F O OT W E A R N E W S .C O M / S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 7 / @ F O OT W E A R N E W S

FEMALE FORCES

THE ROLEMODELS

F O OT W E A R N E W S .C O M / S E P T E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 7 / @ F O OT W E A R N E W S

FEMALE FORCESFEMALE FORCES

THE ROLEMODELS

DJ, social media influencer and Adidas face Hannah Bronfman

joins 15 other strong women who are reshaping the athletic world.

GRANDE PLANS

Ariana Grande shines the

spotlight on her new Reebok deal, from Hong Kong

HAILEY’S

COMETThe 20-year-old

Baldwin talks London loves,

street styles and repping Adidas

2,051,1032,051,1042,051,105

2,051,1062,051,107

2,051,108

Monthly Unique Visitors* 243% increase year-over-year.

2,051,102

*August 2017Numbers2,051,102 Monthly UVs

7,558,514 Monthly page views

footwearnews.com

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C O N T E N T S

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“We’re learning that being fit doesn’t have to mean you’re any less feminine.”Two-time Olympian Natasha Hastings

19

INSIDER

7 In Grande Style FN chats and sweats with new Reebok pal Ariana Grande in Hong Kong.

9 Star Power How Carrie Underwood and Kate Hudson are shaping sportswear.

10 FN Spy Five top celebs teaming with athletic brands.

11 Trade Show Reports All the buzz from Micam, Sole Commerce and Footwear Coterie.

12 Behind Dior’s Doors Step inside the fashion house’s glamorous archive.

14 What’s Trending New Balance aids St. Jude, while Shoes of Prey takes on kicks.

15 FN Insights Millennials impact banking, and small businesses see a boost.

FEATURES

16 Following Hannah Why cover girl Hannah Bronfman is a model of the modern fitness enthusiast.

THE LIST

27 Shoe of the Week Lace up in APL’s new luxe spring ’18 trainer.

28 Good Taste Model Hailey Baldwin takes a turn at styling for Adidas.

29 What a Girl Wants Ryka is making tracks, thanks to 30 years of back-story with female customers.

30 Knit Together Cool workout looks at Wanderlust.

31 Right on Tiem Get to know this cycling sneaker startup.

32 Cast Iron Gray is shaping up as a strong athletic trend for spring.

33 Riding High How Soul-Cycle is stepping into shoes.

FN PICK

34 Ready to Rock Tommy Hilfiger and Gigi Hadid take London.

ON THE COVER Photographed by ANDREW BOYLE; Hair: Yohey; Makeup: W. Bob Scott at The Wall Group using Jurlique skincare and NARS Cosmetics; Shoes & Clothes: Adidas

F E M A L E F O R C E S

4 FO OT W E A R N EWS.CO M

The most-read stories on FootwearNews.com last week.

T R A F F I C R E P O R T

3. CYBILL SHEPHERD DID THE UNTHINKABLE ON THE RED CARPET WITH HER EMMYS OUTFIT 32 YEARS AGOIn 1985, the “Taxi Driver” actress

paired her elegant strapless

black gown with salmon-

colored Reeboks in lieu of

killer stilettos for the

Emmys. Shepherd

later told People,

“heels are a form

of bondage; I won’t

ruin my feet.”

5. MARIAH CAREY’S MOST BODY-CONFIDENT

STYLES OVER THE YEARSFN takes a look back at

the Grammy-winning

singer’s most audacious

looks through the years,

from the time she worked

out in fi shnets and Rihanna’s

Puma sneaker booties to

rocking an embellished bra top

with low-cut jeans on the red

carpet in 2003.

4. NICKI MINAJ CLOSED NYFW WITH A BIG WARDROBE MALFUNCTION WHILE IN $50 HEELSWhen Minaj’s chest

slipped out of the

top of her lacy

Agent Provocateur

ensemble, she recovered

like a pro — and in 5-inch

strappy crystal-embel-

lished heels, no less.

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CONNECT WITH US FAIRCHILD OFFICES

2. SERENA WILLIAMS NAMES HER 2-WEEK-OLD DAUGHTER AFTER HER TECH-GENIUS FATHERThe Nike athlete shared a shot

of herself with her newborn

daughter on Instagram, revealing

that she was named after her

daddy, Alexis Olympia Ohanian

Jr. With a tech genius as a father

and a tennis star as a mom, this

girl is sure to be golden.

FootwearNews.com last week.

1MARIAH CAREY

WORE SHEER PANTS & THIGH-HIGH STOMPERS

The legendary singer was spotted leaving

Mr. Chow on Sept. 18 with new boyfriend

Brian Tanaka. For the occasion, Carey

donned a bright gold plunging peekaboo

halter top paired with fall ’17 Balmain

Amazon over-the-knee boots featuring

a shiny gold coin-colored heel.

Jennie BellBarbara Schneider-Levy

paired her elegant strapless

black gown with salmon-

colored Reeboks in lieu of

killer stilettos for the

Emmys. Shepherd

later told People

“heels are a form

of bondage; I won’t

ruin my feet.”

5. MARIAH CAREY’S MOST BODY-CONFIDENT

STYLES OVER THE YEARSFN takes a look back at

the Grammy-winning

singer’s most audacious

looks through the years,

from the time she worked

4. NICKI MINAJ CLOSED NYFW WITH A BIG WARDROBE MALFUNCTION WHILE IN $50

When Minaj’s chest

slipped out of the

top of her lacy

Agent Provocateur

ensemble, she recovered

like a pro — and in 5-inch

strappy crystal-embel-

lished heels, no less.

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How the Footwear Industry

is Streamlining Style and

Sensibility, Creating the

Ultimate Level of Comfort.

/Comfort

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I N S I D E R

IN GRANDE STYLE

To seal the deal on their new partnership, Ariana Grande

and Reebok hit Hong Kong for the final leg of her female-

focused world tour — and FN went along for the ride.

By Nikara Johns

Pictured above: Ariana Grande in Hong Kong.

I N S I D E R

IN GRANDE STYLE

To seal the deal on their new partnership, Ariana Grande

and Reebok hit Hong Kong for the final leg of her female-

focused world tour — and FN went along for the ride.

By Nikara Johns

To consummate its newest

partnership, Reebok met up with

the “Side to Side” singer in Asia for

the last show of her seven-month-

long world tour for an up-close and

personal “day in the life” experience.

“I love what Reebok stands for,”

Grande said. “I’m a huge advocate

for self-expression, being yourself

and encouraging people to embrace

who they are and the things that

are di� erent about them. I’m always

trying to instill that [in] my fans, so

partnering with a brand that stands

for all those things [lets me share

that message] in a whole new way.”

The Boston-based athletic brand

is betting on Grande — who brings

a bevy of devoted fans, including 113

million followers on Instagram alone

— to spread its message and help it

resonate with younger women.

“Ariana is unquestionably

the voice for a new generation,

particularly in how she speaks to and

inspires young women,” said brand

president Matt O’Toole.

Grande — who has used social

media to share messages about

feminism and to rally the troops for

a Women’s Day March this year —

has leaned on authenticity to build a

connection with core fans.

Joining Reebok, which has been

an advocate for the body-positivity

movement, is in line with Grande’s

broader mission of female liberation.

“It’s all about inclusiveness and

celebrating beauty in fi tness and

all that comes with it,” she said.

“Celebrating each other and not

being afraid to be who you are is

something I talk about with my fans

all the time.”

The star became emotional as she

refl ected on the bond she feels with

her followers. “Thinking about [my

fans], I can cry,” she said. “I just want

them to love themselves so much. I

feel a maternal responsibility toward

them, and the thing that I want to

instill the most is the message that

you are loved. There are so many

di� erent kinds of beautiful. You’re

beautiful because of who you are.”

Grande’s Reebok partnership

links her with several peers in the

music and entertainment industries

— Rihanna, Kendall Jenner and Bella

Hadid among them — who have

aligned themselves with athletic

brands at a time when the women’s

fi tness market is primed for growth

(see page 10).

But what sets Reebok apart from

other labels, O’Toole said, is its long

history of fi lling that niche. “We got

our start as the fi rst brand to make

athletic footwear specifi cally for

women, and quite frankly, the sports

industry hasn’t historically served

women well,” he said. “There have

been too many barriers for women

in sport and fi tness, in general. We

are working to break down those

barriers, [and] Ariana is our partner

in helping to make that happen.”

For her part, Grande said she’s

attracted to the athleisure side of

the business. Still, with more than

70 energy-packed shows under

her belt during this tour, dancing

has provided an intense workout

plan. And her trainer, Harley

Pasternak — also with her in Hong

Kong — pushes a “12,000 steps”

system; on average, fi tness programs

recommend 10,000 steps a day.

“Harley is obsessed with steps,”

Grande said. “I can do a really hard

workout and then sit around all

day and not feel as good as if I am

moving, dancing or getting my steps

in backstage at an arena and running

around in loops like a maniac.”

Grande, who is media-shy, let her

guard down during a day of dancing,

fi tness and fashion in Hong Kong.

Her stylist, Law Roach — who is

responsible for all the onstage looks

from Grande’s “Dangerous Woman”

tour — was also on hand to o� er a

mock styling session with Grande,

mirroring a personalized “backstage”

experience during the junket.

“Ariana is a genius,” he told

Footwear News. “Until you’re around

her personally, you don’t really see

the facets of who she is. There is

something so special about [her].

She’s very humble and caring, and

she’s not a� ected by this industry.

She doesn’t give a damn. When I

dove into the ideology of Reebok

and what the brand stands for, I was

like, ‘Oh, I get it.’ It’s about women,

individuality and self-love. That’s the

way Ariana lives.”

Grande said working with Roach

has helped her to enhance a high-

fashion look with nods to gender

bending. “I don’t believe clothing has

any sort of gender specifi cs — I want

to shop in the boys’ section,” she

said, noting that Adidas collaborator

Pharrell Williams is a major fashion

infl uence. “I literally buy everything

I see him wearing. He’s like Regina

George, and I’m Cady Heron [from

‘Mean Girls’],” she laughed.

All jokes aside, Grande, who

recently faced life-changing tragedy —

a terrorist attack at her Manchester,

England, concert in May — is focused

on pushing through hardships. She

hopes her legion of female fans, in

particular, will hear that message

loud and clear. “We have to lift each

other up, not claw each other down,”

she said. “It’s a sisterhood, and

there’s no competing in that.” ❚ PH

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8 INSIDER

“This feels like a slumber party,” Ariana Grande quips — signature high ponytail intact — sitting comfortably in a small circle of women gathered at a vacant art gallery in Hong Kong. “I don’t do a lot of things like this, so it’s very exciting for me,” Grande said, setting the tone for what would be an exhilarating few days where fashion editors and Reebok team members would become immersed in her life. ➵ The singer — the latest superstar to team up with the brand — joins Gigi Hadid, Future, Teyana Taylor and Machine Gun Kelly, who have all recently put their star power behind Reebok’s burgeoning resurgence.

