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June 25, 2012 ISSUE 1226 The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Sporting Goods Industry
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SGB WEEKLY 1226 - FFANY REVIEW
Transcript of SGB WEEKLY 1226
June 25, 2012ISSUE 1226
The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Sporting Goods Industry
FOR 45 YEARS WE’VE BEEN DRIVING INSOLE TECHNOLOGY FORWARD. Now, building on the success of our best-selling TOTAL SUPPORT™ Insole, we’ve built two
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JUNE 25, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 3
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Copyright 2012 SportsOneSource, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors to SGB WEEKLY are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. SGB WEEKLY is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in SGB WEEKLY may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. SGB WEEKLY is published weekly by SportsOneSource, LLC, 2151 Hawkins Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704.987.3450. Send address changes to SGB WEEKLY , 2151 Hawkins Street, Suite 200, Charlotte, NC 28203; 704.987.3450
The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Sporting Goods Industry
JUNE 25, 2012ISSUE 1226
Senior Business EditorThomas J. Ryan
Contributing EditorsFernando J. Delgado, Mackenzie Lobby,
Charlie Lunan, Matt Powell
Creative DirectorTeresa Hartford
[email protected] (x105)
Graphic DesignerCamila Amortegui
[email protected] 704.987.3450 (x103)
Special Projects ManagerDao Huynh
[email protected] (x109)
President, Sports & OutdoorPaul Gagner
VP Business Development / EastBarry Gauthier
VP Business Development / WestBarry Schrimsher
VP Marketing / Product DevelopmentGregg Hartley
Chief Information OfficerMark Fine
[email protected] (x224)
Advertising Sales Account Manager / Northeast
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Barry Kingwill & Jim [email protected]@sportsonesource.com
847.537.9196
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Katie O'[email protected]
828.244.3043
Circulation & [email protected]
Editor In ChiefJames Hartford
2151 Hawkins Street • Suite 200 • Charlotte • NC • 28203t. 704-987-3450 • f. 704-987-3455
www.SportsOneSource.com
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COVERMoving Comfort's new Studio collection includes the Serendipity Tank, which features DriLayer mesh fabric with a wood block print, a strappy racer-back with adjustability, and an internal bra with removable, moderate contour cups.
4 FANATICS Completes Dreams Acquisition and receives $150M Equity Infusion
ZUMIEZ Acquires Blue Tomato
6 VANS LXVI COLLECTION Looks to Add $1Billion by 2016
MOVERS & SHAKERS
7 AUTHENTIC BRANDS Acquires Sportcraft, Ltd.
BAUER PERFORMANCE SPORTS Snaps Up Cascade Helmets Holdings, Inc.
8 FFANY – SGB Weekly reports back on highlights from the recent New York Shoe Expo
18 FASHION AND FUNCTION Moving Comfort's New Studio and Urban Gym Collections for Spring 2013
DEPARTMENTS
22 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
NEWS FEATURES
FFANY hosted the New York Shoe Expo June 6-8 and SGB Weekly was there to cover the event.
8
4 SGBWeekly.com | JUNE 25, 2012
Fanatics, Inc. announced the completion of its acquisition of Dreams, Inc., the parent of FansEdge.com. In conjunction with the acquisition, Fanatics closed a $150 million equity investment overseen by Insight Venture Partners. The funds will be used to support future growth of the business.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the investment amounted to a 10 percent stake in the company. Fanatics had previously said it would acquire Dreams for $183 million in cash and debt. In addition to Insight Venture Partners, the acquisition was facilitated with participation from Andreessen Horowitz and a $75 million line of credit led from Bank of America.
The acquisition of Dreams by Fanatics was originally announced in April.
"The Internet allows for a significantly broader assortment of licensed sports merchandise to be sold to the consumer – especially to the displaced fan who is typically unable to purchase their favorite teams’
merchandise in local retail stores,” said Alan Trager, CEO of Fanatics. “As a result of this acquisition, Fanatics is even better positioned to deliver a superior customer experience for all sports fans. In addition to providing greater product assortment, we are focused on expanding our distribution capabilities and opening regional fulfillment centers to deliver fans’ orders faster than before.”
Apart from its own Fanatics and FansEdge brands, the company also operates licensed sports merchandise e-commerce sites for its partners, including major professional sports leagues, prominent professional and collegiate teams, media sites and sports apparel manufacturers. After the conclusion of the Dreams acquisition, Fanatics headquarters will remain in Jacksonville, FL. The company will also operate offices in the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA and Chicago, IL.
“Our goal is to build one of the world’s truly great e-commerce companies,” added Michael G. Rubin, CEO
and founder of Kynetic, who also serves as the executive chairman of Fanatics. “The combination of Fanatics and Dreams, the confidence in our business reflected in the investment from Insight and Andreessen Horowitz, and our expected revenue of $1 billion in 2013, all underscore our momentum toward achieving this goal.”
