S&V Footwear & Leather Goods Magazine Vol90 No7 July 2024
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IN THIS ISSUE:
03 Upfront
- Has Nike’s greed come back to haunt it?
- Relationships have to be more equal, says Mike’s Sports’ Mike Augoustides.
- Springbok sponsors – as a sports shop, we can’t get a single jersey, says Action Sports Retailers’ Theo Koutsoudis.
- Their strategy hasn’t unfolded as they expected, says The Vault/American Clothing’s Kamlesh Chagan.
- I’ve ‘filled the gap’, thank you, says L. Cohen Outfitters’ Martin Cohen.
- Others have taken their place, says McCoy’s Outfitters/Playboy Sports’ Iqbal Mahomed.
- Kappa launches Kaizer Chiefs’ replica range.
14 Headlines with Tinashe Mandirahwe
- Shein and Temu face uncertain times in SA amid high tariff push.
- From traditional dress to sneakers – a Japanese success story.
- Skechers-Shein partnership: Dilution or strategic expansion?
- Celebrity-favoured Golden Goose reveals staggering debt ahead of IPO.
- Nike unveils Hyperice Boot – a game-changer or just hype?
21 Export & Trade
- Expanding horizons: Leveraging African trade opportunities with SAFLEC’s outward selling missions, by Nerisha Jairaj.
22 Sustainability
- SGS adds to its ‘green’ certificates.
23 Notice Board
- Obituary: Stephan Berrill, who was happiest as a technical shoemaker.
Advertisers in this Issue
Arena Trims (08), BBF Safety Group (OFC), Freestyle Genuine Handcrafted Leather (02), FrontierCo/Busby (06), Haesloop Agencies (10), Kaytex Belts (12), Leather Finishing Products (16), Saddler Belts (04), SAFLEC (07), S&V Calendar (01), S&V Directory (21), Shotland Packing (14).
The Next Issue:
- Out on 23 August 2024.
- Skechers-Shein partnership: Dilution or strategic expansion?Since 2023, Skechers’ decision to sell on Shein has raised eyebrows. Known for its comfortable, casual, and sometimes athletic shoes, Skechers occupies a market space perceived to offer higher quality compared to Shein’s fast-fashion, low-price model. This move has some analysts worried about a potential dilution of Skech ...moreCelebrity-favoured Golden Goose reveals staggering debt ahead of IPOGolden Goose, the Italian footwear brand favoured by celebrities like Selena Gomez and Taylor Swift, is preparing to shed its private veil and enter the public eye through an Initial Public Offering (IPO). This seemingly glamorous transition, however, exposes a surprising truth: the company is grappling with significant debt and might be ...moreNike unveils Hyperice Boot - a game-changer or just hype?Nike has launched what they call The Nike x Hyperice Boot, a tech-enabled product designed to enhance athlete warm-up and recovery. This wearable technology is aimed at helping athletes perform at their best. The boot is a result of a partnership between Nike and Hyperice, a company known for its expertise in reco ...moreSGS adds to its ‘green’ certificationsInternational testing, inspection and certification company SGS has launched 2 additions to its SGS Green Marks programme: Product Carbon Footprint and Carbon Footprint Reduced. Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is an essential measurement of greenhouse gas emission and removal within a product’s life cycle. Brands, manufacturers, ...moreFrom traditional dress to sneakers - a Japanese success storyTokyo Kimono Shoes isn’t just a footwear company; it’s a story of innovation, sustainability, and cultural revival. Founded by Shotaro Kawamura, a former logistics professional who witnessed the decline of Japanese brands, Tokyo Kimono Shoes is taking the world by storm with its unique sneakers crafted from recycled kimono fab ...moreHappiest as a technical shoemakerObituary: Stephan Berrill – Jack & Jill, Paul Moeller & Co., Adidas, Angels Shoes (29/03/1956-15/07/2024) ...moreExpanding horizons: Leveraging African trade opportunities with SAFLEC's outward selling missionsThe South African Footwear and Leather Export Council (SAFLEC) is paving the way for its members to tap into African markets to grow their businesses through strategic outward selling and inward buying missions. These missions, tailored to maximize market presence and drive sales, are a game-changer for South African footwear and leather ...moreHas Nike’s greed come back to haunt it?Early in July, international media carried reports about a steep fall in Nike’s share price following disappointing results. One was Sky News, which headlined a report: ‘How a series of blunders brought Nike's share price to COVID lows and meant it's being beaten by younger rivals.The iconic sportswear brand has switched away ...moreRelationships have to be more equalCape Town, W. Cape, SA – I’m sure Nike’s decision to drop so many retailers can’t have helped their recent performance, but I don’t know how much damage that did to them.It was mostly motivated by the opportunity to double their markup – that’s the only reason that makes