Aerosoles is getting into the children’s market.
The 35-year-old comfort footwear brand on Tuesday launched its new children’s collection, following recent news that it’s also adding men’s shoes including flip-flops, slippers and roller skates beginning this summer. Market research firm Fact.MR valued the kids’ shoe market at $46 billion last year.
The new categories will represent an integral part of its growth strategy moving forward, Aerosoles said Tuesday. Recently acquired by design and manufacturing firm American Exchange Group—which operates private brands including Adrienne Vittadini, Alexis Bendel, Ecko Ultd., Ed Hardy and Nicole Miller—Aerosoles is looking to build upon the success of its women’s footwear line by engaging new audiences globally.
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The kids collection was created with a “mommy and me” theme in mind, with many young girls’ styles inspired by successful silhouettes from the women’s line. It will include trend-forward styles like mini lug-sole combat boots and booties, shearling-lined winter boots and sneakers, as well as dress styles such as ballet flats, mary janes and mini heels. Priced at $49-$79, the line will feature toddler size 11 to kids size 4, and the first items in the collection are slated to launch on the Aerosoles e-commerce site this month.
“Expanding into kids footwear is very exciting for us as we are completely focused on establishing ourselves as the leading global lifestyle brand,” American Exchange Group CEO Alen Mamrout said. “We are committed to rolling out new and superior products that appeal to a wide and diversified audience so that consumers of all ages and genders can experience the comfort and style that the brand is known for.”
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Mamrout added that the children’s footwear debut is “the first of many new announcements that we will be making in the coming months.”
American Exchange Group announced the acquisition of Aerosoles in early 2022, though the two were already collaborating on design, branding and retail strategy. They said they were targeting more mass merchants and off-price retail as new channels for the moderately priced line, and teased the launch of new categories last January. Mamrout called the acquisition “an exciting new chapter in the evolution of American Exchange Group.”
