SNEAKER GENDER EQUITY?

Nike the leading sneaker brand was named after the ancient Greek goddess who personified victory. And although they are the largest female sneaker brand, it seems a bit un-authentic their business is not proportionally built from a female perspective. I’m just saying!

They must not shoulder the blame for the sexist imbalance that existed in the sneaker landscape as the root of this injustice is linked to the early days of sports. Females have unfortunately always played a very secondary role in the world of athletics that extends into the business.

CAN WE PLAY?

The woman’s fight for their basic rights in sports can be traced to the Greek Olympics when they were not permitted to compete. Another blatantly sexist law of these times prevented married women from attending the games as a spectator without facing the death penalty.

Can you say a bit extreme?

Also, the first Olympic games in the modern era held in 1896, did not allow women to compete but it did afford them the luxury of being a member of the audience.

It was not until the following, 1900 games in Paris, France that 22 female Olympian out of the 997 athletes were allowed to compete - making up a grand total of 2.2% of the field. They competed in only five sports: tennis, sailing, croquet, equestrian and golf.

Jump to the 2008 Olympics, Team U.S.A. sent a record number of 292 female Olympians to Rio. And then in the 2012 Olympics in London, there were more medals won by women for Team U.S.A than men, a huge advancement from the early era of the games.

TITLE IX

We must acknowledge the gender equity and achievements at the aforementioned Olympic Games are the results of Title IX, the 1972 federal legislation mandating equal access for women in education, including sports in the U.S. This law has enabled female athletes to have equal footing as their male counterparts in the U.S.

Now in 2018, it seems Title IX has made its way into the sneaker market. After decades of neglect the woman’s segment of the business is receiving hyper-focus. This new day brings female-centric: brands, teams, endorsement formulas, products and retail settings.

Not since the eighties has the woman’s sneaker business received so much attention when Reebok introduced the first sneaker designed and marketed specially for woman in the Freestyle. This aerobic sneaker propelled their brand to the mainstream - shifting the industry’s focus. But Reebok’s business did not translate over time and the sneaker market returned to its male dominant focus in the nineties and beyond.

SNEAKER GENDER EQUITY ERA

Today’s new sneaker shift is building. Lululemon was the initial disruptor in the woman’s apparel sportswear segment that put all traditional sports brands on notice as their business has continued to grow, currently over $2.5 billion. Woman’s innovation continues to enter the market and gain recognitions like the Nike Pro Hijab, which won the Fast Company Innovation by Design Award for General Excellence in 2017. In 2016, Fenty x Puma x Rihanna creeper sneaker became the first women’s shoe ever to win the Footwear News, 'Shoe of the Year' - advancing their business with woman’s leading the way. Factoring these developments with brands finding the men’s market being equally competitive as saturated, the woman’s business has become an utmost priority.

In 2015, Nike announced the plan to increase its overall sales from $30 billion to $50 billion by 2020, identifying the women’s segment as a huge potential growth opportunity. Their plan is to nearly double their women’s business from $5.7 billion to $11 billion in the same period. They are in a super-aggressive offense now as their overall business is not tracking towards their lofty sales goals with their women’s business recording a slight increase last year reaching, $6.6 billion.

In a world with a gender population ratio of 101 males to 100 females, one must ask why such a disproportionate business - as women represent approximately just north of 20% of the sneaker market. Especially when taking into consideration sneakers are no longer limited to competition but make a highly fashionable statement in global culture - an obvious zone women fully embrace.

The sportswear business and in this particular case the sneaker industry has missed the mark over decades forcing a very male-centric formula to build the business. Focusing solely on core sports with some fitness, the traditional signature athlete’s endorsement formula with no sizing consideration for the female segment on highly coveted products and holding true to the sneaker introduction method of “shrinking and pinking” of men’s styles has hindered the female sneaker markets growth. 

FEEDING HER ADDICTION

The prospering sneaker enthusiasts market has been very much a boys’ locker room with female needs being neglected, from sizing to concepts. But with the women’s sneaker market growing 5% last year while the overall market only grew 2%, - brands are shifting resources to maximize the opportunity. 

The sneaker addiction is growing in the woman’s market, unlike any time in the history of the industry. In the UK, women bought more sneakers at 37%, than high heels at 33% for the first time in 2016. So, brands are paying attention and expanding the female consumer’s sneaker access including luxury brands such as Chloe, Balenciaga and Gucci.

Design collaborations are very important for the woman’s market. From the Stella McCartney x Adidas legacy to Aleali May being the first female influencer to introduce an Air Jordan collaboration in 2017, the female sneaker movement is on high cylinder.

Also in 2017, Brand Jordan naming Andrea Perez, Vice President and General Manager of Woman’s is another clear indication of the focus being placed on the woman’s sneaker market by brands.

Even, Foot Locker Inc. is investing as they evolve their Six:02 female-geared retail concept and the gradual closure of their dated Lady Foot Locker retail stores, again displays progression.

Nike recently implemented female focused sizing on its coveted sneakers, introduced an appointed female team designed Nike 1 Reimagined Collection for woman featuring the Nike Air Force 1 and Air Jordan 1 with Brand Jordan. They also announced their new female retail destination concept, Nike Unlaced that is launching online at the end of this month with brick and mortar locations to follow.

Now can they get their version of the Adidas Brooklyn Creator Farm but focused on the woman’s market?

Combine all this with renowned British department store Selfridges new female sneaker space with 700 plus styles as well as the numerous independent female only sneaker brick and mortars popping up throughout the world, sneaker equity is alive!

Social media has been a vital component in this female sneaker boom as well. The pages of female celebrities, music artists and style influencers highlighting their kicks has made invaluable impact on the woman’s sneaker market, building interest. This has heightened the demand in an already under serviced woman’s sneaker market - and they are forming a culture of their own. But they want a relevant sneaker assortment.

The future is looking bright in the woman’s sneaker market with both brands as well as consumers winning!

CLOSE

To truly gain substantial growth and stability in the woman’s sneaker business will require investment beyond product, service and a marketing budget. The building of a business at a brand starts internally and requires talented leaders, decision makers, innovators and designers. Brands must continue to invest in cultivating female talent as well as teams early in the process. This will require devoting more resources to scholarships, college curriculums, forums, internship and recruitment.

Woman in the industry also need to be highlighted, amplified and marketed to inspire potential future leaders of the possibilities in the industry.

Additionally, I believe brands must ensure they are really growing the woman’s business versus trading dollars. A common practice among female sneaker enthusiast in the old model was to raid the boy’s/kid’s sneaker assortment for coveted sneakers not offered in their size. If the goal is growth, new strategies must accomplish expanding their market reach and increasing pairs purchased by female sneaker consumers.

Lastly, I believe brands must still inject energy into core female sports categories as well but on her terms. There are currently no WNBA athletes with signature shoes and very few in other sports. So, one approach I would consider for example is co-designing female signature athlete sneakers with a fashion designer or brand to drive interest beyond the core sports consumer. Think, Nike x Serena Williams x Chanel capsule with a sneaker and a handbag - or even a sneaker and a shoe packaged collection. The woman’s market must be afforded strategies built for their needs, interest and desires.

It is not just a man’s sneaker world any more.

The Sneaker Goddesses want victory too!

#Sneakers #Womans #Nike #Adidas #HappyInternationalWomansDay #Salute