New Balance

Just a few years ago, designer sneakers were an “it” item driving huge sales. Today the situation has changed, though they still have their place in luxury’s arsenal.

As the brand races to hit eleven-digit annual sales, CEO Joe Preston opens up for The State of Fashion 2025 about what New Balance is doing that its rivals aren't, the company's unique approach to brand and athlete partnerships and how it plans to stay ahead in the innovation battle.

This year’s New York City Marathon will witness an unprecedented slew of fashion-related activations like branded run clubs, sneaker drops and even a beauty sponsorship as the industry goes all in on running culture.

As tennis legends retire, brands are shifting focus to the new generation of tennis stars like Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz, leveraging their social media presence and growing audiences to connect with younger, more diverse consumers.

In under a decade, the Boston-based company transformed itself from a brand for dads and runners into one of the hottest players in the sneaker world. Now, it’s using the Olympics and an expanding roster of collaborators, athlete partners and sports categories as catalysts to achieve its lofty ambitions.

Rather than limit who can put in orders for limited-edition sneakers, watches and collectibles, retailers are throwing open their drops — and then using data analytics to quietly kick bad actors to the back of the line.

The State of Fashion 2024 explores the potentially elevated role that brand marketing will play as competition for consumer attention and loyalty intensifies across the fashion industry.

The eight founding members of the nonprofit initiative say it is the first of its kind explicitly focused on the challenge for shoes.

Fashion may always be chasing the next big thing, but in the sneaker market, decades-old styles dominate, which experts attribute to forces like nostalgia, the rise of hip-hop, risk-averse business strategies and a cultural obsession with recycling intellectual property.

Niche digital publications and online communities are emerging as go-to collaborators for big brands looking to tap into powerful youth-focused audiences.