comfortWORKING Inside: The Greatest Shoe Dogs of All Time FOOTWEARINSIGHT.COM • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 WORK THE BODY FREE THE MIND Introducing the all new AVI-VERSA featuring GELfōm cushioning and a seamless mesh upper with 3D print overlays. Performance that delivers light- weight breathable comfort. AVAILABLE AT Editor in Chief Mark Sullivan [email protected] 646-319-7878 Managing Editor Cara Griffin Senior Editor Bob McGee FOOTWEARINSIGHT.COM Contributing Editor Jennifer Ernst Beaudry Art Director Francis Klaess Associate Art Director Mary McGann Contributors Nancy Ruhling Tim Sitek Suzanne Blecher Publisher Jeff Nott [email protected] 516-305-4711 Advertising Jeff Gruenhut [email protected] 404-849-4156 Christina Henderson 516-305-4710 [email protected] Troy Leonard [email protected] 352-624-1561 Katie O’Donohue [email protected] 828-244-3043 Sam Selvaggio [email protected] 212-398-5021 Production Comfort: See page 40 Working Brandon Christie 516-305-4712 [email protected] Business Manager Marianna Rukhvarger 516-305-4709 [email protected] Subscriptions store.formula4media.com PO Box 23-1318 Great Neck, NY 11023 Phone: 516-305-4710 Fax: 516-441-5692 www.formula4media.com Formula4Media Publications Sports Insight Footwear Insight Inside Insight Outdoor Insight Team Insight Textile Insight Trend Insight Running Insight sportstyle Footwear Insight® is a trademark of Formula4 Media, LLC, Great Neck, New York. ©2016 All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by authors and contributors to Footwear Insight are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. Footwear Insight is not responsible 12 22 26 40 46 50 for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in Footwear Insight may not be reproduced in whole or in part KICKS CHAOS RUN MARKET SHOE DOGS WORK IT THE DISRUPTORS LINES WE LIKE without the express permission of the publisher. Amid the chaos, the An analysis of the Footwear Insight offers Brands share how they Taking a different path These performance Footwear Insight is published bi-monthly: athletic shoe business road ahead for the up our listing of the are “making it work” with retail distribution running shoes are Jan/Feb; Mar/Apr; May/Jun; Jul/Aug; Sep/ is set up for an running industry. Plus, footwear industry’s in the hospitality, can pay off for brands. scoring points Oct; and Nov/Dec by Formula4 Media LLC. eventual renaissance a look at the energy “geatest shoe dogs of healthcare and light We take a look at some with tech stories Subscriptions: one year, $24.00 (U.S. Funds) starring three brands. running category. all time.” duty segments. prime examples. and curb appeal. in the United States. All other countries, $54.00 (U.S. Funds) for surface mail. Postmaster: Send address changes to Footwear Insight, P.O. Box 23-1318, Great Neck, NY 11023 On this page: Powertrain Sport by Timberland PRO. On the cover: Alegria’s Deb clog with Sugar Skulls design, MSRP $129.95. Photo by Frank James. TIMEOUT | MARK SULLIVAN TRULY INNOVATIVE INNOVATION IS ABOUT THE HIGHEST COMPLIMENT THAT CAN BE OFFERED IN business. So, let’s start out by giving credit to those who deserve it. With its Flyknit and Lunarglide product, Nike has brought incredible innovation to shoe design and manufacturing. The impact of those designs is evident in the collections of every athletic brand and many casual and dress lines, too. As it has many times over the past 30 years, Nike has dramatically changed how consumers think about their shoes. Apple is the other company that pundits refer- ence as true innovator and deservedly so. They’ve changed the way we buy and listen to music, the way we use our phones and, oh by the way, Apple created the tablet, a whole new category of prod- uct. And they have the best sales per square foot, $4500, of any retailer in the country. It’s been a remarkable run for both of these companies and they’ve lifted entire categories by their great work. They’ve drawn consumers into stores and they’ve set standards at which their competitors can take aim. But both admit that their innovation trains are Where do we turn slowing down and there’s not a lot in the pipeline for innovation and for the next few product cycles. So, where do we turn for innovation and inspi- inspiration in the ration in the shoe business in the coming year? I shoe business in actually like what Foot Locker is doing. Their new the coming year? flagship on West 34th Street in Manhattan is bold and – dare I say it – innovative. For those of you who have not seen it, these folks dramatically revamped a successful, productive store on one of the world’s top shopping streets. They have completely done away with the street level entrance and giant windows and replaced it