Law Roach

OBEY THE LAWAriana’s stylist gets candid on dressing game-changing women.Law Roach, who counts Celine Dion, Demi Lovato, Zendaya and Ariana Grande among his A-list clientele, said he’s always been drawn to strong women. “You have to be fearless to work with me — my style is not for the faint of heart,” he said.

Roach’s roster comprises women known to speak their minds. “Those are the type of women who raised me, so naturally that’s what I’m attracted to — women who are confi dent and women who use their voices.”

Among his key accomplish-ments, the stylist collaborated with Zendaya to create the Daya by Zendaya shoe line, which took home FN’s launch of the year award in 2016.

Though Roach’s ensembles are often identifi able by their distinct fl air and edge, the main ingredient for a power-dressing look, he said, is confi dence.

“My advice to women in general is: Don’t listen to people like me dictating what you should or shouldn’t wear,” he said. “My advice is to try it on. If you love it, if you feel beautiful, wear it. Because when a woman loves the way she feels, everybody is going to gravitate to that.”

Ariana Grande enjoys a class in

Hong Kong

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Working Wonders Kate Hudson’s activewear line Fabletics is taking the next step.

By Nikara Johns

arrie Underwood’s hit-

making ability extends

beyond the music

world. The seven-time

Grammy winner has also proved to

be a whiz in the sportswear business

with regard to her long-term part-

nership with Dick’s Sporting Goods.

Together, they launched the Calia

by Carrie Underwood fitness and

lifestyle label in spring ’15 as an

exclusive in Dick’s stores. And the

line has quickly grown to be a top

performer for the retailer.

In the firm’s second-quarter

conference call, Dick’s chairman

and CEO Edward Stack noted that

Calia is now its third-largest athletic

women’s label. “The brand has been

a huge success for us,” he said.

“We think that gives us the oppor-

tunity to move into other areas and

other categories, and this is a

longer-term play.”

The line includes women’s

apparel, swimwear and accessories,

and for fall ’18, it will introduce its

first outerwear collection.

C

Music superstar Carrie Underwood is building a name in the sportswear market with an empowering message and female-focused aesthetic.By Jennie Bell

No Idle Idol

The Calia team said sneakers

are on their wish list, but there are

no firm plans to enter the footwear

category.

Underwood told FN during

a recent visit to New York that

launching shoes are an intimidat-

ing concept. “It’s all so personal and

individual,” she said. “Personally, I’m

a shoe nut in that there’s basically

shoes that will make my knee hurt

and shoes that will not make my

knee hurt when I run.”

While she can’t yet don her own

branded sneakers, the 34-year-old

singer-songwriter is committed

to the success of her brand and is

handily its most visible ambassador.

“In my life wardrobe, I live in Calia

— I really do,” Underwood said. “I’m

not one of those celebrities who

makes something and you never see

them wearing it.”

To develop the product, she

works closely with designers Alycia

Scott and Freddie McQueen.

Scott said that their joint design

process is highly collaborative — and

for good reason. “We build on top of

each other’s efforts to make sure that

we’re thinking about every woman,

whether she has a kid, doesn’t have a

kid, what stage of life she is [at], her

age. [We want to create] an ageless

collection,” she said.

Since its inception, the line has

bridged the athleisure gap between

performance and style, featuring

feminine colors and patterns, as well

as modern silhouettes, equipped

with high-tech capabilities.

“As a consumer, I noticed that

[activewear] seemed to be either

super-technical and really great in

the gym but then everywhere I went

for the rest of the day, I looked like

I just came from a workout — or

things would be really pretty but

absolutely have no place in the gym,”

said Underwood. “The people at

Dick’s noticed the same thing. So we

started talking about what we can do

to get these things that are super-

functional [to] also work with you

[in your life].”

Dick’s CEO credits Calia’s strong

aesthetic for its rapid rise in the

market. “Our design team has done a

great job from a pattern standpoint,

performance standpoint, fabrica-

tion standpoint,” said Stack. “This

is a brand that’s pretty hot in the

marketplace for us right now.”

The Calia team has worked to

differentiate the brand through its

marketing campaigns, which are

consistently built around a message

of empowerment and headlined by

Underwood.

“I feel like there needs to be more

things in this world where women

can lift each other up and support

each other,” said Underwood. “So

it was important to us not only to

make a great product but to also put

good out into the world.”

She recalled that in early collec-

tions, the label included taglines

such as “Stay the Path” and “Be

Your Best Self” on the underside of

the apparel.

“And then we thought, ‘Why do

that?’ Let’s put it where everybody

can see it, and maybe somebody will

read it and think, ‘Yes, I am stronger

than anybody knows,’” she said. “We

want women to be inspired.” ❚

Carrie Underwoodin her Calia line

I N S I D E R 9

Four years after its debut as a subscription- based online business, Fabletics has quickly expanded into a full-blown fitness brand.

The company, co-founded by TechStyle Fashion Group co-CEOs Don Ressler and Adam Goldenberg, along with actress Kate Hudson, launched with the goal of offering affordable — yet stylish — activewear to a base of loyal subscribers.

Since then, the brand has grown exponentially — opening more than 20 brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S., shipping globally, introducing a men’s line — and now Fabletics is adding a footwear collection to its list of endeavors.

Launching this month, the sneaker line will include slip-ons, trainers, a high-top and court shoe, offered at regular prices of $54.95 to $79.95. The company is also offering membership pricing, which will

range from $39.95 to $59.95.Here, Goldenberg breaks down

the launch.

Why did you venture into shoes?“As a member-driven brand, we are con-stantly seeking input from our membership community and taking their feedback into consideration as we continue to expand the brand into new categories. We heard from members at our retail stores, during events, through our own feedback portals and on social media that what they really wanted was footwear.”

How will Fabletics shoes stand out in a market saturated with athletic/athleisure product? “Similar to our apparel, we plan to deliver the best value for stylish and high-quality

footwear. While the activewear space has become increasingly competitive, Fabletics grew 46 percent in 2016 by delivering a truly unique value proposition to active consumers. We expect footwear will stand out just as our other products have.”

Tell us, are you interested in continuing to expand with more stand-alone stores?“As a private company, we don’t break out sales; however, Fabletics stores have provided a positive lift across channels. The stores have increased brand awareness across the country and have resulted in new memberships near retail locations. Retail has provided us a unique opportunity to gain more insight into our customers, so it will con-tinue to be a part of our strategy.

Given the current retail climate, we are proceeding opportunistically when the right deals present themselves.” ❚

Kate Hudson

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I N S I D E R10

In addition to their usual pro-athlete endorsers, athletic brands are casting a wider net by tapping today’s top influencers — models, singers and

actors — to boost their connection with female consumers. Here, a look at some of the most sought-after brand ambassadors for the women’s athletic market.

By Nikara Johns

Power PlaysFN SPY - THE LINEUP

Selena GomezBRAND: Puma

FOLLOWERS: 127 million (Insta-gram), 52.7 million (Twitter), 61

million Facebook “likes” SEEN WEARING: Puma Phenom,

Puma XO Parallel HEARD: “Puma has changed

the game when it comes to the mash-up of athletic

wear and fashion,” said Gomez, who announced her deal with

the brand last week. “It’s amazing to see this influence on style and culture, and I’m excited

to be a part of it. I am hoping that we can create something

special together.”

Bella HadidBRAND: Nike

FOLLOWERS: 14. 8 million (Instagram), 874,000 (Twitter),

380,000 Facebook “likes” SEEN WEARING: Nike Cortez,

Air Force OnesHEARD: “What is so amazing

about Nike is that they always choose powerful women, and

I’m one of the first models to do the campaign,” she told Vogue

UK. “Growing up, Nike was pretty much all that I wore. I think

my love for Nike properly started at the beginning of high

school, [when] I would only wear my Air Force Ones.”

Camila CabelloBRAND: Skechers

FOLLOWERS: 11.8 million (Insta-gram), 4.53 million (Twitter), 1.6

million Facebook “likes”SEEN WEARING: Skechers

Hi-Lites collectionHEARD: “Besides the style and

comfort of Skechers shoes, I love its philanthropic efforts,” she said. “[The brand is] making a

difference — whether it’s giving new shoes to millions of kids or saving shelter animals’ lives. It’s

important for me to use my success to give back and to part-ner with like-minded companies

[that] pay it forward.”

Kendall Jenner BRAND: Adidas

FOLLOWERS: 83.3 million (Insta-gram), 24.3 million (Twitter), 16

million Facebook “likes”SEEN WEARING: Adidas

Superstars, Stan SmithsHEARD: “Officially joining the Adi-

das fam!” she posted on Insta-gram, along with another photo, captioned, “Always been an OG.”

Jenner announced her Adidas Originals partnership in May and starred — alongside NBA player James Harden and rappers 21

Savage, Young Thug and Playboi Carti — in the brand’s

recent TV spot in August.

Gigi Hadid BRAND: Reebok

FOLLOWERS: 35.7 million (Insta-gram), 6.38 million (Twitter), 4.2

million Facebook “likes”SEEN WEARING: Reebok Club

C 85, Classic LeatherHEARD: “It seems strange that a model who is supposed to be perfect is the face of a ‘Never

Perfect’ campaign, but that was the point to me,” she told FN.

“Everyone always calls me perfect, and I’m just not. I

wanted to do something that at the end of the day, I don’t feel

suffocated by not being allowed to be myself in some way.”

Exhibitors at the Micam show in Milan last

week said they are fi nding bright spots during

a di� cult time for the industry.

Tina Liu, president of Taiwan-based manufac-

turer People Group, is forging ahead with

expansion after acquiring Italian fashion label

Fornarina late last year. The company’s portfolio

also includes J/Slides, Miss L Fire and the People

brand, in addition to its private-label segment.

“We believe the future is in the branded busi-

ness, and each of our [labels] has a di� erent

strategy,” Liu said, noting that the goal is to

re-establish Fornarina in Europe and then

launch it in the U.S. market. “We’re focusing on

speed to market and the young consumer.”

Theresa Ebagua, founder and creative

director of luxury brand Chelsea Paris, is also

tapping into new territory with the spring ’18

debut of her di� usion line, CP by Theresa

Ebagua, which will retail from $99 to $245. “I

saw that everything in this area of the market

was made in China and repetitious,” said the

designer, who sought out new Italian factories

for her secondary label. “We are targeting a

younger consumer with this line, but I still want

to o� er design, quality and color.”

United Nude founder Rem D Koolhaas — who

recently relocated to Los Angeles after living in

Asia for years — has been writing a new chapter

for his business as well. This fall, the brand will

open a new L.A. headquarters and is beefi ng up its

sta� . “We asked, ‘How are we going to use this

marketplace to our advantage?’” Koolhaas said.

With an average price of $275, United Nude is

emphasizing high design at competitive prices.

“We try to be here for as many people as possible

without compromising quality,” he said.

The price-value equation has also been

top-of-mind for British designer Kat Maconie, who

moved her production to China from Brazil and is

now able to sharpen price points and cater to a

wider audience. “Italy has become a big market for

us — we have about 100 stores here,” she said,

noting that the Middle East and the U.K. are also

bright spots. Next on her list? Becoming a more

competitive player in the complex U.S. market.

