VF : Puts Its Best Foot Forward

VF Puts Its Best Foot Forward

VF Puts Its Best Foot Forward

March 30, 2016

Brands in full-stride with footwear opportunities & growth

What keeps VF moving forward? Innovation, determination, and more literally - feet. VF entered the footwear category, a relatively new segment for VF, in 2004 with the acquisition of Vans and Reef the following year. Today, nearly 20 percent of the company's revenue is now from footwear sales - and that number is growing year over year.

The company went on to purchase another footwear brand in Timberland in 2011 and now boasts four brands with robust footwear offerings in its portfolio. For VF to remain a leader in the footwear industry, the company must deliver products and experiences that consistently inspire and ignite consumer passion, supported by new design, production and distribution approaches.

Check out footwear highlights from some of VF's brands:

Vans

Celebrating its 50 anniversary in 2016, Vans is a powerhouse in the footwear segment. Currently about 80 percent of Vans' revenue comes from footwear. Revenues in 2015 were up 14 percent, reaching $2.2 billion. With an emphasis on offering a lifestyle and not just products, Vans provides a full emersion experience in living 'Off the Wall' - the nod to the skateboarding roots of skating empty swimming pools in the 1970s. From skateboarders, to snowboarders, to concert goers - Vans is the brand leader in youth culture.

Strong partnerships and collaborations with Disney, respected artists and even fellow VF brand The North Face, have given Vans the ability to gain an even broader consumer base.

Timberland

Strong, durable, and stylish - Timberland boots have been traversing the globe for decades. About 80 percent of Timberland's product portfolio is made up of footwear - offering a wide variety of collections spanning professional work boots to rugged, refined styles made for the modern trail. Since acquisition in 2011, the brand continues to realize great success, capturing new markets by re-defining the outdoors, and speaking more directly to a new generation of outdoor lifestyle adventurers.

Timberland also serves on-the-jobs needs with its PRO Boondock and PRO Powertrain collections. The diversity of products and collections that Timberland has makes it a unique footwear brand that appeals to a wide variety of customers with a wider variety of applications.

The North Face

The re-launch of the iconic Hedgehog hiking collection, first introduced in 2008, was widely successful in 2015 and with Mountain Athletic and Ultra footwear collections in the portfolio, The North Face continues to provide consumers with the high-quality performance footwear for trails and slopes around the world. With about 10 percent of its revenue coming from the footwear segment - and growing - The North Face is set to climb even higher with category expansion and strategies to greatly expand future offerings.

Reef

One of the most recognized sandals brands in the world, Reef has been a leader in providing functional and environmentally friendly footwear for more than 30 years. Inspired by surf and beach culture and the 'Just Passing Through' mentality of surfers, Reef captures the laid-back, summer style of searching for the perfect wave or beach. With 90 percent of Reef's product portfolio being comprised of footwear, it is VF's highest volume footwear brand.

For more information about VF's footwear brands, visit vfc.com/brands.