements, too. The suede and leather are vegetable-tanned and chrome-free, while the midsoles are made from 30 percent sugarcane. Laces and other components are made from recycled materials, while the box comes from 100 percent post-consumer cardboard.

The brand will hold trunk shows with friends and family throughout the summer, while sales are currently direct-to-consumer.

Barshall said he has already started setting up wholesale distribution, which will start in spring 2025, in countries including Japan.

“It’s baby steps at this point, and we really want to establish the brand through the right channels in the sailing community,” he said. “We’re taking things slowly, and want to do them the right way. We want this to be a tremendous business” in the medium-term he added.

On Holding is gearing up for the Olympics and, in the midst of a global boom in running, is preparing to take a higher profile with a new store on the Champs-Elysees slated to open next month.

The news comes as the trendy Swiss running shoe brand continued its strong momentum, surpassing 500 million Swiss francs in sales for the first time in the first quarter ended March 31. In reporting the results Tuesday, the Zurich-based brand said it achieved sales of 508.2 million Swiss francs, a 20.9 percent increase, or a 29.2 percent jump on a constant currency basis, over the same period last year.

Net income increased by 106 percent to 91.4 million Swiss francs from 44.4 million in the prior year. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization rose 27 percent to 77.4 million Swiss francs from 61 million the year before.

The gains were led by strong demand in the company’s direct-to-consumer channel where sales rose 39 percent in the quarter, or 48.7 percent on a constant currency basis. DTC sales now make up 37.5 percent of On’s total volume.

Martin Hoffmann, co-chief executive officer and chief financial officer, told FN the DTC gains came primarily from the digital channel, but sales at its 50 stores globally also contributed to the gains. On will continue to roll out stores in the second quarter, with units in Milan and Austin, Tex., expected to open next month in addition to the Champs-Elysees unit, which will be its second store in Paris. “We’re growing our network,” Hoffmann said.

He said the company also launched its first commercial app globally in the quarter as well.

But it wasn’t just On’s DTC sales that were strong in the period. Wholesale sales increased 12.2 percent to 317.7 million Swiss francs, and by region, net sales in the Americas, the brand’s largest region, rose 22 percent to 329.6 million Swiss francs, while in Europe, they increased 6.1 percent to 126.2 million Swiss francs. The Asia-Pacific region jumped 68.6 percent to 52.4 million Swiss francs.

By category, sales of shoes rose 21 percent to 484.7 million Swiss francs, while apparel sales increased 16.7 percent to 19.7 million francs, and accessories were up 36.8 percent to 3.8 million francs.

Hoffmann said apparel is “growing very strongly” in On’s DTC channels and he’s expecting those numbers to increase even more as the first collections from Tim Coppens, its creative director for apparel, hit the market this month. Coppens, who had his own menswear collection and also designed a high-end line for Under Armour for a short period, joined On about one year ago.

“We didn’t have the right people in apparel,” Hoffmann admitted. “But Tim brings a totally new level to the company and we built a team around him.” He said Coppens just staged an internal fashion show for the company at its headquarters of the spring/summer ’25 collection, and it was quite impressive, leading to further optimism for the category.

In addition to apparel, Hoffmann said On also posted strong sales with the Cloudmonster running shoe, Cloudsurfer and Cloudrunner running shoes, where is is “gaining market share.” He also pointed to the Cloudtilt “performance all day” lifestyle shoe that launched as a collaboration with Loewe for a lifestyle shoe and has since been expanded to other iterations. Hoffmann said the demand was higher than the supply for those shoes.

He also singled out the “shoe count,” where On visits key running routes around the world to count the number of shoes on runners’ feet versus other brands. On running routes in key cities such as Tokyo and Berlin and across the U.S., he said, On now has a 10 percent share.

Looking at the quarter as a whole, Hoffmann said it marked “a very strong start to the year and a further step in the execution of our long-term strategy to be the most premium global sportswear brand. We are thrilled to have exceeded our expectations and surpassed the half-billion net sales mark in a single quarter. This serves as a validation of the strong demand we have experienced across all channels, regions, and product categories. Notably, we see the strength in our DTC channel as a clear marker of the ongoing strong brand momentum. The significantly increased DTC share has also allowed us to reach a very strong gross profit margin in the first quarter, close to the mid-term target we laid out a couple of months ago. Looking ahead, we’re extremely excited for the months to come, filled with groundbreaking innovations, big partnerships, and the opportunity to have a notable impact in Paris this summer.”