Gimmi Baldinini, CEO of Italian brand

Baldinini, knows fi rsthand how tough the U.S.

market can be to crack. After opening three

American stores — in New York, New Jersey and

Miami — the executive said he’s still evaluating

opportunities. “It’s a big country, and it’s very

important, but it’s [di� cult],” he said.

Salina Ferretti, GM of Italy-based Falc

S.p.A., which owns Naturino, said the children’s

brand continues to expand its American foot-

print by employing a distinct strategy for the

market with dedicated sta� and customer

service representatives.

Ferretti, who also serves as VP of the Italian

footwear association, said she is also helping to put

together a plan to strengthen Italian companies’

representation in the U.S. market. “We are still not

present in the way we would like to be,” she said,

noting that the pricing structure can be challeng-

ing for American retailers as well as consumers.

“We need to change something, but it’s not 100

percent clear what that needs to be.”

For the past two seasons, Micam has been

focusing on made-in-Italy product by partnering

with some of the country’s biggest brands to

showcase their collections. For this edition of the

show, Jimmy Choo, Sergio Rossi, Giorgio Armani

and Ermenegildo Zegna set up booths, joining

Fendi, Ferragamo, Gucci, Prada and Tod’s, which

began exhibiting during the last edition. ❚

Micam Players Search for New OpportunityVendors at the Italian show are refining their strategies to compete during challenging times.By Katie Abel

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I N S I D E R 11

Buyers convened at New York’s Javits Center last week for UBM’s Septem-ber trade shows, Sole Commerce and Footwear@Coterie. Here, they talk big buys and waning trends for spring ’18.

The Sole Story

SCOTT HOMEPresident, Coolway, Freestyle by Coolway, Musse & CloudHot trends “The more color, the better. Espadrille bottoms as well, [including] slides.”Scaling back “All three of my brands have been more bootie-driven. [But] in [that] cat-egory, we see the sales slowing way down.”

JASON HARVEY AND ERWIN SWEETWINE IICo-founders, YevrahHot trends “We have a lot of wingtip hole patterns, metallic corks and gold-tip caps on our shoes. [We’re] trying to bring a lot of fun energy to our footwear.”Top investments “We tried to be more edgy and unconventional. We used cork ma-terials and di� erent heel constructions to make it di� erent than what’s in the market.”

KEVIN PATERADirector of wholesale, SchutzHot trends “We worked a lot with tubular detailing. We’re also seeing a resurgence in platforms. The ladylike trend is still going on. We’re seeing a rejection of the Gucci-inspired, man-tailored looks and more of this Dior, Miu Miu look.”Top investments “We are pushing more into mid-heels. We are diversifying the heel height to try to hit everyone. Nude contin-ues to dominate. Metallic is a staple as well.”Scaling back “We stopped fi ghting the feeling with sneakers. We’re not a resource for sneakers, so we are going to focus on dress and dress-casual.”

YOYO PANCo-founder, AbcenseHot trends “The inspiration of the season is like telling a fairytale to a rabbit. It’s a combination of pastels — soft colors — with mechanical constructions. Also, big bows [are important].”Scaling back “High boots like over-the-knee boots.”

A style from CP by Theresa Ebagua

The Sole Commerce show fl oor

12 I N S I D E R

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Dior: Behind Closed Doors As the storied house continues to celebrate its 70th anniversary, FN goes into its extensive archive. By Stephanie Hirschmiller

This year marks the 70th anniversary of

Christian Dior, and the label has been celebrat-

ing in grand style.

A ball staged at Paris’ Rodin Museum this

year saw the building’s entire facade emblazoned

with spectacular astrological projections as guests

entered via a pathway flanked by unicorns

(actually costumed horses).

Meanwhile, the “Christian Dior: Couturier du

Rêve” retrospective at the Musée des Arts Décora-

tifs — open until next January — features some

300 couture gowns, many of which are displayed

in a specially commissioned ballroom inspired by

the famous Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

A Galeries Lafayette exhibition, on display

through Oct. 10, is titled “I Feel Blue” and

showcases 12 looks in the hue from the Dior

archives — an homage in part to Dior creative

director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s fall 2017 collection.

It includes the wool Doris coat from the design-

er’s first collection in 1947. There is also a Dior

takeover of the windows of the store’s Boulevard

Haussmann facade plus a limited-edition capsule

collection featuring exclusive pieces such as a

tulle bootie embellished with a pattern called

“The Moon in My Eyes.” Embroidered in golden

thread and pearls, it was conceived by Chiuri as a

nod to the founder’s fascination with astrology.

Behind closed doors, Dior also offers insight

into its illustrious history. A brand-new space

to house its archive has been created in central

Paris, though its location is a secret.

The collection itself has been meticulously

compiled since 1987, divulged

Soizic Pfaff, head archivist at

Dior Heritage, who has

worked with the label for 43

years and is as much a

repository for its history as

the physical archive itself.

“[LVMH CEO Bernard]

Arnault masterminded its

assembly,” she said. “He

contacted the clients of Mr.

Dior to see if they could lend

garments and accessories for the exhibition

but also to see if it were possible for us to

buy them at the end [or if they could] donate

them. For us, this was really the beginning

of the archive department.”

Divided into three vault-type areas, the

collection comprises a dressing room, a couture

gown and document depository and, of course,

an accessories chamber. The dressing room is

where ensembles are prepped for their display

mannequins and features beautifully apportioned

dispensers with rolls of black and white fabrics in

every conceivable permutation, from silk voiles to

calicos, gauzes and tulles, plus boxes containing

all manner of padded accoutrements.

“In order to perfectly replicate the line

imagined by Mr. Dior,” Pfaff explained, “we often

have to augment the breasts and shoulders or

create more volume.” The Stockman busts

themselves are so fragile that they have their

own protective zip-on leather jackets — couture

versions of a seamstress’ white coat.

The couture gown and document depository

features both vertical and horizontal shelving

operated by rotator wheels just like a library of

rare books. In addition to the exterior dust bags,

inserts preserve the shape of each garment.

The most delicate are laid flat in long

drawers, in pristine “Dior gray” boxes. During

a tour, Pfaff gently removed the (acid-free) tissue

paper covering a 1954 couture gown named

Elizabeth. “Mr. Dior gave names to all his

garments,” she said.

In the accessories chamber, bespoke shelving

houses several gray boxes, printed in black and

white, with the legend “Dior Heritage.”

Pfaff reverently revealed a pair of tiny velvet

claret-colored pumps with low flared heels.

“They belonged to the Duchess of Windsor,”

she said. “She had very small feet.” The front of

each shoe was delicately embroidered with the

duchess’ insignia.

Pfaff then removed a (bespoke-created)

interior protector, exposing a gold label featuring

a tiny image of a seated lady — one foot placed on

a stool and a man knelt before her proffering a

shoe. The logo read “Delman, Dior, Paris.”

“Roger Vivier, who was the footwear designer at

the time, was not allowed to use his own name, as

he had a contractual agreement with the American

shoe label Delman. So at the beginning, it was not

possible for him to put his own name,” said Pfaff.

The archive is a living, breathing resource and

ongoing inspiration for Chiuri and the overall

design team. “They use the archives a lot. Maria

Grazia has looked at all the

shoes here,” she said.

Even the archival bags

have played their part in

inspiring Chiuri’s footwear

designs. The gold C with

the D set at a right angle,

as seen on the front of the

C’est Dior sandals, block-

heeled pumps and boots

from Chiuri’s fall ’17

collection, are directly

inspired by the buckle on a vintage bag.

The new Paris site is just the tip of the iceberg

The mainstay of the house archives, not currently

on loan to exhibitions, resides in a similarly

clandestine location outside of the city. ❚

“In order to perfectly replicate the line

imagined by Mr. Dior, we often have to ...

create more volume. ”Soizic Pfaff

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GREATEST HITSA look at some of the shoes that have

defined Dior’s illustrious history.

Maria Grazia Chiuri’s fall 2017 Dior Amour shoe was inspired by this 1959 Christian Dior by Roger Vivier model in ivory silk satin with black rectangular dots. The heel shape was called “choc” — the Gallic slang for “shocking,” as it was considered both new and arresting at the time.

This 1962 Christian Dior by Roger Vivier sandal inspired Maria Grazia’s contemporary classic J’Adior slingback. The original came in taffeta ivory silk with delicate silver lamé embroidery in a trefoil shape.

Toile de Jouy is a very important motif for the maison. The pattern has its origins with Marie Antoinette and the Palace of Versailles. Dior was so enamored that he also used it for the wallpaper of his first boutique, Colifichets. The Christian Dior by Roger Vivier pump itself is named Versailles and hails from the spring/summer 1959 collection.

Feathers remain a key material for the house. Chiuri took inspiration for her resort ‘18 collection feather flats from several shoes in the archive, including these blue turquoise Christian Dior by Roger Vivier pumps from 1954.

The lily of the valley was Dior’s favorite flower. He considered it a lucky charm and used the motif often. This embellished satin mule was created by Vivier for the maison’s SS 1955 collection. Chiuri also used lily of the valley embellishments for the bespoke wedding gown she created for Miranda Kerr.

This Christian Dior by Roger Vivier bordeaux velvet pump was made around 1955 for the Duchess of Windsor and bears her crest.

W E L C O M E T O T H E N E W S T R O N G . W E L C O M E

T O T H E K I N D O F S T R O N G W H E R E TA L K

I S A N Y T H I N G B U T C H E A P. A N D W H E R E

I N N E R S T R E N G T H W I L L A LW AY S B E Y O U R

G R E AT E S T S T R E N G T H . T H I S I S T H E K I N D

O F Q U I E T S T R O N G Y O U R G R A N D M O T H E R

A LW AY S H A D . T H E K I N D O F L O U D S T R O N G

Y O U R G R A N D D A U G H T E R W I L L O N E D AY H AV E .

S O W E S AY O N C E M O R E – W E L C O M E T O T H E

N E W S T R O N G , W E L C O M E T O Y O U R S T R O N G .

FN_Weekly_Full_Page_Bleed.indd 1 9/21/17 3:52 PM

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14

An upcoming New Balance release dreamed up by June Sanders, streetwear retailer DTLR’s product design manager, will donate all of the shoe’s profi ts to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The three entities are among the latest to join forces on a philanthropic collaboration after Sanders was inspired by a colleague’s son who

survived cancer after treatment at St. Jude. The New Balance M530SJ model features a burgundy suede upper with white and gold accents, as well as special commemorative laces and a St. Jude logo hangtag. A gum rubber outsole completes the style. The sneaker is set to release on Sept. 29 and will retail for $130 in adult sizes and $110 for kids.

New Balance to Release Sneaker Benefi ting St. Jude

QUOTES OF THE WEEKOverheard in the industry last week

“There is nothing I favor more than a good tête-à-tête, and for that, Gwyneth [Paltrow] is a great partner in crime.” Christian Louboutin on designing his fi rst baby shoe for Goop.

“I wanted the collection to be poetic but also modern and wearable.” Sophia Webster on her spring ’18 shoe collection.