FANATICS COMPLETES DREAMS ACQUISITION; RECEIVES $150 MILLION EQUITY INFUSION
Zumiez, Inc. has signed a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Blue Tomato, a leading European action sports retailer based in Austria. The total purchase price for Blue Tomato will be €59.5 million, subject to certain pre-closing and post-closing adjustments. An additional
€22.1 million of future payments are contingent upon achieving certain performance objectives related to growth over the next three years.
Founded by former European Snowboard champion Gerfried Schuller in 1988, Blue Tomato operates one of Europe's largest ac-tion sports e-commerce websites, blue-tomato.com, which is avail-able in 14 different languages. Additionally, the company operates 5 stores in Austria. Blue Tomato sells an extensive and diverse mix of branded snow and skate hard goods, apparel, footwear, and ac-cessories across Europe. For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012, Blue Tomato reported a net sales increase of approximately 27 percent to €29.4 million with roughly 75 percent generated through e-com-merce. Blue Tomato reported €3.5 million of net income for the year ended April 30, 2012. All Blue Tomato results are reflected in accor-dance with Austrian generally accepted accounting principles.
Rick Brooks, Chief Executive Officer of Zumiez, Inc., stated, "Join-ing forces with Blue Tomato represents the next step in our strategic plan to build the leading global action sports retail business. Europe has a large, vibrant and growing action sports community, which Gerfried and his team have skillfully tapped into through a broad of-fering of authentic brands and products, a differentiated retail experi-ence, and superior customer service."
Blue Tomato will continue to be headquartered in Schladming, Austria and senior management led by Schuller will continue in their current roles.
ZUMIEZ ACQUIRES LEADING EUROPEAN ACTION SPORTS RETAILER
Blue Tomato was founded by former European Snowboard champion Gerfried Schuller in 1988
NEWS
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6 SGBWeekly.com | JUNE 25, 2012
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Fanatics, Inc., the online retailer of officially licensed sports merchandise, appointed Jack Boyle as president of merchandising. Prior to his position at Fanatics, Boyle was EVP - general merchandise manager, women’s and intimate apparel at Kohl’s Corporation.
Deckers Outdoor, the parent of Ugg, Sanuk and Teva, appointed David Powers president of direct-to-consumer (DTC), effective mid-August. Powers joins Deckers from Converse, a division of Nike, Inc., where he was VP of global DTC and licensed retail since 2008.
Salomon USA hired Dennis Hochwender as its footwear national sales manager. Hochwender, who has already begun his new position, was most recently VP of sales and outdoor product director for Hi-Tec USA.
Mizuno USA has hired Ahmet Abaci to serve as the company’s new VP of brand marketing and management. Most recently, Ahmet served as VP of marketing for SSL International’s Americas region. He previously worked in marketing roles for Kimberly Clark and Bausch & Lomb.
Keen, Inc. hired three product experts to lead the trailhead, casual and sock teams. The hires include Jeff Dill as footwear business director of the trailhead category; Johanna Koeberle, senior merchandising manager for Blvd, the Keen casual category; and Catriona Shannon, socks product line manager. Callaway Golf Company announced the appointment of Harry Arnett as senior vice president, marketing. In this role, Arnett assumes leadership of the company's global marketing, communications and go-to-market functions.
VANS INTRODUCES LXVI COLLECTION LOOKS TO ADD $1 BILLION BY 2016
Management from Vans and parent company VF Corp. last week outlined an aggressive plan to add $1 billion in sales over the next five years but the big surprise was the introduction of an athletic-inspired line, LXVI, designed to help the brand target the core athletic channel largely for the first time.Using the Roman numeral for 1966, the year the brand was born, LXVI will be launched in two weeks in 350 Foot Locker and 50 Footaction locations, as well as select sporting goods accounts in the U.S. including Sport Chalet, lifestyle retailers overseas, select Vans stores and through its e-commerce site.
At the meeting held at the House of Vans in Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY, Vans President Kevin Bailey said the brand’s team began developing the collection around two years ago after noticing a mainstreaming among action sports consumers.
“Youth culture is evolving,” said Bailey. “It's time for action sports not to be viewed as a rebellious activity in a small subset of culture anymore. What you see today are kids who grew up playing tradi-tional sports that are adopting various aspects of action sports as part of their everyday lives.”
At the same time, he noted that this emerging, more mainstream action sports consumer grew up wearing traditional athletic shoes with expectations around lightweight, comfort and performance characteristics.
LXVI brings six performance aspects into the footwear model that Bailey promises “have never been seen before” in the action sports space. These include a slightly-raised heel lift that feels more like a traditional running shoe along with no-sew, seamless construction. The Vans trademark waffle sole pattern was also reinvented to add flexibility to the sole and create a more dynamic fit. Said Bailey, “These shoes are lightweight, they're flexible, and they are incredibly comfortable.”