He added that with two stores in Paris, On will “hopefully be a hub” for shoppers during the Games. At the Olympics, he said more than two dozen On-sponsored athletes, including Hellen Obiri, who won the Boston Marathon last month, are expected to compete in a variety of sports and the brand will be sharing their “inspirational stories” as well as some new products before the Opening Ceremonies.

“The Olympics will be a big moment for us,” he said. “They’re close to home and for the first time, we’re ready to shine.”

Caspar Coppetti, cofounder and executive co-chairman, added: “We are starting 2024 with very high confidence and a whole lot of excitement, achieving record net sales and profitability in the first quarter. Hellen Obiri’s win at the marathon in Boston highlights our team’s relentless dedication to delivering cutting-edge and sustainable innovations to athletes and consumers alike. These are the achievements that strengthen On’s performance credibility, and they continue to fuel our increasing market share at key running routes around the globe. We are eagerly looking ahead to the remainder of the year with many more athlete success stories to come, as well as being laser-focused on the premium execution of our strategic priorities.”

As a result of the strong showing, On reiterated its full-year expectation of at least 30 percent growth in net sales on a constant currency basis with a goal of reaching at least 2.29 billion Swiss francs in 2024. In addition, On also expects to reach a gross profit margin of around 60 percent on an adjusted EBIDTA margin of 16 percent to 16.5 percent for the full year.

Dua Lipa was recently nominated for a Best Original Song Golden Globe award along with Caroline Ailin, Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt for their work on “Dance The Night,” a featured song in Greta Gewig’s “Barbie” movie.

While Lipa has been performing in the public eye for several years now, this is her first Golden Globes nomination. In 2024, she will compete against Billie Eilish and Finneas for their song “What Was I Made For?” featured in “Barbie;” Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa for their song “She Came to Me” featured in “Addicted to Romance;” Jack Black, Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Eric Osmond and John Spiker for their song “Peaches” featured in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie;” Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt for their song “I’m Just Ken” featured in “Barbie” and Lenny Kravitz for his song “Road to Freedom featured in “Rustin.”

Throughout her career, Lipa has developed a robust history of iconic shoe moments. To celebrate the singer’s recent nomination and showcase her style evolution, FN is looking back at some of Lipa’s most memorable shoe moments ahead of the Golden Globes on Jan. 7.

2017 BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards

Lipa performed at the 2017 BBC Radio 1 Teen Awards wearing a pair of platform boots with block heels reaching 4 inches. The jet-black leather shoe was worn with a pair of fishnet tights and a one-piece performance outfit.

2018 Jingle Ball

Lip performed onstage during the 2018 Jingle Ball wearing a pair of thigh-high snakeskin boots by Christian Louboutin. The camel-colored studded boots featured a stiletto heel and a pointed toe.

2019 Marc Jacobs Spring Runway Show

To the 2018 Marc Jacobs spring runway show, Lipa wore a pair of clean and classic Marc Jacobs white pumps. The pointed-toe shoe matched the white accents found in the rest of Lipa’s look, all by Marc Jacobs.

2019 MTV Europe Music Awards

Lipa arrived at the 2019 MTV European Music Awards wearing a pair of indigo booties. The ankle-high slip-on boots were done in a velvety satin and paired nicely with the rest of Lipa’s bright blue ensemble.

2020 American Music Awards

Lipa performed at the 2020 American Music Awards wearing a pair of ocean blue booties. The sparkling shoes were made to directly match the singer’s minidress in the same shade.

2021 Versace Milan Fashion Week Runway Show

Lipa walked in the 2021 Versace Milan Fashion Week runway show wearing a pair of shoes from her own collection with the brand. The hot pink sandals featured a front strap detail similar to a traditional “jelly sandal.”

2022 Variety’s Hitmakers Brunch

To the 2022 Variety Hitmakers Brunch, Lipa wore a pair of punky platform loafers. The masculine shoe paired perfectly with Lipa’s pinstriped paint suit and heavy gold jewelry.