“I don’t think she’s insensitive ... possibly she was just wearing the shoes she left New York in.” Manolo Blahnik on Melania Trump’s decision to wear his heels while visiting hurricane victims in Texas.

INSTAGRAMS OF THE WEEK The fi ve most-liked photos from @FootwearNews

TO P STO RY

W H A T ’ S T R E N D I N G

@iris.apfel reveals what she thinks about the latest shoe trends.

1 Blooming sandals from @sophia-webster’s spring ’18 collection.

2 @shoesofnyc shares street-style trends spotted during NYFW.

3 Silver proved to be a major trend on the Emmys red carpet.

4 Manolo Blahnik signs autographs at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC.

5

Shoes of Prey Launches Customizable SneakersShoes of Prey steps things up for fall 2017 by debuting three tailor-made kicks. The com-pany’s expansion into athleisure introduces customizable base styles featuring gold, black and brown lace-up low-tops. Shoes of Prey will follow up the release with two more sneaker styles to be revealed in October. The sneakers will start at $149.

Kurt Geiger’s Sales Rise Double DigitsEuropean shoe retailer Kurt Geiger last week announced a full-year sales gain of 12 percent to 330 million pounds, or $445 million. The company’s women’s fashion trainer business, which was up 48 percent, and the women’s accessories collections, up 18 percent, contributed to the double-digit gains. Men’s foot-wear also boosted the numbers, with a 12 percent sales rise. CEO Neil Cli� ord said the company is focused on investments in digital innovation and global expansion.

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R etail is going through changes

on a scale that has never been

seen before, and shopping will

be a ected in more ways than consumers

and retailers alike might realize.

Bank of America’s recent “Trends in

Consumer Mobility Report” illustrated

how computer-savvy Generation Z and

millennial consumers will disrupt the

future of banking. Michelle Moore, head

of digital banking for Bank of America,

said this year’s report was all about

keeping up with the “digital natives.”

For the fi rst time, the company included

today’s youngest generation — Generation

Z (ages 13-17) — to better comprehend the

future of mobile and banking.

“We found digital natives’ obsession

with technology is set to change the

world as we know it,” confi rmed Moore,

citing that 54 percent of millennials and

Gen Z Google themselves regularly — at

least 10 percent of them on a daily basis.

“Gen Zers appear to live by the mantra:

‘If you can’t say it in 140 characters or

less, don’t say it at all,’” she said.

This digital obsession material-

izes in notable di erences in the ways

younger generations communicate. And

that dynamic is signifi cant — Gen Z is

signifi cantly more likely than their older

counterparts to use emojis (95 percent,

compared with 79 percent), social media

(88 percent versus 77 percent), acronyms

(87 percent versus 69 percent) and even

selfi es (81 percent versus 45 percent) to

communicate with others.

That’s paramount for the future

of the fi nance industry. “Younger

generations are leading the charge

when it comes to mobile fi nances,”

Moore said. The study found that a

noteworthy 75 percent of millennials

are using their bank’s mobile app.

According to Moore, millennials are

not just using that app to check their

balance — they rely on it during pivotal

moments like when saving for college

(45 percent), planning for retirement

(35 percent) and purchasing a home

(34 percent). “Mobile has become increas-

ingly intertwined into our everyday, and

its importance will only grow,” she noted.

Moore added: “If you remain connected

to your purpose and customers,

you are sure to succeed.” ❚

Here’s what major fi nancial institutions revealed about their newest, socially connected customers. By Lauren Olsen

Financial institutions report that small businesses are more optimistic than they have been in ages. What’s fueling that sunny outlook, and what exactly does it mean for the fourth quarter? By Lauren Olsen

When mammoth corporations like

Amazon and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are making headlines by taking the retail industry by storm (think drones, artifi cial intelligence and techy check-out processes), one might be quick to assume that small footwear businesses are being pushed to the sidelines. Results from leading fi nancial institutions reveal a di� erent story, however. According to a recent quarterly survey by Wells Fargo/Gallup, small-business optimism has reached its highest level in over a decade.

Based on interviews with 605 U.S. small-business owners in July 2017, optimism was felt due to several factors. These included reports of a strong fi nan-cial standing (76 percent described theirs as very or somewhat good), increased and healthy revenues (46 percent said their business revenue had increased over the previous 12 months), ease of obtaining credit (48 percent expressed that credit will be somewhat easy or very easy to attain over the next year), and recent additional hiring (21 percent noted the number of jobs at their com-pany increased over the past 12 months).

Moreover, small-business owners felt confi dent about their situation in the third quarter, and their positive future outlook speaks loudly for the next steps for retail — small and mass — as it moves into the fourth quarter.

“Steady improvements in the economy over the last eight years have boosted the overall outlook of business owners, and that is refl ected in our latest survey fi ndings,” said Doug Case, a Wells Fargo manager in the small-business segment. “A great indicator of small-business confi dence is how business

owners rate their fi nancial situation. In the third-quarter survey, more business own-ers rated their fi nancial situ-ation as very or somewhat good than at any other time since we started conducting the survey in August 2003.”

Case refl ected that because the economy has improved, many business owners are seeing positive trends. “More small-business owners are reporting plans to increase their capital spend-ing, hire more employees and apply for new credit products compared to a year ago,” he

continued.Busi-

nesses also were asked to identify the most impor-tant challenge facing them. Among the highest on the list was hiring — and keeping

— quality sta� , luring custom-ers and fi nding new business. Still, by taking advantage of the peak in optimism, small businesses can fi nd ways to face these challenges.

Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD Group, advised small and independent footwear players to emphasize where they excel — unique experiences and products — in order to maintain momentum. He also advised to leverage the use of visual assortments (as opposed to an online search), provide elevated service and include more personalization.

Consumers are realizing that shipping returns from online purchases are less convenient and troublesome due to the inability to see and feel a product before purchasing. “That benefi t has become something the consumer really appreciates,” Cohen said. Small footwear retailers can add a personal touch, which o� ers a unique selling point in today’s crowded and digitally dizzy market. ❚

Fall Forecast

Outlook Positive for Small Footwear Businesses

Gen Z and Millennial Trends on Pace to Reshape Finance Industry

What can small businesses do to boost sales?Sidney Morgan-Petro: “Custom-ization is a major theme within footwear at the moment that small business can leverage. Whether it’s a custom-fi tted shoe, a custom color combina-tion or a one-of-a kind run, these are the kinds of personal buying relationships that develop a loyal consumer. We also see a trend toward fewer but better things appearing within consumer be-havior, signaling that consumers are willing to shell out more for a product they believe is made better and will last longer.”

How can such businesses appeal to the millennial crowd, specifi cally?SMP: “The custom or limited-run opportunities spark interest especially from the millennial crowd, which has become accustomed to ‘drop’ culture — a trend mostly noted within sneakers and designer collaborations, but one that has room for opportunities throughout the footwear market. The hype factor of this business model, coupled with the limited-production run, o� ers an opportunity for smaller footwear brands.”

What steps can they take to ensure an optimal Q4?SMP: “Ensuring a correct product mix is vital going into Q4, noting key shifts in the marketplace like the continued rise of sneaker culture. For the earliest pre-fall drops this year, we see boots losing 2.7 percentage points of market share year-over-year, while new-in sports shoes gained 4.4 percentage points, according to data from WGSN Instock. Expect this shift also to factor in for fall deliveries as boots and sport shoes become increasingly hybrid in design and comfort remains king.“

HOW SMALL BUSINESSES CAN BOOST SALES

Sidney Morgan-Petro of trend analysis fi rm WGSN o� ers tips on how small footwear fi rms can get a big boost in the fourth quarter.

FN INSIGHTS

“More small-business

owners are reporting plans

to increase their capital spending.”

Doug Case, Wells Fargo

$ $

❚

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Following

Hannah

Following

Hannah

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17

The idea of who a

female athlete is, and

what fitness means to

her, is changing — and

Hannah Bronfman is

a powerful example of

the new athletic era.

“I consider myself an athlete,

for sure, but I’m not a competitive

professional,” Bronfman said. “I

work out five times a week, but I try

to do something active every day,

whether that’s swimming, going for

a walk, hiking.”

Part of what defines the contem-

porary influencer in this arena is an

openness to participate in many fit-

focused activities, as well as a desire

to empower others.

Kira Stokes, a fitness expert and

Stoked Method training program

founder — who has spent ample

time working out with Bronfman —

can vouch for the athlete’s embodi-

ment of these traits.

“She dabbles in everything, she’s

willing to try anything, and she’s

about promoting body confidence

and a mind-body connection to

workouts,” Stokes said. “With

Hannah, it’s about looking and feel-

ing good, and having an open mind

to all different modalities of fitness.

She’s not one-dimensional.”

But the popular social media

figure and DJ’s wellness obsession

extends beyond the gym. Bronfman

is actively engaged with female

fitness and wellness aficionados

through her massive Instagram

following, her HBFit health and

beauty online platform and the

PopSugar-assisted “Hannahgram”

video editorial series.

“Hannah’s influence transcends

fitness, health and beauty. She

resonates within fitness particularly

because she is a credible advocate,

consistently documenting her

journey to a better self through

sport,” explained Alison Stewart,

senior director of Adidas Women’s.

“Authenticity is becoming increas-

ingly important in the flooded

market of influence. Hannah lives

and breathes the lifestyle choices

she presents.”

Adidas has backed Bronfman

since 2015 and has featured her

in its powerful female-focused

campaigns, including this year’s

“Unleash Your Creativity,” which

also highlighted fashion model

Karlie Kloss and WNBA All-Star

Candace Parker. (Bronfman’s video

has been viewed 2.2 million times

to date.)

As she expands her influence,

Adidas is dramatically broadening

its reach in the women’s market.

According to data provided by

The NPD Group Inc./Retail Track-

ing Service, from January to August

2017, Adidas Women’s performance

footwear sales in the U.S. jumped

164 percent within that market

segment, which brought in $1.6

billion during that period of time.

Adidas is the fastest-growing among

the top 10 brands.

Bronfman spoke exclusively

with Footwear News and shared why

Adidas is her ideal brand partner,

discussed her biggest athletic

accomplishments and explained her

approach to fitness.

Who is today’s female athlete?“Someone who is setting their

own goals and breaking them and

striving to do better for themselves.

They’re determined, they’re strong-

willed, and they bring those aspects

into their everyday life, whether it’s

work life or relationships.”

What is the role of fitness in your everyday life?“It’s a daily relationship. It’s not just

about working out; it’s about having

an active lifestyle. I rely on fitness

to help with mental clarity and to

monitor my stress. I find that when

I work out every day, I sleep better,

I’m more relaxed at the end of the

evening. I don’t have as much anxi-

ety, and that brain fog is clearer.”

What is your favorite way to stay in shape?“I really do everything, even things

I don’t love. I do love boxing, I love

With her look-good, feel-good message, Hannah Bronfman has

turned social media into a platform to empower women.

B y P E T E R V E R R Y

P h o t o g r a p h s b y A N D R E W B O Y L E

Hannah

F E M A L E F O R C E S

18

Pilates, and I like anything I can

have a mind-and-body connection

with. Boxing is one sport that

allows me to stay hyper-present.

