The Athlete’s Foot Unveils Local Store Concept

Welcome back to FN Daily, where we break down the biggest stories happening in footwear and retail.

Today, we're looking at The Athlete's Foot's new store concept. Plus Kenneth Cole teamed up with @Dudewithsign on a special collaboration and K-Swiss and McLaren Racing reveal their first shoe collection.

Here's what you need to know.

The Athlete’s Foot Unveils Local Store Concept as Retail Chain Modernizes

The Athlete’s Foot is going hyper local.

On Friday, the sneaker retailer celebrated the grand reopening of its store in Atlanta’s Atlantic Station shopping district, featuring an updated design that will become the new model for the franchise.

The “neighborhood” concept is meant to capture a community vibe with customized art elements, local brands and engaging activations. It also reflects the chain’s more diversified merchandising strategy by featuring more apparel options from labels such as Polo, Kappa, Sergio Tacchini, PRPS and Gudlyfe, as well as deeper offerings for women.

To give the Atlantic Station shop a localized feel, TAF is stocking merchandise from area sports teams and local designers.

Kenneth Cole & Instagram’s ‘Dude With Sign’ Want Your Attention

Kenneth Cole is continuing on his mission to end the stigma around mental health. As part of the brand’s 40th anniversary and in line with Mental Health Awareness month, the company has teamed up with @Dudewithsign on a special collaboration.

Seth Phillips started the now-viral @dudewithsign Instagram account in 2019 where he is seen holding humorous and culturally relevant signs on the streets of New York. He then caught Cole’s eye during the pandemic after he was seen holding up a piece of cardboard that read, “Saying ‘Calm Down’ Doesn’t Work.”

With that, the two came together to create a capsule collection that has 100% of net proceeds from the sale of the items donated to The Mental Health Coalition. In addition, a $25,000 donation to the Mental Health Coalition on behalf of FJerry, the company behind @dudewithsign & @fuckjerry, will also be made as part of this collaboration. The Coalition will be using the funds towards an initiative around social media and its impact on mental health.

K-Swiss and McLaren Racing Reveal Their First Shoe Collection

With the 2023 F1 racing season on the horizon, K-Swiss and McLaren Racing have revealed a collaborative, team performance-driven footwear collection.

K-Swiss and McLaren Racing — after announcing a multiyear partnership in July 2022 — will release three collaborative collections throughout the year, with the first dropping today. This partnership, K-Swiss said, is based off the companies’ shared values of innovation and passion for cutting-edge design.

“There is an unspoken strength in being able to stand the test of time. Partnering with McLaren was a decision that felt right from both ends,” K-Swiss international brand president Rob Langstaff said in a statement.

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