Latest footwear news and analysis articles 
This section details men's, women's and children’s footwear firms, product categories including fashion, work, formal, outdoor and athletic shoes, as well as information relating to the sector such as licensing deals and appointments
US: Crocs to expand beyond footwear
10 February 2012
Footwear business Crocs is exploring a number of new licensing opportunities as the company looks to expand the scope of its namesake brand.
US: Zero discharge initiative "should include suppliers"
9 February 2012
Plans by six apparel and footwear brands and retailers to eliminate the discharge of hazardous chemicals from their supply chains by 2020 have been widely praised by a group of stakeholders - but are aiming for a challenging deadline and should have been expanded to include suppliers, they say.
US: Jones Group nearly halves Q4 loss
9 February 2012
Footwear and apparel business Jones Group nearly halved its fourth quarter net loss as revenues edged up – but still fell short of expectations.
UK: Retailer Shoon collapses into administration
9 February 2012
Family owned footwear and clothing retailer Shoon Limited has collapsed into administration after failing to sell some of its loss-making shops.
CAMBODIA: Tribunal urges "immediate steps" on garment pay
8 February 2012
A two-day hearing in which over 200 Cambodian garment workers gathered to give evidence on pay and conditions at factories has recommended that international brands and retailers take "immediate steps" to address the issue of poverty wages for factory workers.
US: RG Barry Q2 profit up 47% on strong slipper sales
8 February 2012
Strong Christmas demand for footwear lines like slippers have helped RG Barry Corporation to a 47.3% jump in second quarter profit, the company said yesterday (7 February).
US: LF USA eyes expansion at new Greensboro office
7 February 2012
LF USA, a subsidiary of Hong Kong based consumer goods sourcing giant Li & Fung Limited, has opened new offices in Greensboro, North Carolina and hinted that expansion is likely.
UK: January retail sales dip as discounts continue
7 February 2012
UK retail like-for-like sales fell 0.3% in January, making the month the second worst January since the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor began in 1995.
CHINA: Li Ning to shed jobs, cut costs
7 February 2012
Chinese sportswear specialist Li Ning Company is embarking on a cost-cutting initiative and business restructuring, axing jobs in the face of falling sales.
US: Payless to step into Korea, Thailand and Vietnam
6 February 2012
Footwear retailer Payless ShoeSource has signed two new franchise deals that will see stores open in Korea, Thailand and Vietnam for the first time later this year.
Cautious US consumers weigh on January retail sales
3 February 2012
Post-holiday discounts helped many US retailers lift their sales in January, according to monthly figures released yesterday (2 February), but overall results were mixed as many consumers shopped cautiously amid the struggling economy.
US: LaCrosse Footwear FY profit cut after poor Q4
3 February 2012
LaCrosse Footwear blamed falling sales to the military for double-digit revenue declines in the fourth quarter of 2011, which led to full-year net profit being more than halved.
US: Retailers' January 2012 sales roundup
2 February 2012
The following is a general roundup of US apparel and shoe retailers' January 2012 sales results.
US: Wolverine Worldwide fourth-quarter profit slides
31 January 2012
Footwear manufacturer Wolverine Worldwide saw fourth-quarter net profit slip as the company invested in marketing initiatives over the period.
UK: Office posts strong Christmas sales growth
31 January 2012
UK footwear retailer Office today (31 January) announced strong Christmas sales of 26% for the five weeks to December 3.
UK: Jacobson Group rescues Dolcis from administrators
30 January 2012
The Jacobson Group, which owns brands such as Gola, Lotus, Ravel and Frank Wright, today (30 January) added to its line-up after buying the Dolcis footwear brand from the administrators of the Barratts Priceless Group.
US: Sperry Top-Sider inks five licensing agreements
30 January 2012
Footwear brand Sperry Top-Sider today (30 January) announced that it has entered a series of licensing agreements to extend its reach into bags, belts, hosiery, eyewear, swimwear, headware, scarves, gloves and shoe care.
US: Original Penguin signs four license deals
30 January 2012
Perry Ellis has announced four license agreements to extend the Original Penguin by Munsingwear brand.
just-style's research roundup
30 January 2012
This week, featured research from just-style includes a look at key apparel opportunities in Western Europe, prospects for the textile and clothing industry in Brazil and an analysis of luxury sector in the Asia Pacific region.
US: Nike announces senior management changes
27 January 2012
Nike has appointed Bert Hoyt as vice president and general manager of the sports wear company's Western European division.
US: Class action launched against Collective Brands
27 January 2012
A US law firm has launched a class action lawsuit against footwear company Collective Brands, claiming that it issued false and misleading statements regarding the business and its financial results.
UK: Belstaff steps into retail with two flagship stores
27 January 2012
Luxury brand Belstaff has announced plans to open flagship stores on Bond Street in London and on Madison Avenue in New York City.
UK: Retail sales fell in January as shoppers cut back
26 January 2012
Retail sales fell in January, as shoppers reined in their spending after taking advantage of early discounting last month, according to research from the CBI.
US: Blackshaw appointed as Keds president
25 January 2012
Collective Brands’ Performance and Lifestyle Group (PLG) has appointed Rick Blackshaw as president of its Keds footwear brand.
PAKISTAN: Power shortages blamed for fall in exports
24 January 2012
Pakistan's textile and clothing exports fell by 5% to US$5.96bn during first half of the current fiscal year 2011-12, according to the latest data released by the country's Federal Bureau of Statistics, with local industry groups blaming the drop on ongoing power shortages.
US: Dow Corning extends Deflexion to footwear
24 January 2012
Silicone-based technology specialist Dow Corning has launched its Deflexion impact protection textile into the footwear market, where it can provide comfort and cushioning in a thin and lightweight form, particularly when used to make insoles.
CANADA: Steve Madden to acquire licensee for US$29m
23 January 2012
Footwear and accessories business Steve Madden is to buy its Canadian licensee in a deal worth about US$29m.
just-style's research roundup
23 January 2012
Highlights from just-style's research store this week include reports on specialist apparel retailers in China and Greece, trends in world textile and clothing trade, fibre prices, production and consumption, and an evaluation of the European footwear manufacturing sector.
UK: Clothing and footwear helped lift December retail sales
20 January 2012
Heavy discounting by clothing and footwear stores in the run-up to Christmas contributed to a 0.6% rise in UK retail sales volume in December, according to official retail figures released today (20 January).
US: PEI Licensing in Pro Player deal with Shoe Confession
20 January 2012
PEI Licensing Inc has inked an exclusive license deal with Shoe Confession LLC to manufacture, design and distribute men's and boys' athletic and casual sport footwear under the Pro Player brand.