Sometimes in other fitness classes,

you could still be thinking about

other things and not focusing on

the task at hand. But with boxing,

you have to be so focused and in

it; otherwise, you might get hit

in the face.”

What is your biggest fitness accomplishment?“I did a 12-mile hike, and we went

up 3,000 feet. I’m not the strongest

hiker, so for me that was a big ac-

complishment. Also, for me to be

able to work with Adidas and utilize

a company that is ingrained with

athleticism, and for them to find me

as a strong highlighted partner, is

super-inspiring.”

What does your training footwear range look like?

“I don’t really use different shoes

for different fitness activities. I’m

partial to my [Adidas] Ultra Boosts;

it is the top-performer, whether

I’m running or boxing or whatever.

They’re the one that’s best for my

arch, and my feet can breathe in

them. I love the way they look and

to work out in them because I love a

cute workout outfit.”

How important is it to you to look good in what you’re wearing in the gym?“Honestly, it’s pretty important.

Even if it’s just a pair of black,

great-fitting leggings with three

white stripes on the side — it’s not

something necessarily bold, but

they fit great, they look slimming,

and they make me feel good. And

ultimately, it’s all about what makes

me feel good. Ninety percent of it is

just showing up, so why not show

up looking cute? It will take you to

like 95 percent.”

How did you get involved with fitness?“I’ve always had a really active

lifestyle. I was a dancer as a kid and

played sports in high school. When

I was 19, my grandmother passed

away from anorexia, and that was

a huge eye-opening experience for

me. That’s when I decided to live my

healthiest and happiest version of

myself.”

What advice would you give to other women seeking self- improvement?“If I can help motivate people, that’s

all I’m looking to do. I want to help

other women realize that it doesn’t

have to be difficult, to embrace the

challenges and that every road is

different; your journey is not going

to be the same as anyone else’s. And

try to be comfortable in your own

skin, because ultimately, a woman’s

best accessory is her confidence.”

Why do you think it took so long for brands to figure out how to speak to female athletes?“With big brands, it’s hard to

adapt to cultural nuances. Adidas

has done an extremely good job of

homing in on who their customer

is, and the stories and lifestyle the

customer relates to. Adidas found

a great pathway to relate to their

female consumer, which is high-

lighting the female athlete and

redefining what a female athlete

is. We’re all athletes; we just might

not be professional. I feel like for

the first time, a brand is redefining

what an athlete, and athleticism, is

to women.”

Aside from Adidas, how could brands competing in the athletic space better communicate with female athletes?“Brands could take more of a back

seat and let influencers and inspir-

ing women with untold stories reach

their audience. They should let

those people run with the creative

more instead of it being so much

brand-driven. At the end of the

day, it’s inspiring stories that we’re

drawn to, and if we see a brand has

supported that, it resonates more

than trying to have the brand story

be first and the inspiring story

second.”

Who are the best brand ambassadors to communicate with women?“It’s a wide range. People are

inspired by so many different

things these days. You can have

the professional athlete tell their

story, and you can have the inspir-

ing story of a 6-year-old who has

her heart set on being a dancer. You

need to have good visuals and a

good spokesperson, no matter where

they come from, who could relate

to your audience. And between

YouTube and Instagram, there are

sensations everywhere. Brands have

to put in the work to find them.” ❚

“TRY TO BE COMFORTABLE IN YOUR OWN SKIN,

BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, A WOMAN’S BEST ACCESSORY

IS HER CONFIDENCE.”

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HearThem Roar

Fifteen athletic marvels who are changing the way brands and the public look at fit women.

B y P E T E R V E R R Y & N I A G R O C E

F E M A L E F O R C E S

19

HearThem Roar

Fifteen athletic marvels who are changing the way brands and the public look at fit women.

B y P E T E R V E R R Y & N I A G R O C E

F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F E M A L E F O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E SF O R C E S

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Sherry DarrellFitness model and former U.S. Marine

How would you defi ne who today’s female athlete is?“Someone who is not only physi-cally strong but mentally strong. She’s someone who is well-rounded, not just picking up a weight and putting it down. It’s what the athlete does as an athlete behind closed doors. Are you spreading the knowledge you have to others who may be new to the sport? Are you prac-ticing your mental strength just as much as you practice your physical strength?”

What are the female fi tness stereotypes you hope to dispel?“That females go to the gym to get atten-tion. There are some athletes like myself that don’t give anyone the time of day because when I’m in there, I have tunnel vision. There’s no one I want to impress in there besides myself.”

What is the role of fi tness in your life?“Fitness is part of my everyday life. I am grinding in the gym every day to become a better version of myself. I usually spend about three to four hours total in the gym.”

How important is it to you to look good in what you’re wearing in the gym? “This may sound funny, but I have such a good workout when my outfi t matches and is up to date. If you look good in your gym outfi t, you feel better, which means your workout is going to be awesome.”

How do you want to be viewed by other women who are interested in fi tness and self-improvement?“As a positive role model through my hard work and dedication to fi tness. I want to show females how to be com-fortable in their own skin, and with that comes self-love.”

FO OT W E A R N EWS.CO M

No longer overshadowed by her male counterparts, the female athlete is now at the forefront of brand efforts. And she defies gender stereotypes or labels: She takes Pilates, runs ultramarathons, is a CrossFitter, an online influencer and a ninja. Here, FN highlights 15 inspiring individuals to show why female athletes won’t — and can’t — be overlooked.

Serena WilliamsNike-sponsored tennis icon

Before stepping away from the game in April to give birth to her fi rst child, daughter Alexis, 35-year-old tennis great Serena Williams was continuing to stockpile achievements in the sport. With 22 Grand Slam titles already on her résumé, the Nike-sponsored athlete won No. 23 with a victory over her older sister, Venus, at the Australian Open in January. (The win was her seventh at the Australian Open. She also has seven victories at Wimbledon.) Even though Williams is on hiatus from the sport, which she entered professionally in 1995, reports have stated she is aiming for a return in 2018 for the Australian Open. And experts predict she will undoubtedly continue to build on one of the greatest careers in all of sports, regardless of gender. “Even though she has accomplished a lot, she wants more,” men’s tennis legend John McEnroe said of Williams in a Nike statement following her historic Australian Open win. “That’s something that separates a champion from a truly great champion.” Aside from her physical feats, Williams is well-known for her strong fashion eye, which she has used to help push design expectations for women’s fi tness attire with longtime partner Nike. And she continues to tout her casual athleisure clothing collection with HSN.

Misty CopelandUnder Armour-sponsored ballerina

When Misty Copeland isn’t thrilling ballet fans on stage or making history in the performance art (she’s the fi rst African-American principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre), she’s leading Under Armour’s many women-focused campaigns. “Under Armour has put all of us female ambassadors on the same platform and playing fi eld as their male ath-letes,” Copeland said. “They’re showing us in such a powerful and unique way; women are not often seen in that sort of light. That really separates Under Armour from other brands.” Her latest campaign appearance is for “Unlike Any,” an e� ort to celebrate the achievements of female athletes that are so as-tounding that gender comparisons are immediately eliminated. “I believe in the power of inner strength and how it can push you to accomplish the seem-ingly impossible. This campaign is a celebration of the inner strength that lives in every single person,” Copeland said. “It’s a reminder for every woman out there who feels ‘less than’ because of unnecessary comparisons, that they are strong, unique and truly unlike any.” The 35-year-old is aware that ballerinas aren’t exactly a popular choice with brands to lead athletic initiatives, but she’s honored to be given this platform and doesn’t take the role lightly. “I think that the dance world is benefi ting from having a platform that is so visible and showing what we’ve always known: that we’re these strong and credible artists,” Copeland said. “It’s empowering young girls [and teaching] them that it’s OK to be a woman and girl, and be a strong athlete and show your muscles and not hide behind that.”

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Camille Leblanc-BazinetReebok-sponsored CrossFit athlete

CrossFit standout Camille Leblanc-Bazinet is grate-ful for all the benefi ts athletics have provided. “Sport taught me about losing, being patient, determination and discipline. It taught me life lessons I didn’t get from other things,” said the 2014 CrossFit Games champion. “It also taught me to value myself by my e� ort and what I bring to the table, and all of that transferred to other areas of my life.” Another nonphysical benefi t is improved performance in the classroom. “Fitness helped me get my degree in chemical engineering. I built the mental fortitude to achieve that because I learned how to be tough in my sport,” said Leblanc-Ba-zinet, who is sponsored by Reebok. Despite all the good that sports have done for her, the 28-year-old is still bothered by some of the criticisms lobbed at women who lift. “People say if a woman does CrossFit, she’s going to get bulky, which is a complete lie,” she said. “You might end up loving yourself, which is a conse-quence of starting to lift weights.” And she’s happy that female athletes, specifi cally CrossFitters, are disman-tling old, dated labels. “Now you have girls who are not being pretty when they lift; they yell and get dirty and lift heavy, and you hear the weights clanging,” Leblanc-Bazinet said. “When we started to do that, it put a light on us, and people were like, ‘These girls are ruining the stereotypes of what it was like to be a girl before.’”

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Ashley GuarrasiNike-sponsored boxing trainer

Who is today’s athlete?“She’s evolved to have a tougher, stronger mental-ity. She’s trending to be strong and doing things like boxing and strength training and weights. They used to just want to be skinny, but now it’s cool to be strong and fi t and look healthy instead of doing all this cardio but not really getting anywhere.”

What role does fi tness play in your life?“Right now, it’s 24-7 fi t-ness, it’s my life. I teach and I train because I want

to practice what I preach — living and breathing fi tness. I train in boxing on my own, and I’m also a Nike trainer; I train with Nike exclusively.”

Biggest fi tness accomplishment?“I would say doing a fi ght, an actual fi ght. I did a charity fi ght where I was actually in the ring; it was really hard. It’s one thing training for boxing, but it’s di� erent actually fi ghting and getting punched in the face.”

What are the female fi tness stereotypes you hope to dispel?“The cliché that girls aren’t as strong or work as hard as guys. And that notion that we’re not as

strong or tough. I think we are. Just look at the girls fi ghting in UFC like Ronda Rousey; she can probably take a lot of guys. I’m not saying I’m stronger than a 6-foot-5 linebacker, 280 pounds, but that doesn’t mean I don’t work as hard as the guys.”

How do you want the fi tness-focused female-athlete community to view you?“I want to be represented as a strong female athlete and be a positive infl uence in the community instead of being competitive. I want women coming together and empowering each other; I try to help build each other up instead of bring each other down and compare.”

Skylar Diggins-SmithWNBA star and Puma ambassador

What is the role of fi tness in your life?“It’s just my lifestyle; it’s what I do. My body is a huge part of my job, and I have to make sure my body is healthy and I’m in shape to play this game and compete at this level. That doesn’t mean only working out; it’s also rest and recovery.”

Biggest fi tness-related accomplishment?“Moments like All-Star and things like that come from hours in the gym and seeing gains and improvements. As a competi-tor, especially if you’re competing at a high level, you have to make sure you keep your tools sharpened. Just seeing my body get stronger, that’s defi nitely an accomplishment.”