with a discreet entrance and a second-floor layout that features brand boutiques from Puma and Adidas, along with special areas devoted to two of its own store layouts, House of Hoops and SIX:02. The layout and concept are dramatically different from its predecessor store, which looked like a gigantic Foot Locker with men’s shoes on one wall, women’s on the other and a bunch of T-shirts and socks in between. The old store was not bad, but this is Featuring Lynco® orthotic support way better. And credit to Foot Locker for breaking its old mold and trying something and memory foam cushioning different. The chain’s business is good; its stock price is up and Foot Locker has great for superior comfort buzz. When you have 3500 stores and $7 billion in revenue, it’s tough to get buzz going, but it’s genuine and deserved. The new Foot Locker layout is easy and fun to shop. And that may be an even better compliment than saying it is innovative. O the healthiest shoes you’ll ever wear® ExoFoam™ layer promotes high Proudly Introducing energy return LYNCO ® SPEED, TRAIN Mesh top cover QE\MQM^IWEMV¾S[ & COMPETE Anti-microbial ORTHOTICS. ½PQLIPTWOIIT feet healthy & clean Cupped heel for balance & stability Come visit us at The Running Event. Booth #3211 THEFOOTWEAREYE COMPANY REVIVAL A Comeback Story ood Rubber Company was born 120 years ago in 1896, sold the year she was born, but she grew up wearing her own last name and by the 1920s was making 90,000 pairs of shoes on the heel of her sneakers, something she never expected to do again. per day in its factory in Watertown, MA, as the largest That new lease comes in no small part at the hands of Janelle Samson vulcanized rubber shoe factory in the world, shipping and Marc Scepi, brand and creative directors for Hood Rubber and parent its classic rubber work shoes to 56 countries worldwide. company Pinnacle Brand Group. “Initially we asked ourselves, what would Hood was renowned for its technical craftsmanship, Hood Rubber Co. look like today if it never went away? It’s important to us Hsteel toes, and, an anomaly of the day: stylish versatility. The replaceable to acknowledge the heritage of the brand, as it was pretty groundbreaking rubber heels – of which you can touch and feel some of the last remaining at its peak in the early 20th century,” Samson says. artifacts in their original boxes at trade shows – are just one of the “As designers who live in New York City, there’s constant inspiration cool little things about these classic work shoes. You could replace and insight on what’s needed and we often find ourselves in need of the heels yourself or take them down the street to the cobbler. footwear that not only looks and feels great but can take us through “On a local level it was important because of the number of people changing environments. This type of shoe that embodies the idea of the company employed and its innovative practices that were coming metropolitan meets function, didn’t really exist, so we really created into prominence, such as offering medical and dental services,” Laura a niche market and made it happen,” Samson says. Weekes and Rick Hood, great grandchildren of co-founder Frederic “We see ourselves as advocates for the consumer,” adds Scepi. “All Hood, say. “On a national level, the high quality of products – from of the small details such as innovative materials, premium leathers shoes to tires to medical devices – made it a recognizable brand. And and comfort features are vital in each shoe we design and we hold on a global level, the importation of rubber internationally, worldwide each other accountable. We continue to highlight the use of rubber marketing and the needs that arose for rubber products during World on every shoe, whether on an outsole or the upper. Not only did we War I, and under Goodrich’s control in World War II, made the company create something special, but it also relates to the brand heritage, as important in filling many needs.” the vintage product was truly multifunctional. We see the new Hood Rubber Co. as an evolution of the original brand, a true street to trail Hood Rubber shipped its last pair of shoes in 1969... until now. Concept that will crossover to a variety of retailers.” “On first thought, the prospect of reviving the brand seemed remote,” Scepi and Samson’s talent, paired with the marketing, brand and says Elizabeth Hood Pigford, granddaughter of Frederic Hood. “Upon product information preserved from the first three decades of the 20th reflection, however, the fact that Hood Rubber Company made high- Century, have armed Hood Rubber with the vision and resources to quality products that consumers came to trust and seek out made the bring the brand into 2017 — as if it had never gone away.