The bulk of the meeting provided deeper details on its plan to add $1 billion in revenues over the next five years to hit $2.2 billion in revenues by 2016. The compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) over the five-year period is 13 percent.
By region, growth for Vans in the Americas, representing about 70 percent of total revenues in 2011, will account for nearly half of the anticipated $1 billion in revenue growth by 2016 with a 10 percent compounded annual growth rate. With balanced growth across both wholesale and direct-to-consumer channels, a key focus will be expansion outside Vans’ core West Coast market. Major metropolitan areas such as New York City and Mexico City, where Vans has demonstrated strong success, will be utilized as epicenters to drive brand awareness.
In EMEA (Europe/Middle East/Africa), Vans expects to add $350 million in revenues by 2016 on an 18 percent CAGR rate. Sporting a 22 percent CAGR, Asia Pacific (APAC) is expected to be Vans’ fastest growth region with its largest opportunity concentrated in China.
▲To view more on the Vans LXVI collection click on the video
NEWS
JUNE 25, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 7
AUTHENTIC BRANDS ACQUIRES SPORTCRAFT, LTD. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) has acquired the intellectual property of Sportcraft, Ltd, which includes the trademarks, copyrights and patents of the Sportcraft and Classic Sport brands. Joining the likes of Marilyn Monroe and TapouT as ABG properties, Sportcraft's prod-uct offerings include billiards, darts, foosball, table tennis, air hockey, badminton, ladderball and more. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
"Sportcraft has done an incredible job in creating reliable product and a trusted brand name over the past 90 years," said Nick Woodhouse, CMO of ABG. "We now have the opportunity to take a brand that has given joy to families worldwide and bring it to the 21st century."
Modernizing the Sportcraft brand includes plans to bring their line of physical games to the mobile platform. "Sportcraft's comprehen-sive product collection is primed to seamlessly transition to mobile games," said Jamie Salter, CEO of ABG. "Interactive Sportcraft mo-bile applications will give consumers a whole new way to enjoy recre-ational sporting products. " In addition to building a mobile platform, ABG will also look to expand to the general sporting goods category.
In 2011, Sportcraft realized over $126 million in wholesale rev-enues, approximately 80 percent of which was to large blue-chip retailers in North America. Estimated retail sales in 2011 were in excess of $200 million. ABG intends to pursue license opportunities throughout the world for Sportcraft and Classic Sport's extensive line of table, dart and lawn and outdoor games.
The Sportcraft deal is ABG's fifth acquisition since the company was founded two years ago. Other brands include Silver Star, Iron Star, Hitman Fight Gear and Sinister. According to Jamie Salter, "Sportcraft is the next step in building ABG as a broad-based licensor with attractive brands in action sports, iconic personalities, consumer products, media and entertainment."
BAUER PERFORMANCE SPORTS SNAPS UP CASCADE HELMETS HOLDINGS, INC.Bauer Performance Sports, Ltd. entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Cascade Helmets Holdings, Inc., best known for its la-crosse helmets, for a purchase price of US$64 million, payable in cash and subject to adjustment. The acquisition is expected to close on or about June 29, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Cascade is the leading manufacturer of lacrosse helmets and eyewear in North America, and is a well-recognized brand in the broader lacrosse equipment industry. In addition to Cascade’s la-crosse business, the acquisition also includes Cascade’s recently established hockey helmet business, which has experienced success in the industry with its M11 helmet, co-developed with hockey icon Mark Messier. Cascade designs and manufactures all of its products at its operations in Liverpool, NY, which provides a 48-hour turn-around time for custom helmet orders and over 750,000 different color combinations.
Bauer said the acquisition expands its presence in the lacrosse equipment industry, adding helmets to the Maverik family of sticks, heads, shafts and protective gear. Bauer also plans to leverage its commitment to product development and safety, realize attractive cross-selling opportunities, and achieve cost synergies. At the same time, Bauer intends to leverage Cascade’s patented head-protec-tion technologies and extend and build upon its partnership with Mark Messier to improve player safety through product develop-ment, education and awareness initiatives. Bauer also plans to con-tinue Cascade’s custom manufacturing capabilities for lacrosse and hockey helmets and expects to expand manufacturing at its facility to include Bauer-branded hockey helmets.
“The acquisition of Cascade increases our presence in North America’s fastest growing team sport, and allows us to expand our product offering in our core hockey business through the use of Cas-cade’s proprietary helmet technology and manufacturing capabili-ties,” said Kevin Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer, Bauer Performance Sports,.