2022 Footwear News Achievement Awards

Lipa wore a pair of chunky Puma sneakers to the 2022 FN Achievement Awards. The star was honored, along with Billy Walsh, with the Collection of the Year award for their Puma collaboration.

2023 SiriusXM Studios Appearance

Lipa arrived at the SiriusXM studios in a pair of metallic gold heels. The pointed-toe shoes added a unique pop of color to the rest of Lipa’s simple and chic outfit.

2023 European Premiere of “Barbie”

To the European premiere of “Barbie,” Lipa wore a pair of slinky blue Versace sandals. The open-toed heel was adorned with small butterflies and featured several thin criss-crossed straps.

The Golden Globes will air on CBS on Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. ET. 

‘Barbie’ Movie Los Angeles Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals

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Peso Pluma has just been announced as the latest performer for the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.

The Mexican musician, 24, will take the stage to perform his song “Rubicón” with a guest appearance by boxer Mike Tyson, according to Billboard. Pluma is currently nominated at this year’s awards for five trophies, including the Top New Artist, Top Latin Artist and Top Latin Album honors. At this time, he’s the first confirmed musical act for the 2023 show.

Previously, Pluma won eight awards at the Billboard Latin Music Awards in October — including New Artist of the Year.

At this year’s Billboard Music Awards, Pluma is one of the nominated musical artists during the star-studded occasion. Taylor Swift currently leads the list of this year’s nominees with nods for 20 awards, including Top Artist, Top Female Artist and Top Hot 100 Artist. Other top nominated performers include SZA and Morgan Wallen (17 nominations each), The Weeknd (16 nominations) and Drake and Zach Bryan (14 nominations each).

The Awards also include first-time nominations for an array of emerging musicians, including Ice Spice, Coi Leray, NewJeans and more.

Previously, the 2022 Billboard Music Awards featured a starry lineup of winners, including Olivia Rodrigo, Drake and BTS — as well as Mary J. Blige, who received the ceremony’s Icon Award. The event also featured musical performances from numerous artists, including Megan Thee Stallion, Ed Sheeran and Florence and the Machine.

The Billboard Music Awards celebrate the accomplishments of international musicians, as well as songs and albums within the Billboard charts. This year’s event is sponsored by Marriott Bonvoy and Lexus, who will provide transportation and host one of the show’s star-studded musical performances.

About the Author:

Aaron Royce is the Digital Editor for Footwear News, where he writes stories on trending news, celebrity style, collaborations and in-depth profile interviews. Prior to joining Footwear News, Aaron wrote and interned for publications including PAPER, Grazia and the Daily Front Row. He currently holds a B.S. in mass communications from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Billboard Music Awards 2022 Red Carpet Celebrity Arrivals

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Kelly Clarkson hit the stage yet again in a pair of towering platform boots on Saturday night.

Performing at Audacy’s 10th annual We Can Survive concert in Newark, New Jersey, the “Lighthouse” singer showed off a glamorous look complete with eye-catching ankle boots.

The chunky style she wore was crafted with a buttery smooth black leather upper and a sky-high stiletto heel measuring around 5 inches tall. Finishing off the shoes was an almond toe set atop a square-shaped platform sole.

The former “Voice” coach and talk show host styled the statement boots with mostly opaque black stockings and a velvety black blazer dress adorned with shimmery multicolored sequins forming a vibrant floral pattern throughout. The V-neck Sabina Musayev minidress, dubbed the “Marlo,” also boasted subtle shoulder pads and a detachable waist tie.

Sabina Musayev was founded by couple Meir Moyal and Sabina Moyal Musayev in 2011. The brand takes inspiration from the culture and traditions of Azerbaijan, the pair’s native country. Available to shop online via retailers like Revolve, Bloomingdale’s, Shopbop, Farfetch and Saks Fifth Avenue, pricing for dresses ranges from approximately $200 to $600.

Clarkson’s latest performance comes just days before a new season of her daytime talk show kicks off. (The show premieres today, Oct. 16th on NBC.) She often wears romantic bohemian looks with a bit of edge on her show, sourcing pieces from luxury brands like Gucci and Saint Laurent and more affordable retailers like Zara and Asos.

A devoted fan of platforms, she sported a chunky pair of patent leather ankle booties from Katy Perry Collections on the show earlier this year.

