Footwear holds a certain connection to the consumer found in only a few other product categories: watches, eywear, cars… cellphones are getting there and you could argue MP3 players are as well.
Why do you think this is?
Fashion is a tempting first answer, but before you make that reply let me point out that apparel is filled with more or less staples. T-Shirts, Jeans, hoodies, they don’t change much. Colors, graphics, materials, fit all move slightly but all in all the products are the same from old navey, to the gap, to banana republic. The way the garments are constructed are pretty universal until yo get into high end one off fashion.
Footwear, cars, cell phones ect seem to go in bigger macro trends where one product come out into the market, the TT, the presto, the iPod and changes the game for everyone every couple years. But you could say the same about a freaking toaster, cofee maker, mouse… so why the connection?
Pluss the tooling costs on making a new shoe are crazy, you need to make a mold for every half side and each foot. Yet new products are cranked out 3-4 times a year! The product cycle could be just a few months before it is pulled off the market, unlike a phone that might be in production for years.
I’m still pretty new to this footwear game, only been doing it about 20 months, but I’m amazed when i travel the amount of kids who can recite model names, know I have a rare Japan only colorway on, or even what year the product was originally launched in? kind of the way I was as a kid with cars.
They are pretty disposable products, a toaster you might have for 20 years, shoes like 6 months to a year depending on how stinky, I can’t figure the whole thing out yet.