Hot Topics – Shoes & Accessories

Nike By You customised tees capture the verve of Mumbai and its people

Shoes & Accessories — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 10:10:19 +0000

MUMBAI, 22^nd APRIL, 2022 – Mumbai, the city of dreams, the throbbing economic capital of the country and a melting pot of different cultures, traditions, food and identities from all over India, is also home to a new Nike store operated by Camp India Pvt. Ltd. at Phoenix Palladium shopping mall.

Spread across two levels, the store plays to Nike’s three guiding principles: of bringing access to sport, adding value to the local community and creating a destination that brings members and consumers closer to sport, and closer to one another. To inspire consumers make sport a daily habit and also connect them closer to the city, Nike Mumbai has launched Nike By You – a first-of-its kind collection of customised tees and shoes dedicated to, and capturing the life and energy of Mumbai and its people.

Designed by two local artists from Boomranng Studios and Studio Kohl, the bespoke artworks depict Mumbai’s packed housing colonies, its streets and the sweat, the hustle, its self-assurance, passion and resilience, and everything else that reflects the city’s indomitable spirit. With bright colour palettes reflecting the glitz of the Bollywood industry, spectacular sunsets along its iconic beaches, local trains that chug night and day, its landscape dotted with old and new architecture, the people on their industrious march, and even the music that can soften its toughened hearts, the action-oriented designs by Boomranng Studios offer a glimpse into the lives of a Mumbaikar.

Studio Kohl has focused its designs to bring more women to sport, encourage female friendship and teamwork as well as building gender parity. From yoga inspired to sarees on skateboards, to hip hopping and boom boxing to Mumbai Rap, the colour palettes, scripts and gestures celebrate the women of Mumbai playing sport, enjoying sport or achieving in sport. Shoppers can now personalise tees using one of the iconic designs printed and heat-pressed at the store. Nike By You customisation is also extended to footwear embellishment, wherein consumers can pick and choose from an array of aglets, dubraes and laces in eye-popping colours as well as have laser-engrave dubraes to personalise their footwear.

The 7,300 sq. ft. concept store contains the latest and most extensive range of Nike merchandise in the region and a comprehensive offering of running, training, lifestyle, basketball and Jordan Brand products for men, women and kids. With nearly 40 per cent of floor space allocated to women and kids and 50 per cent store staff as women, female shoppers can avail of services like bra fitting and shop from a range of footwear and apparel collection for dance, fitness, running and yoga and also find their favourite Nike products for their family. As consumers become more discerning about improving their performance, treadmill trials are also offered at the store to test shoes prior to purchase.

As the city opens up, Nike By You serves as a way to connect consumers with the verve of the city that is Mumbai in all its regalia, by giving members a chance to wear the nostalgia of its past and its visions of the future. The customised tees serve a reminder that even adapting to the metamorphosis is its glamorous act of rebellion; and that Mumbai is truly centuries ahead.

GST Council to Correct Inverted Duty Structure on Footwear and Textiles from Jan 1, 2022

Shoes & Accessories — Mon, 20 Sep 2021 04:49:06 +0000

Under the chairmanship of the Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, the GST Council held its 45th meeting on 17th Sep in Lucknow wherein correction in Inverted Duty structure in Footwear and Textiles sector was discussed. Post meeting Press release confirmed that the New Rules will be applicable from 1st January, 2022. According to sources, the council could not correct it in the past, particularly during last year due to the pandemic, because it would have had an adverse impact on either GST revenue collections or consumer prices of the finished products. Some other industries facing the brunt of the inverted duty structure are the fertilizer, pharmaceutical and textile apart from footwear industry.

An ‘Inverted duty structure’ means a higher duty on inputs and a lower duty on finished products. According to sources, the lower duty on finished products creates an inversion and the consequences are – a higher refund to industry which affects the cash flows for companies and revenue collections for the government. For example, The footwear sector uses a variety of components with different rates. The raw materials used in the footwear industry are taxed at 12% or 18%. The final product is taxed at 5% in cases where the price of footwear is up to Rs.1,000. This leads to unrecovered credits for the manufacturer. The consumers do not gain anything rather this may result in a higher price for consumers.

Armani Exchange, Kartik Aaryan continue collaboration

Shoes & Accessories — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 07:44:59 +0000

Following the success of the Fall 2019 watches collection, A|X Armani Exchange and Kartik Aaryan continue their collaboration for the latest 2021 season.

Since the actor’s film debut in 2011, Kartik Aaryan has consistently stood out for his roles throughout the years and has gained numerous recognitions, the brand claims.