Jamie Salter, CEO, Authentic Brands Group
Nick Woodhouse, CMO, Authentic Brands Group
Kevin Davis, President and CEO, Bauer Performance Sports
8 SGBWeekly.com | JUNE 25, 2012
SGB Weekly went to take a look at some of the highlights from the FFANY show that took place on June 6-8 at the NYC Hilton. The following are some of the highlights from the 2013 collections of Crocs, Chaco, Dansko, Merrell, Patagonia, Ryka, Skechers and Timberland.
IF THE SHOE FITS
FFANY
JUNE 25, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 9
For Spring 2013, Chaco unveils the NearGround collection built on the brand’s lightest, thinnest and most cushioned platform to date. The sandal collection adjusts using a new embedded D-ring design that keeps the sandal strap webbing passing above the foot for in-stant comprehension and features Chaco’s LUVSEAT platform for foot support.
For women, the Backshore and Pivotrock slide on easily and fea-ture PU coated synthetic leather and soft, breathable mesh uppers with adjustable webbing or laces. The Keel is a Mary Jane style with durable webbing for instep support and a breathable mesh upper. The open forefoot Chari, toe-looped Fantasia and backless Sleet
take Chaco sandals to a new level with ultra-light minimal platforms, adjustable fit and colorful two-sided webbing. Newer styles also feature a softer footbed than Chaco’s traditional sandals.
The NearGround also extends to the enclosed side. In men’s, the Hydra Primer is built for adventures on and off the river with a PU coated synthetic leather and mesh upper and adjustable instep webbing. The Lonerock sports square stay-tied laces, perforated synthetic leather upper and a PU coated bumper for toe protection. The open forefoot Mighty and toe-looped Rex sandals offer the lowest profile
midsole from Chaco de-signed as a sleek, support-ive update to the Z sandal.
Chaco is also extending its Skinny urban adventure collection, introduced this fall, with canvas styles in-
spired by the outdoors. Its relaxed Chill collection was redesigned with rich leathers accented by creative strap details.
CHACO’S LUVSEAT SUPPORT MEETS MINIMALISM
Hydra Primer
Fantasia
Mighty
Best known for their classic rocker-bottom stapled clog, Dansko continues to find success branching out into categories such as heels, boots, flats and sneakers.
Vulcanized canvas, reaching its third season in 2013, has been particularly successful for the brand, according to Kitty Bolinger, national sales manager for Dansko. Building on that success, the Sedona, a casual sneaker, available in 3 styles – lace up, slide, and
Mary Jane’s - debuts in January 2013. Bolinger stated, “They’re incredibly lightweight but pack the comfort promised and expected from a Dansko shoe. It’s perfect for the outdoor girl who wants something they can easily slip on after a hike or run.”
Another highlight for Spring 2013 is the Vista, a fashionable, strappy sandal collection that is casual enough for day use but “with enough sparkle to carry through into the evening,” said Bolinger. The Vista collection is available in metallic or patent leather uppers with a contoured footbed, shock-absorbing cork and PU outsole for comfort. Bolinger said such styles have been bringing new generations of fans to the brand.
Sedona
Vista
DANSKO EXPANDS ITS CANVAS COLLECTION
10 SGBWeekly.com | JUNE 25, 2012 Photo courtesy of Columbia
Crocs continues to find success broadening across a variety of categories. In the first quarter of 2012, the percentage of revenues from its classic clog silhouette shrunk to less than half of its sales for the first time due to expansion into vulcanized sneakers, Mary Jane’s, boots and other areas.
For Spring 2013, Crocs will expand the women’s translucent category and its dual-density Duet collection but continue to harken back to building upon its roots with the launch of Crocs Retro and the Molded Boat collection.
With the Huarache, the classic Mexican sandal becomes infused with Crocs DNA along with innovative, multi-color translucent
CROCS LOOKS TO NEW AND OLD
woven straps and other fashionable touches. The Duet collection offers dual density
comfort (made with two types of Croslite). The softer Croslite material is used in the footbed while the denser version is incorporated on the outside for longer wear.
Crocs Retro reimagines the classic Crocs’ clog as a 70’s inspired track shoe. The herringbone rubber outsole provides better traction while the sidewall stripes deliver a new design element.
The color-infused Molded Boat collection keeps the functional laces and siped rubber sole of Crocs’ iconic boat shoe for grip, but adds bright, active colors and the signature Crocs lightweight feel.
JUNE 25, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 11
profile slip-on that blends canvas and nubuck. It flaunts fabric detail-ing on the back half of the shoe and bowtie detail on top. The Nerium flip-flop offers a color patterned footbed and fabric detailed thong.
On the men’s side, a highlight is the Kharkoum Chukka a lace-up style with leather and canvas upper.
While the big push at Merrell centers around its M-Connect series on the athletic side, at the FFANY Shoe Show Merrell introduced the Bazaar travel collection. Colors are rich, earthy and natural, inspired by Moroccan and Turkish bazaars.
