Jordan Brand just added four young NBA ballers to its athlete roster.

The namesake brand of NBA icon Michael Jordan announced via Instagram late Friday that it has welcomed rookies Jared McCain, Dalton Knecht, Stephon Castle and Ja’Kobe Walter to its family. “Signed. Sealed. Now We Deliver,” the caption announcing the signings read.

Terms of their deals, however, were not revealed.

McCain was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 16th pick in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft. The 6-foot-3 guard played college basketball at Duke. During both the preseason and the regular season, McCain has worn the Air Jordan 39, which NBA star Paolo Banchero debuted during the 2023-24 NBA Playoffs in April.

As for Knecht, he was selected with the 17th pick by the Los Angeles Lakers. He is a 6-foot-6 guard who played for Tennessee in college. Knecht has laced up the Air Jordan 39 and the Luka 2 during the preseason and regular season.

Castle, a 6-foot-6 guard who played college hoops at UConn, was selected No. 4 overall by the San Antonio Spurs. During the preseason and into the regular season, Castle has worn the Air Jordan 39 and the Tatum 2.

Walter was selected No. 19 overall by the Toronto Raptors. The 6-foot-5 guard played college basketball at Baylor. Walter has been sidelined to start the season with an injury.

The four promising young hoopers are now part of a stacked Jordan Brand roster of athletes that includes top-tier NBA talent, such as Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić, Zion Williamson and others.

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.

DJ Clark Kent, an icon in the worlds of hip-hop and sneakers, has died.

“It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of the beloved Rodolfo A. Franklin, known to the world as DJ Clark Kent,” a statement shared Friday on his Instagram read. “Clark passed away Thursday evening surrounded by his devoted wife Kesha, daughter Kabriah and son Antonio.”

The statement continued, “Clark quietly and valiantly fought a three year battle with Colon Cancer, while continuing to share his gifts with the world. The family is grateful for everyone’s love, support and prayers during this time and ask for privacy as they process this immense loss.”

Franklin — known as “God’s Favorite DJ” — produced countless hits for rap icons, including Jay-Z, The Notorious B.I.G., Rakim and The Fugees, among countless others. His accolades in footwear, too, were remarkable.

Aside from being a go-to expert for all things sneakers and sneaker culture, he was a top-tier collaborator. His collabs included coveted work with Nike (including the “112” pack, which he told FN in 2019 was his proudest work in sneakers), as well as New Balance and K-Swiss. He also was responsible for multiple avant garde collaborations, including the iC1 sneaker he created with mattress company Serta in 2019 and his luxury take on the classic Adidas Forum High with audio software company Serato in 2022.

In an email sent to FN, Nike offered a statement on the passing of the sneaker legend.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend and true cultural icon, DJ Clark Kent. At Nike, we were honored to collaborate with Clark on projects that celebrated not only his deep love for sneakers but also his unwavering dedication to pushing creative boundaries and elevating culture. His impact on the world of sneakers is beyond measure, with an influence that spans the globe and generations. Clark’s legacy will forever inspire future talent, leaving a lasting mark on our industry. Our hearts go out to Clark’s family, friends, and all those touched by his extraordinary talent, passion, and kindness. His presence will be greatly missed,” the brand said via statement.

Amid the celebrations for hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in August 2023, streetwear legend and Walker Wear founder April Walker spoke with FN about DJ Clark Kent, and said he’s one of the most influential people ever when it comes to sneakers.

“His passion for kicks culture has always been authentic. Clark Kent is from the early days, and he’s had such staying power. He’s been a tastemaker when it comes to kicks. His passion for sneakers has always been consistent, his voice has always been consistent, and you feel his authenticity. That energy creates confirmation in the culture, in the kick game,” Walker told FN. “He has served and consulted companies, and if you look at his social media game, we can all see how passionate he is and lends his voice to what he believes in for sneakers. That authenticity will always be the staying power. And the Air Force 1, it has just stood the test of time, and I give Clark credit for amplifying it. There are so many people who wear Air Force 1s, but Clark, it’s part of his uniform.”

About the Author

Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.

Hoka remains in the spotlight as Deckers Brands declares a major milestone for its star running brand.

