Lululemon Taps Adidas, Nike Veterans for Key Footwear Roles as Brand’s New Shoe Biz Threatens Industry Giants

Just a handful of months just after launching its inaugural shoe line, Lululemon has produced more investments in its footwear and innovative staff.

The business on Tuesday introduced the appointments of Simon Atkins to the function of SVP of footwear and Phil Dickinson to the purpose of SVP and world-wide artistic director. Both equally executives will report to Sun Choe, the company’s main solution officer.

Additional from Footwear News

The using the services of announcement arrives as Lululemon rolls out its to start with-ever footwear assortment, which consists of four different silhouettes that will be unveiled by the class of the yr. The selection released on March 22 which the debut of the Blissfeel running shoe. Two far more training shoes, the Chargefeel and the Strongfeel, and a slide for recovery, the Restfeel, will also start afterwards in the year.

“As we go on to build on our energy in bringing products innovation and technical believability to our attendees in head-to-toe remedies, we’re fired up to bolster our product or service management group with the appointments of Simon Atkins and Phil Dickinson,” explained Choe. “Both leaders convey a deep comprehension of guest demands and a international attitude that will permit the model to accelerate and scale our expansion all over the globe.”

Lululemon

Atkins joins Lululemon following a 25-year stint at Adidas, where he most not long ago served as SVP and GM of global basketball and U.S. sports. Dickinson spent 15 several years at Nike prior to starting off his very own imaginative company, Some Tips, in 2013. He joins Lululemon in the freshly created international imaginative director role, the place he will assist form the brand’s strategy for item and creative direction.

Previous 7 days, Lululemon introduced that it handed $6 billion in yearly revenues for the 1st time past 12 months. The Vancouver, British Columbia-based mostly athleisure manufacturer claimed fourth-quarter internet revenues of $2.1 billion, an increase of 22% from the exact interval previous yr. Lululemon also claimed that its direct-to-buyer web income enhanced 22% in fiscal 2022, with company operated shop net profits escalating 70%.

Tale carries on

Though Lululemon’s footwear line is however new, industry industry experts have higher hopes that the merchandise will problem industry giants like Nike and Hoka 1 A single. According to a report from Matt Powell, NDP’s VP and senior marketplace advisor for sports, powerful loyalty to the Lululemon’s clothing will most likely have about to footwear and the class has the “potential to be yet another current market activity changer.”

“Driven by the brand’s larger price-stage when compared to its competitors, women of all ages who bought Lululemon activewear spent 30% of their complete activewear buys there, in the 12 months ending January 2022 — capturing far more of their customers’ expending on activewear compared to brand names which include Fabletics, Underneath Armour, and Adidas, which just about every capture less than 10% of their customers’ activewear purchases,” Powell wrote in the report. “I assume that the robust loyalty to Lululemon apparel will probable carry above to footwear.”

Lululemon’s to start with footwear selection has previously built waves, many thanks to its females-first solution that aims to make a shoe specially built for the female foot.

“Lululemon’s manufacturer power is unparalleled and it is an outstanding time to be a part of its very best-in-course Item crew,” stated Atkins. “I’m energized to be element of Lululemon’s continued advancement story, and build on the favourable response the brand has now obtained in launching its footwear presenting.”

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