Retail Analysis S/S 20

Men & Young

Men: Sneakers
A range of performance and comfort qualities
migrate from specialty sneaker brands into
the commercial market. With sustainability
commitments in mind, retailers promote
responsible products via e-com messaging
and online content

Reser ved
 Click here to view in-store and e-commerce
retail images from January-June 2020
Key Takeaways
A digital-first retail landscape has emerged amid the
Covid-19 pandemic, allowing retailers to quickly react
and adjust online messaging to reflect a shift in
consumer priorities. An emphasis on functional,
adaptable and high-performance features emerges,
ensuring continued strong performance for the
sneaker category.
1. Sports shoes show low markdowns: at online
retail in the UK, sports shoes showed the smallest
rise in discounting, aligned with the spiked interest
for at-home workouts.
2. Comfort properties are essential: online
messaging hones in on enhanced insole
S and r o
technology, offering a greater emphasis on comfort
across styles,  even at value and luxury levels,
where price or aesthetic would usually take top
Global Product Highlights bidding.
1. Fresh colourways for the 327s, New 3. Commitment to sustainability: upcycling and
Balance, New York sustainable initiatives permeate retailers' e-
2. Tie-dye ACG Mocs, Nike, New York commerce and online content, while WGSN Instock
shows a significant surge in recycled materials
3. Upcycled Chuck 70 Renew trainers, used within sports shoes YoY.
Carhartt WIP x Converse collab, London
4. #Futurecommuter themes go mainstream: mid-
4. Waterproof Goretex CRCLR sneakers, market retailers test performance and hiking
Camper, Barcelona designs on sneakers, adaptable for either urban
environments or #thegreatoutdoors.
Z ar a
 Consumer spending shifts into sport
shoe categories, as at-home
workouts surge during lockdown

Consumer spend shifts into sports shoes, away from

other footwear categories (UK)
2019 2020 Ar ket
+2.4 ppts
15
% respondents

10

0
Sports shoes Shoes Boots Sandals
WGSN Barometer. Products purchased (of those browsed). UK men age 19-74, 28 days to May 28 2020 vs 2019

Jo hn Lewis Ur ban O ut f it t er s

• A key e-commerce message in Retail Analysis: Men's Footwear and

Accessories Spring 2020, consumer interest shifts deeper into sports shoes.
According to WGSN Barometer data, the conversion rate for sports shoes was
higher in May 2020 vs 2019 (+2.4ppts to 15% of those who browsed)
• Interest in indoor workouts has accelerated, with Google Trends showing a
significant spike in at-home workouts globally since the beginning of
lockdown, highlighted in our Retail Analysis: Men Spring 2020 report

H &M Mar ks & S pencer

 The mesh runner evolves with
chunkier soles, in line with consumer
demand for increased comfort and
function

Pull & Bear

Ber shka

Highlighted as a key item

in Sneakers: Key Items
Core S/S 20
Jo hn Lewis

Z ar a Ar ket
The minimalist sock trainer finds
commercial relevance in basic
black styles and chunky soles

Pull & Bear

Fr ench Co nnect io n

Called out in Footwear: Key

Items Fashion A/W 20/21, and
on the Fashion
Feed: #sneakers
Ald o

Aso s Reser ved

 Retailers promote elevated insole
constructions, pushing the comfort
message forward

Ald o

Z ar a Ber shka

• Zara and Bershka champion Starfit tech-enhanced insole foam that

equips trainers with comfort and breathable capabilities. Startfit foam is
also built with antibacterial properties to help reduce bad odours
• With versatility and comfort in mind, products that are multifunctional
and adaptable to different end-uses will drive interest, so design for both
style and comfort. Take notice of the Flex Sole feature at Aldo, which
highlights TredFlex air pocket technology and a natural non-slip insole

Mar ks & S pencer

 Minimalist smart sneakers win out, 
evolving with performance or comfort
attributes for continued appeal

S and r o

Clo sed

CO S

Called out in Sneakers:

Key Items Core S/S 20. 
Complements
#stayhomestyle and WFH
edits informed by the
#twomilewear trend
Jigsaw

Bur t o n Reser ved

Retailers experiment with contrasting
brown and warm hues, updating the
panelled chunky sneaker