Stefano Caroti, president and chief executive officer of Deckers Brands, told analysts on the company’s second quarter earnings call on Thursday that Hoka eclipsed $2 billion in revenue over the trailing 12-month period for the very first time.

“With this impressive first half growth, the Hoka brand achieved an exciting milestone,” Caroti said. “I’d like to congratulate our entire global team for their tireless efforts in building the special brand.”

With this significant milestone in hand, the CEO added that Hoka’s ongoing international growth efforts will remain a priority. “We’re globally driven, aiming to diversify and build international markets for a more balanced business, expanding regionally and strategically through various channels,” Caroti noted.

Digging deeper, the executive noted that in the long-term, he’d like to see a 50-50 split in sales between the U.S. and international business segments. “International is between two and three years behind the U.S.,” the CEO noted. “We’ve adopted the same playbook internationally that has been so successful here [in the U.S.]. There’s plenty of upside for us internationally, across all regions from China to Europe.”

Hoka’s international expansion really started to ramp up last year. In October 2023, Hoka planted its flag in Europe with its first boutique in London’s Covent Garden neighborhood. At the time of the opening, Caroti, said in a statement that London is “arguably the most influential athletic lifestyle footwear market in the world” and is a “critically important market” for the brand.

In May, Hoka followed up its London success with a new store in Paris ahead of the summer Olympics, which drove major awareness in both cities.

“Global consumers who identify as runners remain our highest awareness group and continue to see strong increases, but we are also seeing really powerful growth among consumers who are more fitness oriented,” now-retired CEO Dave Powers said in May. “While Hoka is increasing its awareness across all age groups, growth is strongest among 18- to 34-year-olds globally with brand awareness among this influential age group nearly doubling year-over-year.”

This comes as the Goleta, Calif.-based Deckers Brands reported net sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2025 increased 20.1 percent to $1.3 billion, compared with $1.1 billion the same time last year. Net income in the period was $242.3 million, up from $178.5 million in the same year-ago quarter.

“Overall, Decker’s first half results demonstrate our team’s execution around the globe,” Caroti added on Thursday’s call. “Our brands are well positioned for the holiday season and on track to achieve an increased outlook for the full fiscal year.”

Looking ahead, Deckers raised its guidance for the year. The company now expects net sales for the full fiscal year 2025 to increase 12 percent to $4.8 billion. This is up from its previous guidance, which predicted sales for the year to rise 10 percent to $4.7 billion.

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.

Tommy Mallet is ready to set the record straight.

Indeed, after nearly a year of legal entanglements with his former business partner, the 32-year-old entrepreneur and reality star is making his footwear industry comeback on his terms.

“I think everyone wants to know what’s going on,” Mallet told FN in an exclusive interview. “I’m literally getting thousands of messages. It has been a very hard and serious journey for me the last few months.”

Since December, Mallet, who’s real last name is Fordham, has been fighting an injunction filed by Mallet London cofounder and business director Evren Ozka following the announcement of his new shoe brand CTRNE.

According to legal documents, Ozka was alleging that Mallet could not launch a competing shoe company like CTRNE, work with previous retail partners and sales agents or poach Mallet London staff for the 12 months following his resignation from the company per a non-compete agreement. But Mallet countered the claim stating that CTRNE does not compete with Mallet and that halting his new self-funded business operations would produce enough financial damage to cause him to close entirely.

FN has reached out to Ozka for comment.

Mallet told FN that that the main retailer his former business partner was worried he would bring CTRNE to was Saks Fifth Avenue, but ultimately, he was restricted in doing business with a total of 10 different stores, he said.

Ultimately in April, a judge ruled to enforce Mallet’s non-compete and bar him from doing business with retailers that currently work with his eponymous shoe brand as well as hire previous colleagues until Oct. 31, 2024 — the one-year mark from when he resigned his director position at Mallet London.

“I don’t want to do any damage to either of my businesses, as I still own 50 percent of Mallet London, so I agreed to not talk to retailers through Oct. 31,” Mallet said. “It’s what I’ve had to do. I had to go and take a long holiday. I’ve lost a lot of money, but I’m at the end of this now. I’ve got another kid on the way in November, and I don’t want to have to deal with this mess. So, all that the injunction has done to me was make me even more eager to go out and get to work. I’m ready to go.”

