Footwear

Saks Fifth Avenue is putting its best foot forward in a hot category.

The retailer plans to open its first-ever stand-alone 10022-SHOE store in Greenwich, Conn. Expected to open in fall 2016, the new 14,000 square-foot location at 20 East Elm Street will be dedicated to women’s footwear and will be just a short distance from the existing Saks Fifth Avenue location in downtown Greenwich.

Foot Locker Inc. has chosen a new IT chief to drive the company's next generation of technological advances.

The retailer has appointed Pawan Verma as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, effective Aug. 10. Verma succeeds Peter Brown, who retired in April after 38 years with the company.
Verma will oversee the company's global information technology functions and infrastructure, and provide leadership and vision to align technology with strategic business initiatives. 

The power of Bass Pro Shops’ brand of retail was evident at the company’s newest store opening this week as shoppers were undeterred by a massive traffic jam and a lack of parking, which forced some grand opening attendees to walk nearly a mile for a look inside.

For the shoppers who did make it to the store before the doors swung open at 6:30 p.m., onlookers were treated to a host of celebrity appearances on a stage erected in the front parking lot, including:

Fast-fashion giant H&M is adding another set of initials to its aggressive expansion plans. 

New York -- Saks Fifth Avenue is going to open a freestanding store dedicated to a hot category.

The department store retailer plans to open a shoe store in Greenwich, Connecticut, in fall 2016, Women’s Wear Daily reported.

The store, whose name has not yet been revealed, will be located close to an existing Saks Fifth Avenue store, which will no longer sell shoes.

The new format will be modeled after Saks’ in-store 10022 shoe department, according to the report.

Las Vegas - American consumers are increasingly comfortable with shopping through their smartphones, and many are using digital channels like social media and email marketing to engage with apparel brands.

According to a survey by advertising/marketing technology provider Fluent Inc., roughly 30% of respondents said that they have bought clothing using their smartphones.

Manhattan Beach, Calif. – Skechers USA Inc., which recently passed Adidas to become the number two athletic footwear brand in the United States, is on the fast track.

The company, whose second quarter sales beat estimates, has carved out a lucrative niche in casual athletic footwear and in kids’ athletic footwear. It is in expansion mode, with plans to open 125 to 135 company-owned and third-party-owned stores later this year.

West Marine's renewed focus on omnichannel growth seems to be paying off as the specialty retailer reported a big spike in same store sales in the second quarter.

Skechers USA Inc., which recently passed Adidas to become the number two athletic footwear brand in the United States, is on the fast track.

The company, whose second quarter sales beat estimates, has carved out a lucrative niche in casual athletic footwear and in kids’ athletic footwear. It is in expansion mode, with plans to open 125 to 135 company-owned and third-party-owned stores later this year.

New York -- Jones New York stores won’t be shutting out the lights up north.

Canadian menswear retailer Grafton Fraser Inc. has acquired Jones New York’s 35 stores in Canada for an undisclosed amount. The Toronto-based company said it is planning "significant growth" in the number of Jones stores going forward.