Regarding the collaboration, Kartik Aaryan said, “I am beyond excited to be a part of the A|X Armani Exchange family and to represent their watch collection in India. Watches have always been an important accessory for me as they provide statement making pieces to any look. The latest collection embodies A|X Armani Exchange’s signature style by offering bold updates to existing designs.”

The new men’s watches kick it up a notch this season with shiny and bright contrasting details, prices start at INR 15,495.

Adidas to sell Reebok to Authentic Brands Group for $2.5 bn

Shoes & Accessories — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 05:36:20 +0000

Adidas AG has agreed to sell its under-performing Reebok business to US firm Authentic Brands Group Inc. for $2.5 billion.

The majority of the price will be paid in cash at closing, with the rest coming as deferred and contingent consideration, the companies said in a statement. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022.

Authentic Brands Chief Executive Officer Jamie Salter said, “The deal is an important milestone in the company’s growth. We are committed to preserving Reebok’s integrity, innovation and values — including its presence in bricks and mortar.”

Authentic Brands, which filed recently for an initial public offering in the U.S., has already acquired more than 30 names, including assets such as Barneys New York and Brooks Brothers. Reebok has been formally on the block since early this year after Adidas had tried to revive the brand’s performance for more than a decade. Already this year, it has bought Eddie Bauer with Sparc Group, its joint venture with Simon Property Group. Authentic Brands, whose portfolio companies also include Forever 21 and Sports Illustrated, acquired a collection of brands from PVH Corp. that include Izod and Van Heusen.

It says that the deal won’t change Adidas’ financial outlook for this year or its previously announced long-term targets.

Adidas bought Reebok for $3.8 billion in 2006 to help compete with arch-rival Nike, but its sluggish performance prompted repeated calls from investors to sell the U.S. and Canada focused brand.

Retail Sales down by 49% in April: RAI

Shoes & Accessories — Fri, 28 May 2021 05:12:11 +0000

The second wave of covid-19 and subsequent restrictions imposed by several states have hurt India’s retailers of apparel, footwear, personal care goods, electronics, and quick-service restaurants with most reporting a significant decline in sales in April 2021 compared with April 2019, according to a monthly survey of retailers by Retailers’ Association of India (RAI).

The survey was conducted among 63 participants pan-India, and covered retailers across product categories.

The survey highlights the pain lockdowns have brought about for retailers across India.

The sharpest decline was seen in retailers of sports goods, which reported a 66% drop in business in April 2021 compared with April 2019, followed by footwear and beauty and wellness retailers. Consumer durables and electronics retailers saw business drop 31% in April—the least among all categories of retailers surveyed.

Retailers in west India, which saw states such as Maharashtra impose a lockdown in several districts in March, reported the steepest decline in business with a 72% drop in April. Retailers in east India reported the least impact on business. Those in north India saw business decline by 45% in April; in south, retailers said business was down 40% in the same period compared with April 2019.

Retailers, both big and small, in parts of west India reported a significant decline in business—those with a reported annual turnover of up to ₹20 crore were down 87% during the period.

Data for May is yet to be released by RAI. Given that more states moved to some form of restrictions in May, retailers could continue to report a significant decline in sales.

Bata India appoints Gunjan Shah as its CEO

Shoes & Accessories — Sat, 15 May 2021 08:45:37 +0000

Footwear retailer Bata India Ltd. has announced the appointment of Gunjan Shah as its new chief executive officer succeeding Sandeep Kataria who was elevated as the global CEO of Bata Brands last year.

Shah is set to join Bata on 21 June and will be based out of the company’s Gurugram office. Shah has been appointed as a whole-time director of the company for a period of five years with effect from June 21, 2021, the company said.

Shah will join Bata India from Britannia Industries Ltd where he was chief commercial officer.

“Gunjan has extensive experience of working across varied sectors spanning consumer durables, telecom and FMCG. He brings to the table an innate knack for understanding consumers, passion for action, people development experience and clarity of thought and purpose. In his previous role, Gunjan was the Chief Commercial Officer at Britannia Industries. He spent the early stages of his career working with brands such as Asian Paints and Motorola before moving on to Britannia in 2007,” the footwear major said.

Bata India is the largest footwear retailer in India with brands such as Bata, Hush Puppies, Naturalizer, Power, Marie Claire, Weinbrenner, North Star, Scholl, among others.

It retails in more than 1,600 Bata owned and franchised stores. Bata also retails through thousands of multi-brand footwear stores across India apart from sales online.