How can brands better cater to female athletes?“You can’t have a group of men making a product for a woman without a woman’s input. You have to have input from the athletes who are actually wearing the product, have them perform in the product, get as much feedback as you can, and make female athletes a part of the conversation.”

Why did it take so long for athletic brands to fi gure out how to speak to women?“A lot were just performance-based and didn’t include a lifestyle aspect. But now you see brands like Puma bringing in sports lifestyle product, things made for women who play sports and are active and live healthy lifestyles but are also on the go. Now there’s gear that is versatile and fi t for that type of lifestyle.”

How are today’s female athletes viewed by the masses?“The comments I hear about the WNBA and comparing it to the guys — I don’t understand why men are threatened by women athletes who express passion toward fi tness or sport. I don’t understand why people make comments. We’re in this new era where women have access to sport and fi tness and are able to wear di� erent hats, whether it’s being a mom, a wife, having a career and also leading an active and healthy lifestyle. I don’t understand why people, men in particular, are so threatened by that.”

“I don’t understand why men are threatened by women athletes.”Skylar Diggins-Smith

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Natasha HastingsTrack and fi eld, Under Armour athlete

Natasha Hastings, aka the “400M Diva,” has Olympic Games and IAAF World Champion-ships experience, but the Under Armour ath-lete said her biggest fi tness accomplishment has nothing to do with running. It’s doing 10 pullups on her own. “I’ve achieved so many things throughout my career that sometimes the basics are forgotten,” she said. It also may come as a surprise that the track-and-fi eld star likes to stay in shape by doing activities like yoga and rollerblading. Hastings believes athletic brands are just now trying to engage with athletes such as her because for so long, the notion of a woman being into sports was taboo. “Brands are catching up with the fact that women want to be healthy and fi t as well,” she said. “We lost women to sport for fear of looking masculine, but we’re learning that being fi t doesn’t have to mean you’re any less feminine.” And although brands are pay-ing more attention to female athletes, Hast-ings believes her sponsor is most equipped to deliver strong messaging. “Under Armour has powerful female minds behind the women’s campaigns, women who are athletes themselves, so they totally understand who they are speaking to and for,” she said.

Candace HillAsics-sponsored sprinter

Candace Hill is just 18, and she’s already gearing up to become a source of inspiration for women interested in fi tness and self-improvement. “I want to be viewed as a role model, as someone who

works hard at making sure to put 100 percent into everything I do so I can get 100 percent out of it,” she explained. And on her way, Hill hopes to eliminate certain stereotypes often associated with

female athletes. “The main one is that muscular, toned or athletic women are not attractive, or seen as too masculine. If someone is willing to go to the gym, train hard and take care of their body while doing something that they love, that is attractive,” she said. “More people should respect women who do that.” The sprinter believes gender stereotypes have also hindered how athletic brands cater to women. “They failed to recognize that women work out just as much as men do. A common stereotype [is], guys love sports, and women love shopping, so of course sports companies would cater to males,” she said. “But now more women are breaking

through and crossing over into the sports world.” She is proud of her association with Asics and its e� orts to appease the performance and style demands of today’s female

athlete. “Asics has recognized that there is beauty in strength,” Hill explained, “and they want to make women feel sexy, stylish and fresh while working out.”

Ashley HornerFitness expert and Reebok trainer

What role does fi tness play in your life? “With three little boys that I’m constantly having to keep up with and the stress business can bring, [exercise] is a way to clear my mind to recenter myself. Fitness can be found beyond the walls of a gym. It’s on the trails, in the open-water swimming along the coast, on the mats; I simply love it all.”

What female fi tness stereo-types do you hope to dispel? “To stop trying to just be skinny and to stop focusing on a number on the scale. There is no such thing as perfect; stop chasing perfect. Instead, begin chasing actual fi tness goals; that will be self-gratifying and rewarding.”

Biggest fi tness accomplishment? “So far, it’s being able to use my fi tness and athletic back-ground and platform to bring awareness to, and to raise money for, nonprofi ts and charities that are close to my heart.”

How could brands improve in how they communicate with female athletes? “Brands have an incredible impact on society. Every day they are communicating with consumers across multiple platforms, from the digital world to o� ine marketing. Brands need to consider the power behind the images they use and the athletes they choose to endorse. These are the ones setting the trends and ultimately setting the standards for society, both male and female. The old saying ‘sex sells’ is a lazy way of marketing and capturing a consumer’s attention. Brands

need to improve on their prod-uct storytell-ing through positive imagery and ultimately making the world, including the female athlete, better.”

How do you want to be viewed by other women who are interested in self-improvement? “I want to be viewed as someone who had so many odds against her and still prevailed. Fitness gave me the confi dence to be independent and the drive to set even more goals. I’m not perfect; I wouldn’t want anyone to ever think that I am. I make mistakes through learning, and in the same sense, I train hard and push myself because through challenges is when growth takes place.”

FO OT W E A R N EWS.CO M

has powerful female minds behind the women’s campaigns, women who are athletes themselves, so they totally understand who they are speaking to and for,” she said.

Candace HillAsics-sponsored sprinter

Candace Hill is just 18, and she’s already gearing up to become a source of inspiration for women interested in fi tness and self-improvement. “I want to be viewed as a role model, as someone who

works hard at making sure to put 100 percent into everything I do so I can get 100 percent out of it,” she explained. And on her way, Hill hopes to eliminate certain stereotypes often associated with

female athletes. “The main one is that muscular, toned or athletic women are not attractive, or seen as too masculine. If someone is willing to go to the gym, train hard and take care of their body while doing something that they love, that is attractive,” she said. “More people should respect women who do that.” The sprinter believes gender stereotypes have also hindered how athletic brands cater to women. “They failed to recognize that women work out just as much as men do. A common stereotype [is], guys love sports, and women love shopping, so of course sports companies would cater to males,” she said. “But now more women are breaking

through and crossing over into the sports world.” She is proud of her association with Asics and its e� orts to appease the performance and style demands of today’s female

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Kaisa KeranenFitness expert and social media infl uencer

What is the role of fi tness in your life?“Fitness, which I refer to simply as movement, plays a huge role in my life. It is not only my career, but it is one of my biggest passions, as well. Movement has always been an integral part of my life, from growing up as an athlete to competing in college to becoming a trainer. In some way, shape or form, movement has always seemed to be at the center of my world.”

What is your favorite way to stay fi t? “I am game for almost anything and everything that has to do with movement, other than movement and heights — I can’t do heights. I love a challenge and am always attempting new ways to move or new challenges to take on. I grew up practicing for a sport on a daily basis, soccer and track and fi eld, so these days I enjoy the freedom that comes along with not training for anything in particular. I love moving, and I love a challenge, so if it fi ts in those categories, I’m game.”

What is your biggest fi tness accomplishment?“There are a few accomplishments I am proud of achieving when I was a younger athlete, but I think my biggest fi tness accomplishments have to do with getting people to move and enjoy movement. The best thing about my career is that I get to engage with people from all over the world and share with them my ideas and philosophies around movement. Being able to help people start moving or moving more is the fi tness ac-complishment I am most proud of.”

How e� ectively is the female athlete being catered to by brands?“If you would have asked me that when I was growing up as a young female athlete, I would have said not at all. But obviously things have changed. I am grateful that brands are not only embracing but encouraging women to be active and fi t. I think that things have come a long way since my [younger] days.”

Brooke WellsNobull-sponsored CrossFit athleteWhat is the role of fi tness in your life? “It’s very important. My No. 1 goal is to make myself better every day, and fi tness is a big part of that. It helps me mentally and physically; it’s a stress reliever.”

What’s your favorite way to stay fi t?“CrossFit because it’s always di� erent. I’m working every body part during every workout. It’s never only arms or only legs, and it’s always

functional; everything we do in the gym is used outside the gym in some way.”

What is your biggest fi tness accomplish-ment?“Placing sixth in the CrossFit Games last year. Making it to the CrossFit Games alone is a huge deal, I’m so privileged to compete in the games, and to place sixth is an honor. I also got to compete on the USA Invitational team, which was so cool to represent America.”

What are the female fi tness stereotypes you hope to dispel?“One is that women

can get too bulky. If you start lifting weights, you’re not going to im-mediately become bulky. And muscles are beauti-ful; just embrace it.”

Why did it take so long for brands to fi g-ure out how to speak to female athletes?“It’s more stereotypi-cal for a guy to be in the gym than it is for females, but I think it’s starting to become more popular for women to be strong, and they’re not scared of having muscles anymore. The population of women in the gym is increasing, and that’s why they’re starting to cater to women.”

Gabriele GrunewaldBrooks runner, cancer survivor

What is the role of fi tness in your life? “It plays a huge role as an athlete and cancer patient. It’s super-important during my treatment and makes me feel my best when my body is going through other things.”

What’s your favorite way to stay fi t? “I am a runner, so that has been my exercise of choice for a long time.”

Biggest fi tness accomplishment?“I’ve had cancer four times, and through-out each of those experiences, I’ve been able to run through them. I’m proud of how fast I’ve run, but I’m mainly proud

that I’ve been able to push through those cancer treatments and surgeries, and keep running.”

Why has it taken so long for brands to speak to female athletes?“Going back to Title IX in the 1970s, it’s been a long time coming. Gradually, it has become more accepted for women

to participate in sports. They have shown they want to be out

there racing and are partici-pating in higher numbers than ever. The brands see that and realize how important women runners

are to the entire industry.”

What female fi tness stereotypes do you hope to dispel?

“There’s still a misconception that women aren’t as tough as men. My story shows women are just as tough as guys, in some instances even tougher.”

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Devon YankoUltramarathon runner, Hoka One One athlete

What role does fi tness play in your life? “It has always been a central part of my life and identity. Even before I was a runner, I was a basketball player, and before I was a basketball player, I did all sorts of sports. What sport can

do for you mentally and physically is important to me.”

How is Hoka One One catering to the female athlete?“It’s been really cool to see their Women Who Fly campaign, which is not just the video but a series of men-torship and training programs they did utilizing the athletes. Pairing peo-ple with female mentors is cool, as opposed to just saying, ‘Here are your

aspirational women.’ They helped to make us more accessible to female athletes, and allowed us to share our stories and be more human. I feel like I’m really connected with the people who follow me, and Hoka has been a great part in cultivating that.”

What’s your favorite way to stay in shape? “[Running] is my favorite because I can continually challenge myself in di� erent ways, depending on the event that I’m training for. Since I do di� erent distances and various types of terrain, there are always ways to challenge myself and keep it di� erent.”

What is your biggest fi tness accomplishment?“I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve

been doing this as long as I have and I’ve only had one major injury — that’s pretty rare in running. The race I’m most proud of is one I did [in August], the Leadville 100-mile, which I ended up winning.”

What do you think about when you run for that amount of time?“You think about mostly just getting to the next aid station, as opposed to: ‘I have 95 miles to go.’ You think about what you need to do in each section. The second half, I have pacers, so I have people talking to me, and I listen to music, which helps a lot.”

