Athleisure cushions US shoe group

17/03/2021
Athleisure cushions US shoe group
Designer Brands, one of the US’s largest footwear groups, has reported 36% drop in full-year revenues to $2.2 billion, but says its strategy of focusing on athletic and children’s shoes has helped cushion the fall. 

CEO Roger Rawlins said when demand shifts back to dress and casual, the Camuto Group team will be well-prepared “while protecting our newly captured market share in the athletic segment”.

He added: “We have a significant amount of inventory open to buy and the capability to flex our business as customer preferences evolve, making us a dominant player with room to grow as the market recovers.

“I am proud of our team's exceptional execution of our near-term strategy as we continued to pivot our assortment to athleisure and kids, focused on the Top 50 brands in footwear and leaned even further into our digital-first capabilities.”

The group operates nearly 700 stores under the DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, The Shoe Company and Shoe Warehouse banners in the US and Canada. It produces footwear and accessories selling in 5,400 stores through Camuto Group.

Image credit: DSW