“Whether you’re traveling globally or exploring locally, the outside brings us together as a community,” said Craig Throne, vice president of global marketing at Merrell. “The Bazaar Collection is influenced from local markets across the globe. How we go about experiencing the outside is unique and through Bazaar we wanted to create a col-lection of shoes and clothing that easily travel with you and inspire you to have a go-anywhere, live-in-the moment mentality.”
For women, the Samphire is an opened front ankle bootie with soft lace-up detailing. The ankle features a cuff that exposes the herring-bone patterned fabric detailing and canvas lining. Artemisia is a lower
MERRELL UNVEILS TRAVEL INSPIRED COLLECTION
Artemisia
Kharkoum Chukka
NeriumSamphire
Expanding its minimal 4mm drop offering, Patagonia Footwear intro-duces the EVERmore, the company’s lightest shoe to date (6.2 ounces for women and 7.8 ounces for men). The EVERmore has a durable, breathable air mesh upper with protective overlays and drainage ports. The soft, counter-free heel, integrated footbed and flexible midsole and outsole allow the foot to naturally connect with the terrain with ample cushioning – 10mm in the heel and 6mm in the forefoot – and a rock
plate for ultra distance protection. Also part of the 4mm drop family, the popular Fore Runner gets an update in the Fore Runner Evo with a new durable, protective and precise fitting upper.
PATAGONIA FOOTWEAR BRINGS LIGHT TO THE TRAIL
Gamut
Fore Runner Evo
EVERmoreThe Gamut, a more cushioned shoe for long distance training
and multi-surface running, features a leather toe bumper, a forefoot shock and absorption plate as well as a multi-density, sticky rubber outsole for wet and dry traction.
The products are built and tested with critical feedback from Pa-tagonia’s Trail Running Ambassador, Krissy Moehl, and Patagonia’s Ultra Running Team.
“This season marks a big emphasis on Trail Running and is influ-enced by the testing and feedback from our Patagonia ultra running
Photo courtesy of Patagonia by Jeff Johnson
JUNE 25, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 13
Drifter 2.0 Waterproof
Peak Sneak A/C
Fitz Sneak
Nomad 2.0 Waterproof
athletes,” noted Sue Harvey Brown, marketing manager at Patagonia Footwear. “Dependent on the distance and the terrain, different run-ners require different shoe options. Our design team worked closed with our ultra running team to expand our trail running products. We are receiving very positive response from retail and are excited to bring this new collection to market.”
In hiking, the Drifter (low-cut) and (mid cut) receive more modern and protective updates with full grain leather, waterproof uppers and a protective rubber rand in the Nomad 2.0 Waterproof and Drifter 2.0 Waterproof.
For approach, the original Cragmaster now offers air conditioning for warm climate “cragging” with a breathable and durable air mesh upper in the vegan-friendly Cragmaster A/C. A low profile 4mm drop polyurethane midsole feeds ground and rock feel yet provides enough cushioning for longer approaches.
On the multi-sport side, the women’s Peak Sneak A/C offers a ven-tilated, breathable upper for warm weather explorations. It features a leather toe bumper and a 50 percent recycled mesh footbed and lin-ing. The Fitz Sneak, a youthful, low-key sneaker, includes a cushioned EVA midsole and a sticky rubber sole for traction.
Playing to the brand’s surf heritage, the new C-Street collection of relaxed suede and textile sneakers features a superlight and flex-ible Eva midsole atop a non-marking and slip-resistant recycled rubber sole.
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14 SGBWeekly.com | JUNE 25, 2012
Launched at the recent FFANY Shoe Show in New York City, Ryka is rolling out a Mobile Shoe Closet across the country to get the word out about the iconic women's-only athletic footwear line.
A bright magenta truck filled with Ryka’s new Desire running shoe line was parked outside of the Hilton New York during the FFANY Shoe Show. A prize wheel offering opportunities to win shoes and other gear as well as a visit by Leilani, Ryka’s brand ambassador and fitness expert, drew a constant crowd.
The tour is designed to enable consumers to test out Ryka sneakers and speak with the brand about new shoe designs. The collection has been reworked following Brown Shoe’s February 2011 acquisition of American Sporting Goods, which included Ryka as well as Avia and Nevados.
Besides discussing technologies, the brand's ambassadors will also be dishing out fitness advice and education on exercise regimens. After New York, the truck headed to Indianapolis, IN, to meet customers at local Finish Lines near the chain’s headquarters. Appearances are also scheduled in major cities including Miami, Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
The Ryka truck will also attend high profile events like Super Saturday in the Hamptons, the Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles, and Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. Ryka said attending these events would enable the brand to re-connect with their celebrity fans, which include Lindsay Lohan, Joy Bryant, Anna Lynne McCord, Elizabeth Olsen and Hillary Duff.
