THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY IS RADICALLY CHANGING... AGAIN

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Once Every 20 years, the Footwear Industry Changes. The last big change in the industry happened between 1998 and 1999, when fashion brands introduced their sport collections.

It started with Prada, who at the time was the most influential brand to introduce a sport collection, called Prada Sport. This caused many other big fashion brands to follow suit. The change not only affected apparel, but also led to millions of customers wanting big fashion brands for their feet.

Twenty years before that, Nike, Reebok, and Adidas turned normal sport shoes into iconic fashion, and the public responded to the trend by making sneakers a mainstay in their normal, everyday attire.

Now to 2019, there is a big change happening in fashion; what's driving the current change?

These 3 forces are driving the next big change:

1/ The new generation of consumers is digital: Mi llennials and teenagers having been shaped by the Internet, and thus have different values and are shaping a new future.

2/ Traditional brands and retail are struggling: Old school footwear and fashion brands can't keep up with new markets, new trends, and the Internet. Retail is falling behind.

3/ Social media and e-commerce are growing massively: E-commerce is growing fast with social media as a great way to promote fashion and new brands online.

What Are the Consequences of Those Changes?

Limited edition and unique products are trending. In the world of "you can buy anything in five minutes," what really becomes important are limited-edition and unique products that are hard to find while still adding value.

Independent brands are on the rise. Artists, musicians, influencers, and entrepreneurs are starting up new brands and launching new products. Fashion comes from the streets, as well as from Instagram.

The streets and Instagram are the new fashion runways. Cool people are the new designers, and artists are the new stylists.