Mallet went on to call Nov. 1 basically a “relaunch day” for when he can actually do what he wants with CTRNE going forward. And he hasn’t been resting on his laurels beforehand. During his downtime related to the injunction, Mallet said that he has been busy working to understand CTRNE’s customer, developing new footwear styles and building out the brand’s infrastructure.

“When I first launched CTRNE, there was a lot of excitement around the brand,” Mallet said. “But I sort of lost some of that buzz because I had to deal with this legal sh*t. But everything happens for a reason. We are still the first spiritual footwear brand in the world, and we have a story to tell. But I’m literally starting from scratch.”

The UK sneaker exec said that he has launched a new U.S. version of his brand’s e-commerce site, signed on a new marketing agency to promote this new site and has added a distribution center stateside to improve delivery times.

“My main priority right now is to pick who my retailers are in the States,” Mallet said. “I definitely want to open my own retail store over there, because I want to be able to give the full experience of CTRNE. I’ve also done a partnership in the paddle space. We’ll be affiliated to paddle as a sport, and then we’ll also be doing a lot of workshops where we’re not just doing fashion, but like teaching manifestation and law of attraction, and bringing that positivity to the community. We are not just trying to sell sneakers in stores. It’s about teaching and brining the experience to people and showing them that anyone can be better.”

But in the meantime, Mallet insists that there is “no bad blood” between him and Ozka. “I still own 50 percent of Mallet London and I’m still a shareholder. Whether anyone likes it or not, I still co-own the business,” Mallet insisted. “I may not be a part of the daily operations, but it’s in my interest to try and just keep both brands alive, which is tough when you’re fighting. But I ain’t going nowhere.”

He does admit, however, that perhaps he may have made some wrong decisions throughout the process of launching CTRNE. “Everyone is human, and everyone makes mistakes,” he noted. “I think I might have said a few things that I shouldn’t have said, but with that said, my partner thinks he should be getting the brand for free. That’s what this is all about. And obviously, no one’s getting nothing for free from me, man.”

“I thought I knew it all before, but turns out, I knew nothing,” Mallet admitted. “I learned that making sneakers is the easy part. Having been through so many different emotions over the last six months, I would never with it on my worst enemy. I’ve really had to put the message of my sneakers into action and have a taste of my own medicine.”

Bottom line, Mallet is ready to chart a new path. “I think I’ve been done well to stay quiet this long,” he added. “But it wasn’t for anything other than I was just enjoying my peace. But time’s up now.”

The 16th annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk took place on Oct. 20 in Manhattan Beach, CA, raising more than $3.4 million to support children with special needs, improve public schools and contribute to national scholarships. This “sweet 16th” milestone event, presented by Nickelodeon, garnered nearly 22,000 registered participants.

A myriad of celebrities were in attendance at the charity walk, including Sugar Ray Leonard, Brooke Burke and cast members from the Netflix dating series “Love on the Spectrum.” In addition to focusing on youth, the event included an adopt-a-pet center sponsored by Petco Love and The Love Joy Foundation, which was located at the Skechers Apparel location on Manhattan Beach Blvd.

Donations garnered from the walk go toward the Friendship Foundation and education foundations for public schools; and the forthcoming $55 million, 3.25-acre Friendship Campus for students with special needs. Additionally, the walk helps improve schools, decrease class sizes, update labs, libraries and facilities as well as protect the jobs of teachers.

On top of that, the Skechers Foundation’s national scholarship program allocates a share of Friendship Walk proceeds to students with financial needs who excel in academics, athletics and leadership; more than $1.1 million in scholarships have been donated thus far.

In an interview with FN, Skechers president Michael Greenberg explained what makes this year’s walk different than last year, elaborating on the Friendship Campus and the vision behind it: “We’re building a Friendship campus at 64,000 square feet in Redondo Beach; it’s a state of the art school. So, one of the reasons behind this dream was to help children after high school, children with special needs don’t really have any resources following high school, and this school is going to offer life skills and so many basic needs on how to live on your own, teach you how to live on your own, teach you the fundamentals, help you shop, help you bank. And it’s just going to be a place filled with love.”

