A new study shows that, in some categories, U.S. shoe sales in the second quarter of 2021 have already far outpaced sales in the same period from 2019, or before the pandemic wreaked havoc on the footwear industry.
Leisure category sales in the second quarter reached $5.2 billion across the men’s, women’s and kids’ categories — all of which showed gains. The category reached $3.9 billion in the same period from 2019. This category includes items like hiking boots, sports slides, fishing and water shoes — all activities that have seen a big boost during the pandemic. As reported by WWD, this larger cultural shift toward outdoor life in the U.S. is expected to far outlast pandemic times.
Fashion footwear, the shoe category to take the biggest hit during the pandemic when shoppers had few places to go or show off, is now only a total of 6 percent under 2019 sales. The category achieved $3.9 billion in sales in the second quarter of 2021, compared with $4.1 billion in 2019. Spending in the men’s category is 8 percent under 2019 totals, children’s stands at about negative 6 percent, and women’s is around 3 percent under.