Kira StokesPersonal trainer and group fi tness coach, Stoked Method founder

What is the role of fi tness in your life?“It’s been my profession and my passion for over 20 years now. I was an athlete my entire life and then went to Boston College and started training people my sophomore year. The Stoked Method has evolved to encompass all of my education, my knowledge and my desire to keep fi nding new ways to challenge people.”

What’s your favorite way to stay fi t?“The way I train my clients or teach my classes is how I train myself. To make a di  erence in people’s lives, you have to believe what you’re doing and how you’re working with them is the right way. I am the ultimate cross trainer, and I

encourage that for everyone — diversity.”

Why did it take so long for brands to learn how to speak with female athletes?“The role of the female athlete has changed over the years, and fi tness follows what’s happening in society. It’s widely accepted now that women are independent, powerful and strong. Brands saw that trend happen-ing in life and ran with it. Look at the U.S. Open this year: The female tennis players were equal in the prize money — $3.7 million to the winner.”

What fi tness stereotypes do you hope to dispel?“When you see someone physiquewise, people make assumptions. Everyone has a di  erent body type, and bodies react di  erently to workouts. Don’t

be negative toward people who have made fi tness No. 1 in their lives and their body shows it.”

Jessie Gra� Under Armour-a� liated stuntwoman, “American Ninja Warrior” competitor

What is the role of fi tness in your life? “It’s a baseline necessity for everything I love to do. I don’t really think about it. I think about how much higher I need to be able to jump to do a crane gainer fl ash kick and what exercises will make me strong enough to do that, or what nutrients are going to help my muscles recover faster so I can go back to playing, or how many pullups I have to do to be able to do the Ultimate Cli� hanger. Fitness is just the side e� ect.”

What is your biggest accomplishment where being fi t was imperative?“I’m most proud of my consis-tency in how high I’ve been able to place among men in all stages of competition. In the past three years, I’ve placed in the top six at regional fi nals, which is the highest a woman has placed. I got second once in the regional fi nals, and I got fi fth in Stage One of nationals last year. It’s exciting to place that high among the guys.”

Why do you think it took so long for brands to fi gure out how to speak to female athletes?“I don’t think I realized it was a new thing. I was a gymnast, so the athletes I looked up to, and who were representing the

brands that I knew about, were Shannon Miller and Dominique Dawes. I knew who they were before I knew who Michael Jordan was.”

What are the female fi tness stereotypes you hope to dispel? “Everyone seems to think that women can’t build upper-body strength. I can beat most guys I know in upper body strength, but not lower body strength; that’s because I started training upper body earlier than lower body. And I think it’s a myth that women can do lower-body strength but not upper-body strength.”

people’s lives, you have to believe what you’re doing and how you’re working with them is the right way. I am the ultimate cross trainer, and I

encourage that for everyone — diversity.”

Why did it take so long for brands to learn how to speak with female athletes?“The role of the female athlete has changed over the years, and fi tness follows what’s happening in society. It’s widely accepted now that women are independent, powerful and strong. Brands saw that trend happen-ing in life and ran with it. Look at the U.S. Open this year: The female tennis players were equal in the prize money — $3.7 million to the winner.”

What fi tness stereotypes do you hope to dispel?“When you see someone physiquewise, people make assumptions. Everyone has a di  erent body type, and bodies react di  erently to workouts. Don’t

be negative toward people who have made fi tness No. 1 in their lives and their body shows it.”

body. And I think it’s a myth that women can do lower-body strength but not upper-body strength.”

F E M A L E F O R C E S

“Don’t be negative

toward people who have

made fitness No. 1 in

their lives.”Kira Stokes

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Talk about a cool ride. Athletic Propulsion Labs transformed its Ascend performance training sneaker for spring ’18 with a luxe calf-hair upper featuring a splatter print. Co-founder Adam Goldston pointed out that each shoe has a unique pattern. “Even the left shoe is di� erent from the right,” he said.

HAVE YOU HERD?01/Shoeof the Week

Talk about a cool ride. Athletic Propulsion Labs transformed its Ascend

HAVE YOU HERD?

On the opening day of London Fashion Week, Adidas staged a secret o� -schedule show curated by brand ambassador Hailey Baldwin. The street-style production, dubbed “Streets of EQT,” was to celebrate the model infl uencer’s EQT Essentials campaign for JD Sports. “I can’t believe how nerve-racking that was,” Baldwin said afterward. “It’s really exciting to be on the creative side, as

I don’t get to do that ever.” During the show, huge screens broadcast the backstage action of her fi nal preparations while models such as Leomie Anderson, Ra� erty Law (son of Jude Law and Sadie Frost) and Vivienne Westwood’s granddaughter Cora Corré strutted their stu� alongside some lucky JD Sports

customers. “I wanted a diverse cast that included di� erent people that represent street style and culture,” said Baldwin. While the fashion trendsetter is known for taking

daring risks with her own wardrobe, the show focused on accessibility. “I wanted to create something that everyone

could be a part of, giving consumers the opportunity to sit on the front row and have the chance to walk in a show alongside well-known faces,” she said.

My go-to look “Usually, if I’m going

out at night, I’ll do a little dress and a pair of sneakers.”

Biggest inspiration “Rihanna — she’s able

to pull off so many different things, from tomboy to done-up.”

Essential fashion item

“Leather jacket.”

Favorite song“Anything Frank Ocean.”

Beauty must-have“Highlighters.”

Best tip for a good selfi e

“Really good lighting.”

London style icon “I think Victoria Beckham

kills it; she’s cool but also classy and reserved.”

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03/ Buzz

HOLIDAY HITSThe Jordan Brand holiday sneaker calendar is as stacked as ever. On Oct. 7, the athletic brand will begin rolling out its 2017 seasonal lineup, starting with the Air Jordan I Flyknit “Royal Blue.” Other releases include a retro Air Jordan XIII from 2005 and two new colorways to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Air Jordan XII. In addition, the “Golden Harvest” colorway makes its debut on the Air Jordan VI. All styles are expected to retail for around $190.

BRICKS & CLICKSBurgeoning luxury sneaker label Koio opened its second retail door last week, on New York’s Madison Avenue on the Upper East Side. “[To create the interior] we picked materials that show up in Italy, like sand-stone and olive trees, created a minimalist interpretation of those materials and integrated them into our store aesthetic,” said Koio co-founder Johannes Quodt. The shop currently stocks the brand’s fall ’17 styles for men and women.

IN A DASHKeds has branched into the athleisure market with two new everyday kicks. The lightweight styles include the Studio Dash slip-on and the Studio Leap laceup. Both shoes feature a neoprene heel and foam outsole for maximum comfort and durability. Debuting in the neutral colors of gray (Dash) and black (Studio), the shoes are meant to pair with any outfi t for day or evening. Both styles are available now on the brand’s website for $65.

02/GoodTaste

HAILEY BALDWIN

The model talks style icons and streetwear at the Adidas EQT and

JD Sports show in London. By Stephanie Hirschmiller

Air Jordan IFlyknit “Royal Blue”

Keds’ StudioDash style

On the opening day of London Fashion Week, Adidas staged a secret o� -schedule show curated by brand ambassador Hailey Baldwin. The street-style production, dubbed “Streets of EQT,” was to celebrate the model infl uencer’s EQT Essentials campaign for JD Sports. “I can’t believe how nerve-racking that was,” Baldwin said afterward. “It’s really exciting to be on the creative side, as

I don’t get to do that ever.” During the show, huge screens broadcast the backstage action of her fi nal preparations while models such as Leomie Anderson, Ra� erty Law (son of Jude Law and Sadie Frost) and Vivienne Westwood’s granddaughter Cora Corré strutted their stu� alongside some lucky JD Sports

customers. “I wanted a diverse cast that included di� erent people that represent street style and culture,” said Baldwin. While the fashion trendsetter is known for taking

daring risks with her own wardrobe, the show focused on accessibility. “I wanted to create something that everyone

could be a part of, giving consumers the opportunity to sit on the front row and have the chance to walk in a show alongside well-known faces,” she said.

Victoria Beckham

My go-to look “Usually, if I’m going

03/ Buzz

HOLIDAY HITS

Air Jordan IAir Jordan IFlyknit “Royal Blue”

creased 10 percent in the

12 months through August.

This outpaced the overall

women’s athletic footwear

market, which experienced

1 percent growth.

According to Krivelow,

Ryka’s consumers are

responding best to its

training sneakers (led by

the fall ’17 Devotion XT

style), its water shoes and

sport-casual products. For

spring ’18, the brand expects

More than ever, brands are turning their focus to the female fitness enthusiast. But

one brand has decades of experience with that consumer and is unfazed by the new

competition. ➵ “[Other brands] are not focused on women the same way Ryka is,”

said Deb Krivelow, SVP and GM of the Caleres-owned label, founded in 1987. “They’re

focused on the consumer as a whole; they want to hit the men, women, kids. We’ve been

focused on empowering her in all areas of her life for 30 years, and you can feel that

when you get our shoes on your feet.” ➵ Industry insiders agree that Ryka’s gender-

specific approach is a big benefit to the brand. ➵ “We continue to see success in women’s-

only product [overall],” said Matt Powell, VP and sports industry analyst with The NPD

Group Inc. “Customers, especially the older millennial athlete, are looking for products

that are specifically made for women. Ryka lines up nicely with that consumer.”

several items to perform

especially well (see sidebar).

Ryka’s retail partners

cheered the brand’s multi-

category coverage. “Their va-

riety is good, and they’ve got

a nice pulse of what’s going

on in the athletic trend right

now,” said Matt Wong, ath-

letic buyer for Off Broadway

Shoe Warehouse. “They’re

covering quite a few bases

and doing it pretty well.”

Despite recent successes,

Krivelow admitted that Ryka

faces its share of challenges,

mainly concerning speed

to market. “Right now, [the

customer] can get her infor-

mation — the latest trends,

best sellers, what her friends

are liking — simply by the

click of a button,” she said.

“We need to ensure that

the latest trends and most

relevant products are get-

ting into our consumers’

hands faster than ever.”

To conquer that chal-

lenge, Caleres has taken

aggressive action compa-

nywide, including revamp-

ing its wholesale-division

operations, partnering with

analytics companies to best

understand its consumer

and improving communica-

tion with factories.

And Powell believes

Ryka has not capitalized on

what he believes is a stellar

marketing opportunity.

“They haven’t played up the

heritage of the brand to the

extent that they could,” he

said. “It’s a great marketing

handle; it’s one that most

brands in the space can’t

tell. That’s a lever Ryka

could be pulling that they

have not fully leveraged.”

However, the brand

is boosting its efforts to

meet the consumer where

she shops. Krivelow noted

that while Ryka is a staple

in major chains such as

Kohl’s, DSW and Macy’s,

its customer is increasingly

shopping online. So the

brand has been emphasizing

digital selling channels.

That effort seems to

be paying off. wAccording

to Ryka, its e-commerce

business is up 50 percent

for the year.

He likened Ryka’s ability

to cater to its consumer

base to some of the other

names dominating the bur-

geoning women’s athletic

apparel market right —

names such as Danskin, C9

and Victoria’s Secret (and

its Pink offshoot).

