Author:Rae WittePublish date:Mar 13, 2019Updated onMar 13, 2019Projected to be a $95.14 billion dollar industry by 2025, nearly doubling from its $55 billion dollar valuation in 2016 and fueled by millennials and Gen-Zers with smartphones and a wifi connection, the sneaker industry has seen stunning growth over the last five years.
Naturally, as retailers begin put cash into the aftermarket arena, it only makes sense for brands to determine where they fit into the mix, while maintaining their roles as innovators and providers in the sneaker ecosystem.
This also is what Metzger is looking forward to. "I hope we see more technical advances — I'd really like more designers to get their hands on sneakers, be it older models or new concepts, and take their creativity to the next level," he says. "While I didn't personally love the look of the Martine Rose Monarchs, I definitely appreciated her take and explanation for the design.
General Manager of Jordan Brand's Women's Division, Andrea Perez says, "Women have access and choice of product like never before. At Nike and Jordan Brand, for example, we have product offerings for her that range from high-heat product to unisex sizing and exclusive women-only projects and collaborations that men covet. Women's sneakers are opening up a new level of creative opportunities — freedom of choice, freedom of style and freedom of expression.
Flores points out how Nike partnered with Stadium Goods for an Air Force 1 activation at ComplexCon in 2016. "It was for the anniversary of the Air Force 1 where Nike brought all of the Air Forces, or had all these vintage Air Forces provided by Stadium Goods, and they sold them at the original like retail price." While this may not have been a profit play, the activation itself was incredibly memorable.