In an interview at the FFANY Show, Leilani, who regularly appears on QVC supporting Ryka, said one reason for the tour is to increase
RYKA ROLLS OUT MOBILE SHOE CLOSETexposure for the brand, noting that she commonly finds people recognize and like the brand but can’t tell where to find them. While the brand is best known for fitness, the tour is also designed to encourage customers to also wear the brand outside of the gym.
For Leilani, a trainer with over 20 years of fitness experience, the tour provides the opportunity to reach the “woman” on the street. Said Leilani, “I appear on QVC with the brand and talk to a lot of customers and get feedback all the time. For me just being on the street talking to people helps me understand what they think about our shoes and what we need to change. It could be something as simple as ‘You have too many black shoes. Can you get me something in blue?’”
The tour also supports soon to be released, expanded fitness-focused collection in the works from Brown, which also owns Dr. Scholl’s, Naturalizer and several fashion brands.
Leilani noted that while in the past, the shoe wall may have offered “one cross trainer” as a solution for gym workouts, the active women today have more needs. She pointed to how foot support can vary greatly depending on whether the person is participating in a Zumba class, kickboxing or boot camp. Said Leilani, “We’re doing a lot more to focus on getting back into the gym because our core consumer is very fitness based and there’s a lot of loyalty there.”
"We are ecstatic to have created a hands-on experience to familiarize athletic shoe enthusiasts with our brand in such a unique, non-traditional way," added Ryka's VP of Marketing Ed Goldman in a press release. "Ryka is breaking away from conventional sneaker brands, and the Mobile Fitness Zone Tour provides us with a great opportunity to reach the masses."
Skechers plans to continue building on its GOrun platform for Spring 2013, but one of the more notable changes on the performance side will be the introduction of a new logo and packaging.
Rick Higgins, VP global product development/merchandising, Fitness Group at Skechers USA, said GOrun continues to benefit from a positive response from run bloggers and other influencers since the GOrun Ride was first introduced last November. Also helping is the attention grabbed by its star endorser, Meb Keflezighi, who set a personal best in winning the 2012 U.S. Olympic trials marathon to qualify for the London Games. But Higgins said Skechers recognizes it has to further separate the lifestyle part of Skechers from the newer performance side “as we connect with a more performance-oriented consumer.”
The agency that developed Skechers’ high-profile Super Bowl ads also developed the new marketing campaign for the spring 2013 introductions.
On the product side, the GOrun Ride 2 is scheduled to reach retail in January 2013 and be heralded by a Super Bowl ad. The new version removes another ounce from the shoe, adds more rubber to the forefoot, and improves the last inside the shoe to remove arch pressure found in the original Ride. It also features a customizable footbed so wearers can take out the 2mm insole for more of a barefoot feel. Benefits such as impulse sensors provide feedback and Resalyte cushioning that has earned the shoe accolades continues. Said Higgins, “It has memory retention in the outsole using our Resalyte cushioning, combined with being a mid-to fore-foot striking shoe; people love the feeling of this shoe in our testing."
Go Bionic, its first zero-drop shoe that reaches retail in July, has also received good early responses. Said Higgins, “A lot of testers are loving the shoe because we’re adding a lot of cushioning to the zero-drop proposition. It’s very unique.”
For Spring 2013, the Bionic will come out in a 4mm-drop version for those who cannot manage a zero-drop differential and for more commercial appeal.
GOtrail, which debuts this September, has received the best feedback from its athletes and influencers than any shoe under the GOrun platform, said Higgins. The waterproof model adds a proprietary Resagrip outsole that increases the amount of rubber for greater traction as well as a 2mm rock plate in the forefoot for added toe protection. A different geometrical alignment of the impulse sensors also helps shed rocks. Noted Higgins, “Lightweight trail is emerging.”
GOwalk, which launched this spring, is a walking shoe that works almost like a recovery shoe with its Resalyte midsole, flexibility, integrated OrthoLite anti-microbial sock liner and other performance features. But the slip-on, espadrille-upper style also offers more of a fashion play as well as value at $50 to $60. Said Higgins, “The main thing that stood out in all the testing was how comfortable these shoes are.”
For Spring 2013, lace-up versions of the GOwalk will debut as well as a GOcourt collection for team sports.
SKECHERS BROADENS PERFORMANCE PUSH
GOwalkGOtrail
16 SGBWeekly.com | JUNE 25, 2012
Timberland continues pushing toward melding performance with style but a focus for Spring/Summer 2013 is adding more youthful takes.
“Style, Performance and Green are the three attributes that we’re trying to get across for the summer,” said Troy McErlain manager for outdoor leisure, Timberland, in an interview with SGB Weekly at Timberland’s NYC showroom. “The look, the feel and the color add up to a whimsical, fun, and youth-oriented aesthetic. But it also stretches up to an older consumer since they pack the sensibility of Timberland with the rugged outsole, innovative siping and other expected details.”