With the Friendship Walk first established in 2009, Greenberg reflected on the participants who benefitted from the event as children and have since grown up. He named one person in particular: “Jacob is here, every year. He’s never missed a year. He was a student when we started the walk. He’s in his 30s today, and he actually works for the Friendship Foundation. And you know, God bless, he’s looking forward to this school and what it’s going to offer him as well. He’s just a champ. And you know, when I’ve been to his birthday parties, I we hang out, and I see the importance of what we’re doing in the community, what the community’s doing for the children. So, it’s all good stuff.”

Twisted X Global Brands is teaming up with Soles4Souls to donate $3 million worth of shoes to those effected by this year’s natural disasters.

According to the Texas-based company, it has supplied 20,000 pairs of new men’s and women’s footwear to Soles4Souls. Of these, Twisted X said that 10,000 units were distributed for Hurricane Beryl relief in the brand’s home state of Texas with an additional 1,100 pairs going to the Houston police department.

The remaining units were stockpiled for future disaster relief efforts across the country in the wake of recent hurricanes that caused massive devastation across the East Coast, the company said.

“At Twisted X Global Brands, compassion is one of our highest priorities and we feel an immense sense of responsibility to take action to assist those in need whenever possible,” Prasad Reddy, chief executive officer of Twisted X Global Brands, said in a statement. “Our partnership with Soles4Souls allows us to provide a small sense of normalcy to those in need during times of turmoil.” 

Buddy Teaster, president and CEO of Soles4Souls, added that the organization “continues to be touched” by the way Twisted X Global Brands rises to the occasion in the darkest of times.

“While getting power and utilities is the highest priority after a disaster, there is a great need for shoes and clothing, and our partnership with Twisted X Global Brands helps us fill those gaps,” Teaster said. 

This isn’t the first time the two companies have come together for a good cause. Twisted X Global Brands previously partnered with Soles4Souls to provide over 15,000 pairs of shoes in response to tumultuous natural disasters across Turkey and Syria as well as Ukrainian relief effort needs.

Additionally, the brand has partnered with Two Ten Footwear Foundation to donate footwear for the Share Your Shoes Program that benefited individuals affected by natural disasters.  

Twisted X is the latest company to contribute to those effected by the recent hurricanes that have hit the U.S. in recent months.

Earlier this month, Thursday Boots said it will donate 100 percent of the profits of its new Thursday Showtime Sneaker Boot in the Toro red and black colorway directly to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.

He’s got sole. At the 38th annual FN Achievement Awards ceremony, to be held Dec. 4 in New York, veteran footwear designer Kenneth Cole will be recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor that has previously been bestowed on designers and executives including Christian Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Sam and Libby Edelman, Bruce Nordstrom and Vince Camuto.

Cole and his namesake company have been an industry fixture for more than 40 years.

Throughout his career, Cole has used his platform to support a range of social justice movements, most recently focusing on ending mental health stigmas. In 2019, Cole helped to found The Mental Health Coalition, a large-scale effort aimed at bringing together influential nonprofits, businesses, brands, celebrities and influencers in a coordinated effort to destigmatize mental health conditions. The company has prioritized wellness outside its business with charitable collection drops, as well as internally through employee programs.

The designer has also been known for his eye-brow-raising ads that have tackled controversial topics such as gun reform, the Iraq war, AIDS epidemic, climate change and much more. “You can change your outfit, you can outfit change,” has been one of the brand’s go-to taglines, for instance.

“That’s the ultimate challenge,” Cole told FN in September 2023. “How do we do what we do in the ordinary course and connect it to something bigger? And that’s something I’ve tried to do for 40 years, and still try to do.”

It’s a big year for Cole. Earlier this month, his documentary, “A Man with Sole: The Impact of Kenneth Cole,” premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The doc explores his life, career and activism.

In 2019, Cole and Donna Karan were honored with the Icon Award for Social Impact winners at the FNAAs for their philanthropic work with Haiti. Through Karan’s Urban Zen retail concept and Cole’s Gentle Souls footwear label, the duo debuted a shoe collection featuring 10 Haitian-inspired looks made by a group of the country’s artisans.

