Fashion Is Looking at Footwear Market Share

The turf wars continue in the land of ath-leisure. Nike, Adidas and Under Armour — brands that have long been known for selling sneakers to men — are rolling out expansion plans in the apparel market, mostly targeting women.  But some of the hottest apparel players are taking their offensive to a new playing field and staking out territory in footwear. Within the last year Canada Goose, Lululemon and Everlane have laid out plans for a footwear collection under their own brands. Last week, Columbia Sportswear said it was doing the same, growing its footwear selection to include a year-round assortment. “Expansion into new categories without straying too far from the root provides a tried-and-true path to growth,” Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser for the NPD Group, told WWD. “Reaching a customer that is a loyal outerwear or athletic wear user makes for introducing them to footwear an easy transition, as well as a believable one.” Everlane dropped its first sneaker collection, Tread by Everlane, in April, as seen here on the company’s web site.  Courtesy Web Site Right now, both apparel and footwear have market share up for grabs — but footwear might have more. The international footwear category, including everything sneakers and sandals to

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