Shah understands the Indian market’s complexities and varied nuances backed by decades of experience working with powerhouse brands, said Ashwani Windlass, chairman, Bata India Ltd.

Shah holds a Bachelor of Technology (Computers) from VJTI, Mumbai and a postgraduate diploma in management from the Indian Institute of Management, Kolkata.

“As an iconic brand, Bata has become an integral part of the Indian fabric. I realise that I have big shoes to fill in and I’m thrilled about working with the talented & experienced Bata team. I look forward to building on the legacy of my predecessors in taking the Bata brand to new heights alongside creating long term sustainable value for all stakeholders in the company,” said Shah.

SUHANA SETHI: WORKING WITH CLEAR GOALS

Shoes & Accessories — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 03:39:00 +0000

Shoe Blogger: Suhana Sethi

Shoe acionado Suhana Sethi, a brand strategist, coffee lover, big time foodie and a restless personality who can’t sit at one place doing the same thing for long and likes to be on her toes throughout the day. Apart from her love for shoes she loves exploring new places, even if it means to get lost. Through SHOEvolution Suhana has built a style that reects compassion and authenticity. She shares her views with S&A on shoeblogging.

What triggered you to start a shoe blog?

Every little girl looks up to her mother.
My mom was beautiful and remarkably stylish. As a young kid my mom used
to always dress me up and was very particular about my dressing and specially the shoes I wore, she would ensure that

I have every type of shoe in my wardrobe that could go with my outfits… so, yes the obsession with shoes started early.

As I grew up, I wanted to study fashion/ footwear, but my disciplinary dad wanted me to pursue Management Studies.
He was very opinionated about fashion design courses and didn’t really support
a “artsy” degree. I can still reminisce him expressing to me that ‘why do you want be a mochi or darzi’. So I relented.

After working for 10 years in experiential marketing, one fine day I realized that this is not my ‘ikigai’, I didn’t enjoy what I was doing anymore, and I have to get back to do things that I love.

I restarted my research on fashion and realized that while there are so many options for clothing – local brands, international brands, bloggers talking about styling, etc. But no one is talking about the most important element that completes the outfit – SHOES!!

In India, there is a huge gap in the footwear market, while there is a gamut of local brands, contrary, there is lack of awareness within the consumers. I have personally, struggled to find the perfect shoe.

Thus, in 2019, SHOEvolution was
born, India’s first & only shoe blog, with
a mission to bridge the gap between brands and consumers, to have a common platform for shoe lovers where they can get all the information about SHOES – trends, styling, hacks, care, brands etc. At SHOEvolution, I create content that emphasizes on the fact that “shoes complete the outfit & it is the most important accessory to invest in”.

Would you consider your logbook as a niche blog?
Yes, this is a very niche segment. It’s very specific and targets to a certain TG – who have a keen interest in footwear, want to invest in shoes and know more about it.

How do you stay relevant in this ever- changing blogosphere?
This is very important, to catch your audience attention and keep them engaged, you have to be relevant. I keep myself abreast with the latest launches, news etc. listen to my audience, frequently ask them what they want to see more on my page, I try to create content which connects with my audience, that is informative and useful.

Which blogs are on your must-read list?

Footwear news for international updates and trends; Shoes&Accessories magazine for Indian footwear market; Sneaker news for sneaker drops; Mainstreet, FTC (For the culture) – are great Indian blogs to read on sneaker & streetwear.

Your view on the future of fashion retail during and post this crisis?
Fashions brands need to follow an omnichannel approach, being online has become necessary now, even fashion shows are happening through online streaming. The world is going digital!

This pandemic has transformed the way we dress. Formals and jeans have been replaced with pjs/lounge wear. people
are opting for comfortable clothing. even when it comes to shoes people prefer comfortable, easy going styles over high heels!

Post the crisis, e-commerce will boom over traditional retail, and there will be paradigm shift in consumer shopping behavior – buying things that are sustainable, value for money, utilitarian.

Even for me, the way I shop has changed; instead of just hoarding clothes, shoes. I believe in saving up and buying statement pieces that are versatile, have a long shelf live.

Share some footwear trends for “work from home fashion”
Work from home has to be comfy yet cool & chic. Currently, I am with my birkens EVA – most comfortable shoes ever. I also love Yeezy slides, adidas Pharrell William slides.

Apart from slides, you can also wear flat mules – perfect for slipping on & off your desk.
Platform sandals – Fila has few amazing designs – gives an elevated touch.