Cole will join more soon-to-be announced winners at the 2024 FNAAs on Dec. 4 in New York.

For sponsorship and ticket information, contact Samantha Rumsky at srumsky@fairchildfashion.com.

Birkenstock is turning its focus to Asia as it continues to build its shoe empire.

Following the company’s IPO last year, the 250-year-old German footwear company has placed a renewed focus on wholesale, released a steady stream of fresh product and opened a steady slate of new stores across the globe.

Now, Birkenstock is turning to South Korea for its next play. In a release on Wednesday, the company said that it is taking over direct distribution in the country with the launch of its own country-specific e-commerce website. The site will be the first step in this growth plan, followed by the opening of its own stores and expansion with selected department stores to follow in spring 2025, Birkenstock added.

The company noted that it has already been doing business in South Korea for “a few years” but that this new move will allow it to sell its product itself in the region without the help of a local third-party partner. In the past, limited production capacity had also prevented the company from expanding in the region at a faster rate, Birkenstock said.

The sales relaunch will be accompanied by a repositioning of the brand in South Korea in the premium segment, with a focus on a younger target consumer group. Birkenstock noted that it plans to expand brand awareness through regional content on its website and local social media channels, as well as through collaborations with selected local artists, fashion brands and influencers.

Birkenstock added in the release on Wednesday that the expanded business in South Korea will fall under the responsibility of the managing director of Japan and Korea, Raoul Wortmann. Over the past seven years, Wortmann has already successfully developed and established the Japanese market for Birkenstock, the company said.

This move comes as Birkenstock reported that its third-quarter sales and earnings in August came in just below analyst estimates.

Revenue for the footwear company increased 19 percent in the third quarter to 565 million euros, up from 473 million in the same time last year. Net income was 74.6 million euros, or 40 cents a share, for the quarter, up from 63.1 million euros, or 35 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Analyst had expected revenues of 566 million euros, and earnings of 51 cents per share.

During the company’s quarterly earnings call in August, Oliver Reichert, chief executive officer of Birkenstock Group, teased the renewed focus on its Asian business segment.

“Our growth continues to significantly outpace our peers in the Americas and Europe, with strong and increasing momentum from our B2B partners and in our DTC footprint,” Reichert said. “We are entering the next chapter of growth as we tap into our largest white space market, the APMA region. We are increasing brand awareness, educating the consumer on the purpose of the Birkenstock footbed and are taking market share by following our playbook of disciplined engineered distribution to support ASP (average selling price).”

The Athlete’s Foot (TAF) is rolling out a new program to help get out the vote to its consumers.

Just 12 days ahead of the presidential election in the U.S., the Atlanta-based retailer launched “Be About That Vote,” a new campaign centered in the brand’s new corporate headquarters and flagship store location in the heart of the Atlanta‘s Midtown neighborhood. Consumers who approach the store are prompted to scan a QR code that directs them to hold up their phone against a mural highlighting the importance of voting. The screen then broadcasts an augmented reality experience that ends with a link that directs people to register to vote.

The campaign will also live on social media and include content from LSU Tigers star Flau’jae Johnson. The athlete signed a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) partnership with the retailer in April that involves her participation in brand initiatives, community engagements and content creation through the end of the year.

“Voting is a fundamental right and a powerful tool for change,” said Matt Lafone, president and general manager of Americas at The Athlete’s Foot, in a statement. “Through the ‘Be About That Vote’ campaign, we are dedicated to breaking down barriers to participation and empowering individuals to make their voices heard.”

TAF employees will promote the campaign across all stores with “Be About That Vote” buttons and the flagship store location will partner with voter registration organizations through the end of the election cycle. TAF last month opened the new store and HQ, which includes a community center on the main floor to host various community events.

TAF also partnered with Sneaker Ball Atlanta for an activation that featured infographics about voting as well as “Be About That Vote” buttons.

Other retailers have encouraged employees and consumers to vote as well. Patagonia, which has over 2,000 employees in the U.S., said it will close its stores, warehouse and offices on Oct. 29, 2024, on national Vote Early Day so that its associates can participate in this year’s election. According to the company, it has been asking its community to vote the planet since the 1970s, and it has given employees Election Day off in the United States since 2016.