Kelly Clarkson’s Style Evolution Through the Years

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Rita Ora made a fashionable appearance at the RTL HITS Awards show held in Verona, Italy yesterday. Ora performed songs from her new album “You & I.”

On her feet, the hitmaker donned a pair of black satin platform heels. Ora’s shoes were comprised of shiny satin uppers with pointed toes, sky-high platform soles and block heels of at least 7 inches.

The footwear also featured lace-up closures around the ankles fastened into dainty bows that acted to situate the “Let You Love Me” singers’ shoes in place. The performer is an avid fan of platforms in a wide range of silhouettes.

On the outfit front, Ora donned a sparkling knitted chevron-printed bodysuit featuring a high-neckline worn layered overtop chevron mesh tights. Both the tights and bodysuit featured metallic shades of gold, bronze and silver. The shiny rhinestoned set was accompanied by large shield-like shades and a variety of chunky statement-making gold jewelry.

The “For You” songstress wore her ombre tresses parted down the middle and styled in flattering face-framing waves.

Ora’s a mainstay in the fashion industry, having starred in campaigns for Donna Karan, Roberto Cavalli and Escada over the years. The musician has collaborated on past fashion lines with Adidas Originals and Tezenis, as well as a shoe capsule with Giuseppe Zanotti. She’s also been a longtime partner of ShoeDazzle, creating several collections for the budget-friendly brand.

Ora’s third album “You & I” features nine tracks. This endeavor acts as the follow-up to Rita’s album “Phoenix” which was released back in November 2018 and featured 12 tracks including her hit songs “Don’t Think Twice,” “You Only Love Me” and “Praising You.”

About the Author:

Amina Ayoud is an Assistant Digital Editor for Footwear News, where she writes stories about everything from celebrity style to breaking fashion and shoe releases. Ayoud cultivated a love of all things fashion early in life thanks to a deep love of fashion history and the luxury industry. In her free time, Ayoud is a self-proclaimed fashion nerd and thriftaholic.

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Rita Ora’s Most Memorable Street Style Moments Through the Years

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The footwear market slowed in the second quarter of 2023, but performance footwear — led by running — saw solid gains.

According to new data from Circana (formerly IRI and The NPD Group), U.S. footwear industry sales revenue was down 5 percent at $10.3 billion in the second quarter, compared to the same time last year. This data covers wholesale footwear sales and does not include brands’ direct-to-consumer businesses.

Performance footwear was the fastest-growing segment in the market in Q2, with sales up five percent year-over-year to $1.9 billion, largely driven by men’s and kids. Soccer, basketball, and American football all saw gains, but running footwear was responsible for 40% of the performance category’s growth.

Footwear industry analyst at Circana Beth Goldstein noted that rising average prices could impact further growth and how consumers spend on shoes — despite the fact that price increases have started to level off. Retail footwear prices dropped 0.9 in June compared to the prior year, marking the first time prices dropped in 26 months. According to the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), year-to-date footwear prices are up just 0.2 percent and are expected to decline year-over-year through the second half of 2023.

“Consumers will continue to prioritize their must-haves over their nice-to haves in the second half of the year, so brands and retailers will have to work hard to prove value, with compelling product and messaging,” Goldstein said.

Sales of casual sneakers slowed in general, but sales of tennis-inspired shoes grew 18 percent and basketball-inspired shoes grew 5 percent.

Leisure and fashion footwear both saw declines in Q2, respectively down 8 percent to $4.5 billion and down 6 percent to $3.9 billion. Dollar sales for ballet flats grew 15 percent in Q2, though sales were still below pre-pandemic levels. Pumps grew by 9 percent and drivers and loafers were up by 18 percent. Fashion sandal sales were down 9 percent due to wet and cooler weather.

Starting this week, major retail and footwear companies will begin reporting results for the second quarters, starting with Crocs Inc., Skechers USA, Inc. and Deckers Brands.

For many players, these second quarter results will be an important measure of progress coming on the heels of a relatively slow start to the year. Throughout the first quarter, many retailers and brands noted softening sales as consumers pulled back on discretionary spending. Some companies, like Macy’s, Shoe Carnival, Designer Brands and Genesco even downgraded their full-year outlooks to reflect the hit to sales and a murkier consumer environment.