Black History Month: Mentoring Matters FOOTWEARNEWS.COM / FEBRUARY 22, 2021 / @FOOTWEARNEWS AS STAYING AT HOME REIGNS, AFTER-WORK COCKTAIL TIME NOW INVOLVES SLIPPERS, SLIDES AND SCUFFS. HERE, SLEEPER'S PUFF RECYCLED SATIN SLIP-ON IS THE PERFECT APERITIF PAIRING FOR ANOTHER NIGHT IN. The comfiest shoes that you NEED in your life. www.Dearfoams.com Untitled-13 1 2/16/21 3:48 PM FOOTWEAR NEWS // FEBRUARY 22, 2021 // FOOTWEARNEWS.COM CONTENTS 30 Earth & Beyond 32 Double Take INSIDER FEATURES Why Earth Inc. is These fall ’21 waterproof helping to reintroduce shoes have both style 9 Guiding 18 Cozy Up the Tamaris label to and substance. Lights How core slipper American consumers. Why mentorship is key brands are capitalizing 33 First Look on the comfort boom for Black founders 31 Burning A new footwear brand and facing o against looking to break in. Question is tapping into the newcomers Does making wellness walking 12 NYFW Wrap sustainable product movement. It was anything but always have to cost usual, but the mostly- FN STYLE more? virtual week had some FN PICK 22 A-Pair-itif key takeways. Dressing for happy hour at home requires a 34 State of 14 FN Insights very di erent wardrobe. Emergency Could the next big Texa s continues to fashion trend be grapple with the impact completely digital? THE LIST of brutal winter weather. 29 Shoe of the Week The Original Muck Boot Company is geared up for a new adventure. ON THE COVER Photographed by 18 JOSHUA SCOTT “we possess an authentic heritage in slippers. it was expected that in a work-from-home capacity UGG OF we would see more business.” COURTESY — UGG PRESIDENT ANDREA O’DONNELL ON THE SLIPPER BOOM PHOTO: 3 ootwearnews.com A S N E A K P E E K AT S O M E O F O U R B E S T U P C O M I N G C O N T E N T. STORIES GALLERIES VIDEOS THE BEST March is Women’s History Month OF MILAN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: Week of Feb. 22 INSIDE RETAIL’S As Italy continues to grapple with high PROGRESS coronavirus case Week of March 8 numbers, the global This annual event aims fashion industry to celebrate women and will meet virtually track their personal and for a digital Milan professional advancement. Fashion Week. To mark the occasion, FN Follow FN for all investigates whether the the highlights from fashion industry — with its the new collections. large share of female workers — holds the key to gender parity in the workplace. Plus, Prada spring ’21 how it can help women get ready-to-wear ahead amid the global crisis, which has disproportionately hurt minorities. HOW BOSTON- BASED BRANDS CAN OVERCOME THE CITY’S RACIST HISTORY & RECRUIT MORE PEOPLE OF COLOR Week of March 15 Amid a racial reckoning across the country, scores of shoe companies are stepping up and ADOBE implementing programs to diversify their workforce at all levels. But OTHERS: in Boston — a mecca for footwear ALL fi rms, from Rockport to Reebok, WWD; Converse and New Balance — FOR attracting a diverse workforce is more challenging due to the city’s GIANNONI history with racism. FN explores how companies are tackling these issues and whether remote work, GIOVANNI which is gaining steam amid PRADA: COVID-19, can help. PHOTOS: Black History BHM was fi rst observed during 124,004 a week in February 1926 that 48.2 Million Month: Fast Facts The number of Black-owned businesses in the encompassed the birthdays of The Black population, either alone or SOURCE: THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU U.S. as of 2017, a number that has undoubtedly both Abraham Lincoln and in combination with one or more been impacted by the global health crisis. 1926 Frederick Douglass. races, in the United States in 2019. Untitled-7 1 1/27/21 4:27 PM POWERED BY LABS Influencer Bethany Everett shows the Torrent is a natural fit on city streets. Wolverine: It’s What Women Want With over a century of experience in crafting the best in men’s work boots, Wolverine has now turned its eye to the women’s outdoor market – and discovered it’s a perfect fit. market. While trends may come and go, brand stick, we would have to enter and win THE VOICE OF WOLVERINE’S function remains a key consideration in any CUSTOMERS in the women’s market.” footwear purchase; with Wolverine, shop- This market differs from the men’s in pers can be confident that every pair will several ways, including requiring a different perform as needed. This guarantee is born physical construction. But one of the most from years of product development, design I think this is important distinctions is the emphasis that refinement and consumer research – and the women’s market tends to place on bal- this is exactly the same approach that the way better. Love ancing