On the men’s side, one notable youthful take is the Earthkeepers Hookset Handcrafted Slip-on. Representing the next generation in eco-craftsmanship, the Earthkeepers Hookset Handcrafted Slip-on is
TIMBERLAND GETS MORE PLAYFUL
Earthkeepers Hookset Handcrafted Slip-on
Earthkeepers Intervale Leather
Earthkeepers BareStep Low with Kurim
Earthkeepers BareStep Double Strap Mary Jane
made with just three primary materials – 100 percent organic cotton for the upper canvas and lining twill, leather accents that came from the factory floor of its boat shoes and natural latex for the sole and footbed. Said McErlain, “It’s lightweight and comfort in a minimalist style.”
In the multi-sport category, the men’s Earthkeepers Intervale Leather delivers breathable comfort and support, thanks to a mesh/leather upper and 100 percent recycled PET webbing. An extremely sticky 42 percent recycled rubber outsole provides grip; laces and lining are also made from recycled PET.
On the women’s side, a highlight includes the Earthkeepers BareStep Low with Kurim. Laura Young, North American women’s product manager, Timber-land, said the summer-ready, eco-conscious multi-sport shoe features a 42 percent recycled rubber siped outsole for traction; 100 percent recycled mesh and Ly-cra lining for breathable cushioning and EVA pods for added shock absorption.
Designed to go anywhere she goes, the women’s Earthkeepers BareStep Double Strap Mary Jane features premium full-grain leather and suede upper with hand stitch detailing, adjustable straps for fit, 100 percent recycled PET lining, and interior padding for comfort.
For more information contact 704.987.3450 or [email protected]
SportsJobSource... I am proud to work for a company I can believe in, and with
exceptionally talented co-workers.Thank you!
OBJ .COM
18 SGBWeekly.com | JUNE 25, 2012
MOVING COMFORT LOOKS BEYOND THE RUN
“As a female-powered company, we know that women today demand fun and diversity in their workout,” said Julie Baxter, vice president of Moving Comfort. “And, as women’s participation in sport and fitness continues to grow, a new breed of female athlete is on the rise, unwilling to sacrifice style for sport. Her gear has to look forward and fashionable but also has to function. That’s what our spring collection is all about.”
Key trends for the season include layered performance pieces and clean lines with technical details. The color palette centers on blues accented by hot pink, and purples punctuated with lime green - all grounded by shades of grey. Patterns for the season include revamped animal prints, eastern-inspired prints and over-printing/mixed-media graphics.
The Studio collection features “fresh colors and comfortable styles that motivate and keep ladies looking sharp from juice bar to barre class and back again.”
By Thomas J. Ryan
Serendipity Tank
The new Studio and Urban Gym collections for Spring 2013, to be unveiled at the upcoming Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, comes along with the resurgence of group exercise and the growing interest in cross-training.
JUNE 25, 2012 | SGBWeekly.com 19
Highlights in the Studio collection include the Serendipity Tank, which features DriLayer mesh fabric with a wood block print, a strappy racer-back with adjustability, and an internal bra with removable, moderate contour cups.
The Flow Crossback Tank features seam-free molded cups while also utilizing a combination of encapsulation/compres-sion for support. Other features include criss-cross back straps, DriLayer Plush mossed fabric, and DriLayer Buzz with recycled coffee grounds in moderate contour cups to move moisture.
The Urban Gym collection is described in Moving Comfort’s marketing campaign as “all about sporty street style to take you to the gym and back home again.” One highlight is the Urban Gym Full Zip, a full zip, high collar with adjustable hood, zip hand pockets, secure internal pocket to fit a smart phone, and MC signature thumbloops.
In its core Run collection, a standout is the Endurance Tank, an on-trend, relaxed silhouette with racer back for layering. It also features an infinity drawcord at the waist that can be worn cinched or loose, heathered, DriLayer Fresh fabric with a cotton-like hand with odor resistant and moisture-wicking properties.
On the bra side, Moving Comfort introduced the Endurance Racer, which offers a customizable fit through a combination of front and back adjustability. A blend of compression and encapsulation paired with hidden side and under bust support delivering high impact support for B-DD cups.
Endurance Tank and Fusion Flex Capri
Endurance Racer Bra
Developed by Moving Comfort’s in-house biomechanics lab and enduring many miles of wear testing, the Endurance Racer blends powerful support and sleek styling in an ultra-light, customizable design.