And in the past year,

Ryka has seen the results

in its numbers. According

to NPD’s Retail Tracking

Service, Ryka sales in-

How Ryka’s gender-specifi c focus has created an unwavering bond with women for 30 years. By Peter Verry

WHAT A GIRL WANTS04/Case Study

“We need to ensure that the latest

trends and most relevant products

are getting into our consumers’ hands faster than ever.”

DEB KRIVELOW

How Ryka’s gender-specifi c focus has How Ryka’s gender-specifi c focus has created an unwavering bond with women created an unwavering bond with women for 30 years. By Peter Verry

WHAT A GIRL WANTSGIRL WANTS04/Case Study

Ryka sneakers in action

FINE FORECAST A few of the styles Ryka is banking on for spring ’18.

Hydrosphere water shoe Retail: $65

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Devotion XT training sneaker Retail: $80

Savannah sport sandal Retail: $50

Devotion Plus 2 walking shoe Retail: $80

30

The very popular Wanderlust fitness series descended on Brooklyn, N.Y., this month for a “mindful triathlon,” including a 5K, yoga class and meditation. And in partnership with sponsor Adidas, the event broke a Guinness World Record for the most people doing yoga in twosomes (2,500, to be exact).

KNIT TOGETHER05/They Are Wearing

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06/One to Watch

07/ Buzz

Tracey McLeod

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Twenty-year shoe industry veteran

(and avid cyclist) Tracey McLeod

identified a void in the sportswear

market — for proper, stylish cycling

footwear — and sought to fill it with

the new Tiem brand.

“Having been a cyclist riding

indoors and outdoors, I started to

pay attention to the shoes,” said

McLeod. “I couldn’t figure out why

they hadn’t been innovated with all

the wonderful materials happening

in the athletic market and running.”

This realization led the founder

and CEO to seek out

a cycling factory to

produce a special-

ized performance

sneaker, dubbed

the Slipstream,

which she de-

scribes as “fashion

meets function.” It

launched last

November and

retails for $125.

“The shoe has a nylon plate on the

bottom, so there’s a specific function

to cycling integrated into this product,

which has engineered meshes and

unique details,” explained McLeod.

Both retailers and customers —

whom McLeod refers to as fashion-

conscious “gyministas” — have quickly

adopted the Slipstream. The sneaker

is now stocked in over 50 locations

across more than 20 states and four

countries, including Malaysia.

Austin, Texas-based studio Love

Cycling has been a

supporter of the brand

since its inception. “I

liked what Tracey had

to say. I liked the

look and feel of the

product, and what

I was most excited

about was bringing

something drastically

new to Austin,” said

Stephanie Kincheloe, co-owner of

Love Cycling. She also appreciated

that Tiem educated the studio on the

shoe’s proper fit.

Fashion and lifestyle blogger Elissa

Garza of Style Wire also is a fan.

“Tiem is truly a superior shoe,” said

Garza. “I was recently gifted a similar

pair of street-to-studio shoes from

an established brand and quickly

gave up on them because of difficulty

clipping in [to the bike] and a less-

than-attractive design overall.”

In the coming seasons, McLeod

plans to expand the product line

with a bar sock, retailing for around

$40, and new shoe styles in the

$150 range. And she feels she has

an advantage to achieve success.

“The [female] has the buying

power, makes a lot of the purchases, is

willing to spend the money and wants

to always look good,” she said. “As a

woman, I’m able to see what they are

looking for: fashion meets function.”

The new cycling shoe brand is infi ltrating a niche market with “footwear for the modern athlete.” By Nia Groce

RIGHT ON TIEM

Gravity Defyer’sIon style with

VersoShock

NO PAIN, ALL GAINA recent study commissioned by Gravity Defyer found that the brand’s patented VersoShock sole technology can signifi cantly reduce knee pain. The double-blind study conducted at Olive View UCLA Medical Center in Sylmar, Calif., examined 52 adults with knee pain. Those who wore the Gravity Defyer for fi ve weeks reported an average reduction in knee pain of 85 percent on a 10-point scale. The shoes were also shown to alleviate back and foot pain.

LESSON PLANSPortland, Ore.-based Pensole Footwear Design Academy launched a Kick-starter campaign last week to raise $75,000. With the funds, it hopes to upgrade its Innovation Studio and introduce free educational programs, such as a nation-wide design contest for high school students, an after-school shoemaking program and a scholarship foundation for future Pensole students. The fi rst 2017 backers who pledge $217 to the campaign will receive a limited-edition shoe design by Pensole alum Maxwell Lund.

SUPER-FLYNike is no stranger to innovation, and its latest breakthrough could be a game-changer. Last week, the brand unveiled Flyleather, a material that feels like pre-mium leather but is made with discarded leather scraps col-lected by Nike from tanneries. The remnants are then turned into fi bers and paired with synthetic fi bers and a fabric infrastructure through a high-powered hydro pro-cess. Flyleather made its debut on the Tennis Classic and will be used on the Air Force 1, Air Max 90, Cortez and Air Jordan 1.

Tiem’s debut Slipstream silhouette

and CEO to seek out

a cycling factory to

Cycling has been a

supporter of the brand

since its inception. “I

liked what Tracey had

to say. I liked the

look and feel of the

product, and what

I was most excited

about was bringing

something drastically

new to Austin,” said

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Athletic brands have forged a cool collection of women’s performance running sneakers by fi nding eye-catching approaches to gray tones.

CAST IRON08/Spring Trend

Ruby Rose in theNike Air Max 97 Ultra ’17

FO OT W E A R N EWS.CO M32

Altra’s Escalante with Altra Ego energy-returning midsole

PureFlow 7 from Brooks with stretch-woven upper and internal bootie

Hurricane ISO from Saucony with Everun midsole

Mizuno’s Wave Catalyst 2 with

Dynamotion upper

Neutral New Balance style with TPU heel

structure for lockdown

On’s multipurpose performance style with

engineered mesh upper

Catalyst 2 with Dynamotion upper

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Neutral New Balancestyle with TPU heel

structure for lockdown

On’s multipurpose performance style with

engineered mesh upper

PureFlow 7 from Brookswith stretch-woven upper and internal bootie

Altra’s Escalante with Altra Ego energy-returning midsole

How the SoulCycle fi tness company has established itself as more than the average workout class. By Nikara Johns

RIDING HIGH09/Up Close

SoulCycle is one of the most popu-

lar indoor cycling classes in the

fi tness community — attracting rid-

ers ranging from A-list celebrities

to fi rst-timers. But what is it about

this company that makes customers

keep coming back? According to

SoulCycle CEO Melanie Whelan, it’s

about the experience.

“It’s not one thing; it’s a thou-

sand little things,” Whelan told

Footwear News. “It’s the smell of

the candle that we burn at the front

desk or the lighting in the lobbies.”

She said the company is bring-

ingthat same level of attention to

its evolution. “It’s about micro- in-

novations and introducing new fea-

tures across all those little details.”

These advances include debuting

a pop-up studio, rolling out a new

bike and even launching its own

footwear.

On Oct. 18, SoulCycle will unveil

the Soul Legend cycling shoe,

which will be available in studios

and online for $200.

Developed in collaboration with

sports apparel and cycling com-

pany Pearl Izumi, it focuses

on comfort, breathability

and support, with features

including antimicrobial upper

mesh, EVA foam cushioning

and rubber heel bumpers.

“The launch aims to further en-

hance the on-the-bike experience,”

said Gabby Cohen, SVP of PR and

brand strategy at SoulCycle. “We

spent a year and a half working

with Pearl Izumi to create this shoe,

[and] we wanted to o� er a new op-

tion for anyone looking to purchase

their own pair.”

Whelan noted that SoulCycle’s

success also comes from connect-

ing with consumers and creating

a welcoming community feel. For

example, classes aren’t targeted to

the quintessential athlete.

“We are a hospitality company

before anything else,” Whelan said.

“Part of our mantra is that we call

our riders ‘legends,’ ‘warriors’ and

‘rock stars.’ Some come for the

physical experience, while others

come for the disconnection and

just to have a good time. [To me],

anyone who is moving their bodies

physically and pushing themselves

to the next level, whatever that

level may be, is an athlete.” Soul Legendcycling shoeP

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E D I T C A L E N D A R

October ISSUE CLOSE FEATURES

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10.30 FN Digital Issue

November ISSUE CLOSE FEATURES

11.06 10.25 Sneakerhead FN Milestone: Extra Butter FN Insights: Technology Distribution: NSRA Leadership Conference Nov. 8-9 (TN)

11.20 11.08 FN Legends: Titan Industries’ Joe Ouaknine FFANY Pre-Show Slippers FN Insights: Education Distribution: FFANY - Nov.29 - Dec. 1 Two Ten Footwear Annual Dinner - Nov. 29

11.27 11.15 FN Achievement Awards FFANY Show Distribution: FN Achievement Awards - Nov. 28, FFANY - Nov. 29-Dec.1 December ISSUE CLOSE FEATURES

12.04 11.22 Women’s, Comfort FN Insights: Finance

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Pick

FN IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. COPYRIGHT ©2017 FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 73, NO. 25. August 14, 2017. FN (ISSN 0162-914X) is published weekly (except for the first week in January, February, March, May and July, second week in November and December, third week in April and June, fourth week in August, September and December, fifth week in May and October) by Fairchild Publishing, LLC, which is a division of Penske Business Media, LLC. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 475 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10017. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post: return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO FOOTWEAR NEWS, P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, IA, 51593. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to FOOTWEAR NEWS, P.O. Box 6357, Harlan, IA, 51593, call 866-963-7335, or e-mail cus-tomer service at footwearnews@cdsfulfillment.com. Please include both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. For New York Hand Delivery Service address changes or inquiries, please contact Mitchell’s NY at 1-800-662-2275, option 7. One-year subscrip-tion price: U.S. $72, Canadian $149, foreign $295. Single-copy cost $10. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfied with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy of a new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. We reserve the right to change the number of print issues in a subscription term, including discontinuing our print format, make substitutions and/or modify the manner in which the subscription is distributed. You have the right to cancel at any time and receive a full refund of any unused portion of your current subscription term. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to FOOTWEAR NEWS, 475 5th Ave, 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10017. For permissions and editorial requests, e-mail licensing@pmc.com. Visit us online at www.footwearnews.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild Publishing, LLC magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.wwd.com/subscriptions. FOOTWEAR NEWS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITE ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDER-ATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY FOOTWEAR NEWS IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS , PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.

Tommy Hilfi ger and Gigi Hadid staged their third collaborative collection at London’s legendary Roundhouse music venue. The spring ’18 show marked the brand’s fi rst London Fashion Week appearance in 20 years. Hadid, in black booties, both opened and closed the “Rock Circus” a� air. Taking the fi nal walk alongside his partner, Hilfi ger blew a kiss in his namesake white leather sneakers.

Ready to Rock

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FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT LAUREN SCHOR, ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER AT 212 256 8118 OR LSCHOR@FOOTWEARNEWS.COM

ISSUE October 16CLOSE DATE October 04

WorkBoot

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