Nike, Jordan and Adidas face growing competition from rising sneaker brands, according to streetwear marketplace StockX‘s latest data chronicling the fastest-growing footwear labels on its platform.
Seeing sales climb more than 3,600 percent during the first six months of 2022 compared to the year-ago period, running brand Hoka topped the platform’s list of shoe brands on the rise. “Hoka’s strength is coming from the collaborations it’s starting to tiptoe into,” StockX merchandising director of collectibles Drew Haines said, adding that partnerships with Bodega and Moncler have put the brand on the map.
These collabs have also helped popularize the brand’s core assortment, Haines pointed out. “We’re seeing tremendous volume in their in-line products that are general release, and in some cases, the supply and demand of the marketplace determines that those prices are sometimes below retail, which is favorable for customers looking for a deal,” he said.
Known for its rebound and shock-absorption midsole technology, Hoka follows in the footsteps of other footwear brands that focus on functionality, from Crocs to Birkenstock, Haines said. “I think that the consumer is taking those products and making them fashionable, as opposed to Hoka trying to be fashionable,” he added. “They might want to have something that not many other people have, and so they’re taking something that’s meant to be utilitarian and turning it into a fashion statement.” Birkenstock, which took the No. 1 spot in last year’s footwear list, grew by 219 percent year-over-year.
The Puma LaMelo Ball MB.01 “Be You.”
StockX
Sports and pop-culture also figure heavily into brand performance, Haines said. Puma, which saw 415-percent sales growth, ranked No. 2 on the list, owing to the brand’s partnership with NBA star LaMelo Ball. “Some of the MB.01 silhouettes that released [earlier this year] reached trade volume in the first week that we would usually see from a Tier One Jordan or a Tier One Yeezy silhouette,” he added.
The Charlotte Hornets point guard’s strong performance during the spring season correlated directly with the rise in Puma sneaker sales. “The same way that Under Armour is leaning into Steph Curry, if LaMelo Ball continues to perform well on the court and continues to grow in terms of popularity, I think we could see Puma potentially continue to grow very quickly as well,” Haines said.
Under Armour saw 142-percent growth from the same period last year, earning it the No. 7 spot. StockX data showed that during the first six months of the year, 90 percent of the top-traded Under Armour sneakers were from the collaboration with the Golden State Warriors superstar, a four-time NBA champion. The average selling price for the Curry 4 Flotro in Vivid Lilac—the shoe that carried the point guard to victory in the 2022 NBA Finals—was $502.
The Curry 4 Flotro in Vivid Lilac.
StockX
Justin and Hailey Bieber and Jack Harlow’s high-profile affinity for New Balance‘s retro, low-top 550 silhouette helped the brand’s sales skyrocket by 200 percent. One of StockX’s top-performing nameplates, the Boston athletic company claimed the No. 6 spot for growth. Meanwhile minimalist luxury sneaker brand Common Projects came in No. 3 (with 376-percent growth) and Louis Vuitton reached No. 4 on the list with a sales increase of 245 percent.
The New Balance 550 in White Grey.
StockX
Haines said it was notable that so much growth stemmed from brands outside of the “Big Three”—Nike, Adidas and Nike-owned Jordan Brand. “We’re seeing volume on the platform grow tremendously, and I don’t think it’s taking away from any of those brands—it’s just a matter of the speed of growth,” he said. Brands like Hoka, which previously didn’t see much action on StockX, could have a chance to grow their market share. “Growth can come a lot faster when you’re not as big,” Haines said.