Features include seam-free interior molded cups, DriLayer Power fabric along with airy, front mesh zones, strategic bonding on the front, adjustable straps, an adjustable, soft-padded back closure, and a sleek and sporty open racer-back design. Colors include Black and White, plus seasonal brights - Ocean/Aqua/Fiesta and Twilight/Violet/Lime - which are
color blocked and accented with contrast trim and reflectivity. In addition to the introduction of the all-new Endurance Racer, Moving
Comfort updated its Vero for Spring 2013 with a more fashion-forward design and improved shape and compression.
“There’s a reason we dominate the sports bra market - two decades of experience coupled with technical ingenuity,” said Baxter, “We literally live, breathe and vigorously test each sport bra to ensure that it fits, flatters and delivers. Our know-how builds each and every season, and the new Endur-ance Racer truly raises the bar, taking consumer expectations about sports bras to the next level.” ■
Flow Crossback TankUrban Gym Full Zip Vero
WHERE STRATEGIC DECISIONS BEGIN
SportScanInfo.comA Service of The SportsOneSource Group
JUNE
25-27 EORA Mid-Atlantic Market Edison, NJ
25-27 EORA New England Summer Market Manchester, NH
29-30 Sports Inc. Athletic Show Indianapolis, IN
30-1 TAG Spring/Summer Show St. Charles, MO
JULY
11-12 NBS Summer Market Indianapolis, IN
11-13 ASA-ICAST International Sport Fishing Expo Orlando, FL
12-15 European Outdoor Trade Fair Friedrichshafen, Germany
18-20 BCA International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo Schaumburg, IL
20-21 ADA Spring Show Orlando, FL
AUGUST
1 Outdoor Retailer Open Air Demo Salt Lake City, UT
1-3 FFANY New York, NY
2-5 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Salt Lake City, UT
7-9 WSA Show Las Vegas, NV
10-11 Sports Inc. Outdoor Show Indianapolis, IN
16-19 Bike Expo 2012 Munich, Germany
20-22 PGA Expo Las Vegas, NV
20-23 MAGIC Las Vegas, NV
28-31 Worldwide Fall Show Reno, NV
SEPTEMBER
6-8 Surf Expo Orlando, FL
7-9 NBS Fall Semi-Annual Market Fort Worth, TX
19-21 Health & Fitness Business Expo Las Vegas, NV
19-21 Interbike International Trade Expo Las Vegas, NV
OCTOBER
3-5 OIA Rendezvous Boston, MA
6-7 The Retailing Summit Dallas, TX
NOVEMBER
3-4 NBS Fall Athletic Market Indianapolis, IN
8-9 TAG Fall/Winter Show N. Charleston, SC
13-14 ADA Fall Show Las Vegas, NV
18-20 Sports Inc. Athletic Show Las Vegas, NV
DECEMBER
3-4 Sports Inc. Footwear & Apparel St. Charles, MO
CALENDAR For full year calendar go to sportsonesource.com/events
Athletic Dealers of America1395 Highland AvenueMelbourne, FL 32935t 321.254.0091f 321.242.7419athleticdealersofamerica.com
National Shooting Sports FoundationFlintlock Ridge Office Center11 Mile Hill RoadNewtown, CT 06470t 203.426.1320 f. 203.426.1087nssf.org
National Sporting Goods Association1601 Feehanville Drive / Suite 300Mount Prospect, IL 60056t 847.296.6742f 847.391.9827nsga.org
Nation’s Best Sports4216 Hahn Blvd.Ft. Worth, TX 76117t 817.788.0034f 817.788.8542nbs.com
Outdoor Industry Association4909 Pearl East Circle / Suite 300Boulder, CO 80301t 303.444.3353f 303.444.3284outdoorindustry.org
SGMA 8505 Fenton StreetSilver Spring, MD 20910t 301.495.6321f 301.495.6322sgma.com
Snow Sports Industries America8377-B Greensboro DriveMcLean, VA 22102t 703.556.9020f 703.821.8276snowsports.org
Sports, Inc.333 2nd Avenue NorthLewistown, MT 59457t 406.538.3496f 406.538.2801sportsinc.com
Sports Specialists Ltd.590 Fishers Station Drive / Suite 110Victor, NY 14564t 585.742.1010f 585.742.2645sportsspecialistsltd.com
Team Athletic Goods629 Cepi DriveChesterfield, MO 63005t 636.530.3710f 636.530.3711tag1.com
Worldwide 8211 South 194thKent, WA 98032t 253.872.8746f 253.872.7603wdi-wdi.com
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THE
RISE OF
OUTDOOR
To exhibit or attend, go to outdoorretailer.com/SGB––– SUMMER MARKET –––
“The energy at this show was tremendous
and it rebooted everything for me as I head back to my store.
Talking with the manufacturers I work with, their business results
are up. Our sales are up. People are excited.”
– Shelley O’Neill, Tooth of Time Traders
SHOW • AUGUST 2-5, 2012Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
DEMO • AUGUST 1, 2012Jordanelle State Park, Heber City, UT