function with aesthetics. Shoes can’t olverine has brand is applying to its latest launch: wom- the colors and just perform as needed; they have to also been designing work boots since 1883, mak- en’s outdoor boots. fabrics used on fulfill a style requirement, in order to be the Wing it synonymous with trusted craftsman- “We‘ve found that, considering our pick of choice. ship. The namesake brand in the Wolverine roots in work boots, our brand awareness these boots. This Worldwide portfolio has honed its reputa- among outdoor consumers is high,” said An Outdoor Adventure tion as the go-to source for comfortable work Andy Shripka, VP of Wolverine Market- is what I expected The soon-to-be launching Torrent women’s wear, with customers gravitating towards the ing. “This creates a valuable opportunity to see more of.” duck boot is new territory for Wolverine, promise of quality and performance. for us to enter the space. Women account —Shenika M., Oklahoma City, OK but the brand is well-suited to the task. The That name recognition allows Wolver- for a majority of the seasonal boot market company’s footwear experience meant that ine to command a powerful position in the and we knew that if we wanted to make our Wolverine had a solid framework to build 6 FNLABS_WOLVERINE.inddUntitled-1 1 2 2/18/212/17/21 12:12 4:17 PMPM on. But the team also knew that, while they THE VOICE OF WOLVERINE’S THE VOICE OF WOLVERINE’S boots,” said Shripka. “To be successful could hit the ground running in terms of CUSTOMERS CUSTOMERS we’re going to have to be relevant; to be outdoor protection and performance, win- relevant we need a following that believes ning in this category would rely on design- in and endorses our product. We are work- ing something that resonated aesthetically ing with those who have raised their hand with the end consumer. There are I expected the because they understand us and have a pas- “Dedicating an outdoor boot to women boots to be rugged sion for the brand.” is a tall challenge for a historically men’s certainly more Available in striking ivory, olive, g rey, brand,” said Shripka. “It’s a competitive varieties than I but was pleasantly cognac and black, the Torrent wraps space with several established brands, so we surprised at Wolverine’s 138 years of innovation in wanted to make sure we got it right. To do expected! And on a fashionable package that has immedi- that, we needed a deep level of feedback balance I would say the amount of ately resonated with shoppers. And once from our core target: women. Building a variation and the brand has made that immediate aes- women’s boot that is both functional and these look slightly thetic connection, it can support that prod- stylish… That took some time and patience less industrial and variety in the boot uct appeal with the technical performance to ensure we got it right.” options. I love the and function that women still want from Consumer satisfaction has always been more fashionable their footwear. a priority for Wolverine, which is why the than I would have different colors team assembled a group of 36 women for available.” New Horizons the initial round of feedback, before speak- guessed as well.” Women’s outdoor is a new frontier for Wol- ing with another 350 women for a second —Maureen B., Saint Paul, MN —Kayleen W., Brookline, MA verine, but not one that the team takes lightly. stage of insights. The risk of expanding into Rather, it feels like the natural progression a new category is always high, even when a after decades spent developing and refin- brand is as established as Wolverine. But to Torrent’s appeal, as well as a broader theme as well as its fashionable edge, Wolver- ing their existing core collections. The brand launch a successful women’s collection, Wol- of the entire outdoor collection. The Wolver- ine chose to take a new approach with its already knew it could craft shoes that could verine needs a product line that succeeds in ine team understood immediately that these product discovery. Selecting a few special be walked in all day long, in extreme condi- an entirely new area for the brand: fash- boots would not just be used for specific out- partners, the brand shared limited release tions. But now it’s learning that it can also ion-forward style. door activities, but would need to function as product during the peak winter season so look fashionable at the same time. By speaking directly with women from well in an urban setting – albeit one expe- that these women could style and wear the “We believe the brand is a great fit in the the earliest product development stages, riencing inclement weather – as they did Torrent in its natural environment.