Pull & Bear

Ur ban O ut f it t er s

Reser ved

Look for further

inspiration on the WGSN
Fashion Feed:
#sneakers
#colourblocking
T o pman

Camper Aso s
Lug and track soles are key performance
details inspired by #thegreatoutdoors,
but suitable for urban environments

N ew Lo o k

Clo sed

Clo sed

Hiking and outdoor

themes are apparent
across F&A categories
as consumers spend
more time outdoors, as
mentioned in our Spring
2020 Retail Analysis Z ar a

Pull & Bear Ur ban O ut f it t er s

 Hi-tops prevail as a key style for
plimsoll ranges, favoured in #whiteout
monochrome styles

Co nver se

H &M

Ber shka

For sustainable updates,

consider natural
materials or treatments,
as mentioned in
Accessories & Footwear
Trend Concepts S/S 21:
Leather was & Non-
Leather T o pman

Ald o Z ar a
 Suede and nubuck reinvigorate
the court sneaker. Opt for buttery
shades of brown

Mango

Camper

Reiss

Noted in the S/S 20

Colour – Designing
Emotion: Men's
Accessories &
Footwear report
Massimo Dut t i

T o pman S amso e S amso e

 #Reflective and fluorescent
finishes play into the Design for
Digital e-commerce strategy

Bo o ho o MAN

Eytys

Camper

Highlighted as a key
material in Pitti Uomo S/S
20: Men's Footwear and
Accessories and works with
the upcoming
#consideredcommute
trend Ber shka

Pull & Bear Ber shka

Tonal neutrals update the box-white
running sneaker, reflecting a
minimalist palette found across
menswear

River Island

Pr imar k

Aso s

Expect #beigeonbeige
styling trends to
continue across S/S 21
apparel and footwear, as
noted in the Menswear
Buyers' Brie ng
N ew Lo o k

H &M Ur ban O ut f it t er s
 Gel details uptick across sneaker
soles, moving from specialty
retailers into the fast-fashion arena

Pull & Bear

Z ar a

Aligned with the Empower

Up! forecast, glossy, gel and
wet-look surfaces lend a
youthful detail, also noted in
Sneaker Forecast S/S 20:
N ike
Textile and Surface
Z ar a Ber shka
Sneakers using recycled materials surge
YoY, worked within sustainable
collaborations and ranges

Jack & Jo nes

Pull & Bear

Pull & Bear Z ar a

• According to WGSN Instock data, the use of recycled materials within sports
shoes sees an uptick of 260% in the UK and 156% in the US YoY across S/S 20
new-ins at online retail
• Recent #creativecollabs between Converse and Carhartt WIP speak to
WGSN's #repurposed trend, featuring a sustainable approach to the Chuck 70.
No two pairs are alike, made from upcycled Carhartt workwear jackets and
other fabrics sourced from British vintage retailer, Beyond Retro

Pr imar k Car har t t

 Methodology
WGSN Instock
• WGSN Instock is an e-commerce analytics
platform. Data for this report was collected
across 113 retailers from the US, and 83 from
the UK from January 1 - May 31 2020 and 2019
• Please note, some retailers are excluded to
ensure like-for-like calculations and to avoid
inflated product counts due to the acquisition
of new retailers on the WGSN Instock platform
• Numbers may fluctuate as we recategorise to
help clarify ambiguous/new products or if
retailers refactor their websites
WGSN Barometer
• WGSN Barometer is a retail consumer
intelligence and surveys platform. Data used
was collected across men 16-74 UK and US in
last 12 weeks to May 28 2020 and 2019
Ur ban O ut f it t er s
Definitions
• New-in: new products available online during
the specified period
• Current season: new products available
online during the previous nine weeks
• Out of Stock (OOS): products where at least
50% of the SKUs (colour or size) were not
available for purchase on a retailer’s site but
still shown, during the selected time frame
• % fp sell-outs: % of products where at least
50% of the SKUs (colour or size) were not
available for purchase on a retailer’s site but
still shown, and kept at original price, any day
during the selected time frame
• Markdown percentage (%): markdown
products as a % of total product offering
• Average discount: average % depth of
discount
• ppts: percentage point
• WoW: week-over-week
• YoY: year-over-year