With its new SH/FT Collection, Columbia Sportswear is gleaning inspiration from sneaker culture with a range of colorful, urban sneaker-boot hybrids targeted at Millennial and Gen Z consumers. Although Columbia is known for its technical outdoor apparel, this youthful collection sets itself apart with sleek, fashion-forward colors and sneaker-like styles created in collaboration with DJ Zedd.
The sneaker-boots that can be found within the SH/FT Collection appeal to young consumers who are looking for versatile, multi-use shoes that can work as both athletic and fashion footwear.
Taking a page from sneaker culture, Columbia generated hype around the release its new "hybrid hiking shoes" by teasing a new "drop" ahead of the official release date and offering limited availability of the street-ready styles.
Urban Sneaker-Boot Hybrids
Columbia Sportswear's SH/FT Collection Appeals to Millennials & Gen Z
Trend Themes
1. Sneaker-boot Hybrids - Designing sneaker-boot hybrids is a disruptive innovation opportunity for brands to appeal to young consumers seeking versatile and fashion-forward footwear.
2. Multi-use Shoes - As young consumers look for multi-use shoes, creating sneaker-boot hybrids is a disruptive innovation opportunity for brands to provide versatile footwear that meets both athletic and fashion needs.
3. Hype Marketing - Teasing new product drops and creating limited availability of styles is a disruptive innovation opportunity for brands to generate hype around new product releases.
Industry Implications
1. Footwear Industry - The footwear industry can explore creating hybrid sneakers-boots to appeal to young consumers seeking versatile and fashion-forward footwear.
2. Fashion Industry - The fashion industry can integrate multi-use sneaker-boots in its product offerings to meet the needs of young consumers seeking versatile and fashionable footwear.
3. Marketing Industry - The marketing industry can adopt hype-marketing tactics to generate buzz and anticipation around new product releases.