sense. But what they didn& ...moreSpringbok sponsors – and as a sports shop we can’t get a single jerseyPort Elizabeth, E. Cape, SA – What we hear is that both Nike and Adidas are losing sales internationally.Here, however, we’re affected by Nike’s Springbok sponsorship deal – as a sports shop, we can’t get a single Springbok rugby jersey or replica shirt. We couldn’t get them during the World Cup, we cou ...moreTheir strategy hasn’t unfolded as they expectedCape Town, W. Cape, SA – Yes, Nike has been down this road before. Their current new Global Strategy to streamline their distribution was implemented and we independent businesses were out of their bigger plan. This sadly led to many independent retailers, dependent onNike, Adidas, NB, etc., to close down or to downscale their opera ...moreI’ve ‘filled the gap’, thank youCape Town, W. Cape, SA – L. Cohen Outfitters Est 1912 was the first independent in Wynberg to acquire the Nike brand, a situation that we held for a number of years before Nike's policy changed to supplying numerous stores in close proximity.Those were the good years.The World didn't end when they advised that they would be terminat ...moreOthers have taken their placeLouis Trichardt, Limpopo, SA – I do think their drop in business is because they have sidelined all the independents. After all, it was the independents that grew the brand, not the chain groups. With this being said, all other companies have taken advantage and grown to another level. One of those is Puma which has grown so much an ...more
Footwear Industry Articles
- A practical joker, honest and generous in all things – except maybe biltongObituary: Howard Charles Patterson-Roberts – footwear agent (22/06/1951-08/03/2025) ...more“De Minimis” exemption removal — what it means for Shein, Temu & Amazon haulRecent changes to the “de minimis” exemption, which previously allowed packages under $800 to enter the U.S. tax-free, have raised concerns about the future of fast fashion giants Shein and Temu, as well as Amazon’s newest entrant into the market, Amazon Haul. But what’s really at play ...moreHail-fellow, well-met, in a genuine way - Obituary: Denis Manning – Kronies Footwear, Trenzado Footwear (29/03/1954-18/03/2025)Sadly, Denis Manning passed away on Tuesday, 18 March after a battle with cancer, 11 days before his 71st birthday.Denis arrived in South Africa with his wife, Jane, in March 1976 and settled in Pinetown. He joined Kronies as a trainee factory manager and worked there for many years, firstly with Hans Krohn and Doug Roberts and then ...more
Leather Industry Articles
- The journey of Ali Hakimi: A career path defined by leatherMy career journey is a testament to a passion for craftsmanship. I was born and raised in Tehran, Iran, and completed my high school education in 1974. Shortly thereafter, I spent two years working in my father's engineering company, where I was exposed to numerous industries. It was during this time that I discovered my interest in leath ...moreSam Setter's 'Pills': Too much is still not enough!My favourite way of communication is definitely not social media. We are flooded with nonsense and plainly untrue posts, and I dare say that most have a negative influence on us, on our behaviour and our habits. Personally, I refuse to be told who to vote for, how to dress, what to eat and enrich in the process totally unknown people call ...moreRETANNING CHEMISTRY - LEFTOVERSThe fundamental function of retanning has been to impart the final crust leather properties to the leather. The strength, softness, grain break, crust resistance (sweat, fastness, water spotting), fullness, drape, roundness, run, and nap properties; are common properties imparted by a typical retannage. The traditional leather science tex ...more
PPE Industry Articles
- A partnership for inclusion: Circular Energy and Bradshaw LeRoux join forces for disability inclusionCircular Energy is partnering with Bradshaw LeRoux, a disability inclusion specialists organisation, to forge a disability-positive workplace. ...moreUnderstanding respirator PPEThe subject of Respirator Personal Protective Equipment is confusing until one understands the basic concept requirements.OHS Act defines Respiratory Protective Equipment as a device which is worn over at least the mouth and nose to prevent the inhalation of air borne hazardous chemical substances and which is of a type or conforms to a s ...moreSwitch to updated standard: Footwear suppliers given time limit to run out old stockPretoria, Gauteng, SA – Safety footwear suppliers have until April 2026 to sell stock made to the 2014 edition of SA National Standard (SANS) 20345.The National Regulator for Compulsory Standards (NRCS) confirmed this at a stakeholder meeting on 11 March.The SA National Standard (SANS) for safety footwear in South Africa was upgrade ...more
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