Dive Brief:
- After much lead-up, Canada Goose officially launched its first footwear collection on Friday featuring two styles: the Snow Mantra Boots and the Journey Boots.
- Canada Goose tested the boots for six months with a variety of athletes, adventurers, researchers and cinematographers, according to a company press release. The brand used its Snow Mantra Parka as inspiration for the two footwear styles.
- The Snow Mantra Boots are meant for extreme environments and feature an insulated liner and drawcords to keep out cold weather. The Journey Boots are meant as a "performance luxury hiking boot" and include protection against water and rocks.
Dive Insight:
Canada Goose has been touting its launch into footwear for a few months now. Early in October, the DTC brand announced its first campaign promoting the category, which features Romeo Beckham, Indigenous artist and activist Sarain Fox, and Indigenous leader and former NHL player Jordin Tootoo.
Later that month, the company said it would give its Basecamp loyalty members a chance to shop the collection early. Now, the collection is available at the brand's more than 35 stores, online and at select wholesale partners. The footwear styles launched in Asia on Thursday and globally Friday.
"Building new categories is a core competency for us and footwear is the natural next step in our product portfolio," Dani Reiss, president and CEO of Canada Goose, said in a statement. "Canada Goose Footwear has been years in the making, as we defined and developed this category unlike anything seen before – something that our consumers have long been asking us for. This collection exemplifies the Canada Goose lifestyle, standing the test of time and the elements."
A little over a year ago, Canada Goose appointed a general manager for footwear and accessories as it planned an entrance into the category, with experience from Nike, Sperry and Lacoste Footwear. Footwear clearly isn't the only thing on Canada Goose's mind, though. The brand appointed an executive vice president of product in November 2019 to "lead the global product strategy as the company continues to focus on category expansion and innovation."
Much like its parkas, Canada Goose is attempting to position its footwear as not just high-performance pieces for the elements, but also as lifestyle items for a consumer's everyday wardrobe. With its Snow Mantra Boots, the brand emphasized the shoes are "adaptable to wear and deliver beyond extreme temperatures," including with various methods for lacing the shoes. Its Journey Boots are likewise positioned to be "at peak performance from the city to off-the-grid adventures."
Canada Goose in its most recent quarter reported revenue up nearly 20%, with DTC revenue almost doubling in the quarter, thanks to higher sales from its existing stores, e-commerce growth and retail expansion. Those results were on top of a first quarter that saw its revenue double over 2020 and DTC revenue almost triple.
