Latest news with #XT-Whisper
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amer Sports' Hot Streak: Runway Growth for Salomon's XT-Whisper, Aero Glide 3 + Arc'teryx's Shoe Pipeline
Amer Sports Inc. sees growing momentum behind Salomon sneakers as footwear also continues to be Arc'teryx's fastest-growing category. Those were the conclusions of Amer CEO James Zheng during the Finnish firm's conference call on Tuesday after posting first-quarter results. More from WWD Amer Sports Raises 2025 Guidance, Tariffs Not Major Concern Puma Previews H-Street Low-Profile Sneaker in Seoul Ahead of June Release New Balance Brings More Cushioning to Its FuelCell Rebel v5 Daily Trainer 'Global brand momentum behind Salomon sneakers is accelerating. Not only is the Salomon footwear franchise continuing to grow very well in China and APAC (Asia Pacific), it's now also starting to impact in both the U.S. and Europe,' Zheng said. The CEO added that sales of Salomon sneakers exceeded $1 billion in 2024, but remains 'tiny' relative to the $180 billion global sneaker market. 'We believe Salomon sneakers have an authentic and unique market position with technical features designed for athletes on a variety of terrains, but also great for everyday use,' he said. 'Our unique style and the technical attributes are relevant with consumers at a time when they are more receptive than ever to wearing new sneaker brands.' Direct-to-consumer remains the fastest growing channel for the brand. In addition to shoes, Salomon apparel, bags and socks are also experiencing growth, the CEO said. The first quarter included its global footwear launch of XT-Whisper, which Zheng said has been a 'massive success.' In addition, the brand also introduced its Aero Glide 3, a low running shoe using a foam called optiFOAM EVO that the CEO said represents a 'disruptive new generation' material that offers runners a new level of rebound and comfort for running on road or trail. This month also saw the introduction of GRVL, a collection of running shoes for use on gravel from pavement to parks and trails. Zheng said it opened 22 net new Salomon shops in Greater China in the quarter, bringing the total store count of company-owned stores and partner doors to 218. The company plans to have 300 shops this year, and has the 'opportunity to grow to several hundred locations over time in just Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities,' he said. The new Shanghai store will be joined by a second Shanghai flagship in August. And in the U.S., the pop-up location in the SoHo neighborhood in N.Y.C. last October became a permanent store site, with plans to open 3 to 4 more shops in the New York area this year. 'Beyond New York, we're also focused on San Francisco and Los Angeles as epicenter markets for Salomon sneakers,' he said. Zheng described Arc'teryx as a 'breakout growth story with great growth and profitability for the outdoor industry' that's still 'very under-penetrated globally.' The brand's footwear and women's businesses were cited as categories that grew faster than the brand overall in the first quarter. He said consumers continued to respond to the brand's technical performance footwear designed for mountains. Northern LD4, designed for long-distance mountain running, was introduced in the quarter, as well as Vertex Speed, the mountain running shoe designed to climb through technical vertical terrain. He said footwear will become a 'sizable and profitable growth avenue for Arc'teryx' as it looks to its pipeline of shoe launches in the back half of 2025. 'We now have structured footwear as a separate business unit,' the CEO said, emphasizing that the brand now has a dedicated team focused on the category. Stuart C. Haselden, CEO of Arc'teryx, said the brand has improved its in-stock positions across a number of categories, including footwear. He said footwear was up 41 percent on top of the launch of three new models in the first quarter, adding that Northern LD4 was up 163 percent to plan. He said the women's apparel business was up 38 percent behind footwear, and that the ultimate goal is a balanced business that's '50-50 between men's and women's.' For the quarter ended March 31, net income was $134.6 million, on revenue of $1.47 billion. That compares with net income of $5.1 million, on revenue of $1.19 billion in the same year-ago period. For the full year ending Dec. 31, revenue is expected to grow 15 percent to 17 percent, with diluted EPS guided to between 67 cents to 72 cents versus the prior forecast at 64 cents to 69 cents. The Finnish company also owns the racquet brand Wilson, and the Peak Performance and Atomic brands. It completed its initial public offering last year, raising $1.37 billion. Best of WWD Mikey Madison's Elegant Red Carpet Shoe Style [PHOTOS] Julia Fox's Sleekest and Boldest Shoe Looks Over the Years [Photos] Crocs Collaborations From Celebrities & Big Brands You Should Know Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kith Reimagines the Salomon XT-Whisper
After releasing two standout collaborations with Salomon to close out 2024, Kith has returned in 2025 by reimagining another silhouette from the brand. Available now is the collaborative XT-Whisper, which was released alongside the Kith Women Spring 2025 collection. Kith created two colorways of the unisex shoe with Salomon: one executed in Delicioso and Dark Citron hues, and the other dressed in Vanilla and Transparent Yellow. More from Footwear News Kith and On Are Debuting a Brand New Sneaker for Their Next Collab Fossil Group Poaches Adidas and Salomon Executives for C-Suite Roles To further stamp the collaboration, both colorways feature Kit branding on the heels, tongues and sockliners, and they come packaged in a co-branded box. The XT-Whisper is built with mesh uppers with synthetic leather overlays, as well as the brand's Sensifit application, which was added for both hold and comfort. It also features Salomon's Quicklace system, Contagrip rubber outsoles and TPU toecap and heel chassis. The two Kith for Salomon XT-Whisper colorways can be shopped at all Kith shops, as well as via and the Kith App. The shoes are a unisex product offered in men's sizing and retail for $150. The Salomon XT-Whisper is a trail runner from 2000, specifically introduced as a women's version of the XT-Hawk. The brand revived the silhouette in December 2024 and now sits in its Sportstyle category. Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at Best of Footwear News NBA All-Star Weekend's Most Iconic Sneakers of All Time Super Bowl Halftime Show Shoes Through the Years: From Michael Jackson's Loafers to Rihanna's MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon Sneakers Roger Vivier's Belle Vivier Pumps Through the Years: From Jackie Kennedy to Melania Trump [PHOTOS]