What makes your blog different from other fashion blogs?
That we are very focused towards one category i.e. SHOES, and we are the only one in INDIA talking about men & women shoes!

RAPID FIRE

Admire the most...
Blake Mycoskie – Founder Toms shoes
On your bucket list...
To attend sneaker con next year
Early Bird or Night Owl ...
Night person
Most annoying ...
Dishonesty
Biggest addiction...
None. not even shoes Addiction is vicious, I try to avoid it & keep myself sane
Your 15 min of fame...
I am a huge fan of Sarah Jessica Parker aka Carrie Bradshaw. will love do a live episode of my chat show ‘in my shoes’ with her!
Describe yourself ...
Hardworking, Ambitious, Sociable
Style item to invest in...
SNEAKERS. they are all the rage
Every morning dressing protocol...
First I decide my shoes, accordingly I plan my outfit
Woman’s three essentials ...
A pair of black pumps, white sneakers, nude/beige color open toe flat/mule
Shoes you wore to the last wedding you attended... Sneakers I styled them with a lehenga, and it looked super chic
You have Rs 10,000/- to spend on your wardrobe. What would you buy?
Has to be shoes – Air Jordan 1s
(if I am able to cop at retail )

Birkenstock Introduces Casual Sneakers for Men and Women

Shoes & Accessories — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 11:15:25 +0000

The Germany-based shoe label Birkenstock has introduced the Birkenstock Bend sneaker. The casual shoe has a flexible leather lining and breathable surface, easily adjusting to the foot to keep the wearer comfortable even during physical activity. The Birkenstock Bend also boasts a midsole made from polyurethane and cork, covered in rubber for optimum short absorption. Pairs are available in a variety of muted colorways, in both leather and suede variations.

With a tradition dating back to the 1700s, Birkenstock has fans young and old — with its sandals surging in popularity amid the so-called “ugly” sandal trend. Among Birkenstock’s enthusiasts are plenty of celebrities, ranging from Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid to Ellen DeGeneres, Jessica Alba and Millie Bobby Brown.

Pharrell Williams and Adidas are back for another collaboration

Shoes & Accessories — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 10:15:49 +0000

Pharrell Williams and Adidas are back for another collaboration. This time they are taking on slides. The singer is joining forces with the German athletic powerhouse once more for a twist on the brand’s Boost slide silhouette.

Designed in a manner that intends to strip back the layers, the slides will release in “Core Black,” “Bright Orange” and “Semi Solar Pink” colorways. The sandals feature a padded, adjustable strap to start, securing the foot with a standout asymmetric design; the uppers also include subtle perforations for easy breathability.

Using the classic Adidas Adilette slide silhouette as the base for his inspiration, the Grammy Award-winning artist added energy-returning Boost cushioning to this updated take; the signature Boost technology provides bounce and responsiveness for every step. With the names of parts of the body inscribed into the footbed, the molded Hu Anatomical sockliner contours to the shape of the foot for support where you need it most. The sandal finishes off with a textured outsole design with a serious amount of tread for traction even by slippery areas of the pool.

Pharrell became an Adidas collaboration in 2014 and has since gone on to release a mix of footwear styles for the brand. One of his first projects with the brand was the Unisex “Supercolor Superstar Pack” in 2015. It featured the brand’s iconic Superstar sneaker in 50 different colors, including a printed insole designed by the musician himself.

On and Roger Federer reveal The Roger Centre Court 0-Series

Shoes & Accessories — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 11:13:12 +0000

In November 2019, tennis icon Roger Federer joined Swiss performance running brand On as an investor, advisor and partner. Now, the company has revealed the first shoe it created with him. With a goal of reinventing the classic tennis sneaker and giving it the best modern comfort tech, On and Federer have created the tennis-inspired The Roger Centre Court 0-Series.

Designed with lightness and material consumption reduction in mind, the sneaker is made with vegan leather, which, according to On, results in significantly smaller environmental footprint. It also features sock-construction for comfort and ventilation, On’s acclaimed CloudTec sole and its Speedboard technology built to allow for agile movement.

The silhouette will come with a personal message from the tennis icon, they will be individually numbered and are limited to 1,000 pairs.

“The minimalist design and easy comfort of On’s shoes had me hooked years ago. I wanted to infuse the tennis sneaker with the same lightness, comfort and agility for every day. I love working with the On team, using my knowledge of performance footwear and personal interest in fashion to contribute to product development. I’m proud to be a part of the creation of The Roger, which is the most comfortable tennis-inspired sneaker you will ever wear,” Federer said in a statement.