New Balance

Rather than limit who can put in orders for limited-edition sneakers, watches and collectibles, retailers are throwing open their drops — and then using data analytics to quietly kick bad actors to the back of the line.

The State of Fashion 2024 explores the potentially elevated role that brand marketing will play as competition for consumer attention and loyalty intensifies across the fashion industry.

The eight founding members of the nonprofit initiative say it is the first of its kind explicitly focused on the challenge for shoes.

Fashion may always be chasing the next big thing, but in the sneaker market, decades-old styles dominate, which experts attribute to forces like nostalgia, the rise of hip-hop, risk-averse business strategies and a cultural obsession with recycling intellectual property.

Niche digital publications and online communities are emerging as go-to collaborators for big brands looking to tap into powerful youth-focused audiences.