E-commerce

Retail Analysis: Women's

Footwear & Accessories
Summer 2021
Summer proves strong for footwear and accessories
categories as lockdowns li and consumer demand for
stepping-out style returns

Sidney Morgan-Petro & Sabahi Jamali

07.07.21 · 17 minutes

Galeries Lafayette
Key takeaways 
In this report, explore our extensive in-store imagery from the comfort of your
desk – with over 10,000 images from 12 global fashion cities. Our proprietary e-
commerce data and consumer sentiment surveys round out the retail
assessment of trends from May and June deliveries. 

Barcelona: brightly coloured scarves, sleek comfort sandals and straw totes abound
in this vibrant Spanish city
Chengdu and Chongqing: directional hats and footwear are found across these key
Chinese locations
Cleveland: explore this midwest US city for value and big box stores
Cop enhagen: a mix of feminine trends and chic sneakers epitomises the Scandi vibe
London: our monthly coverage of the UK fashion hub captures key trends from fast
fashion to luxury flagships
Miami: explore warm weather trends across all markets, from floppy sunhats to
colourful heels, in this US destination
New York: monthly images from this US hub run the gamut from value to luxury
footwear and accessories trends
Par is : chic boutiques offer directional footwear trends, while high-end department
stores exhibit world-class merchandising
Rio de Janeiro: mid-market and luxury brands display key accessory and footwear
trends in the LATAM market
Stylenanda Pink Hotel
S an Francis co: this Californian city offers key boutiques, department stores and value
shops, catering to coastal and urban tastes Seoul 

S eoul: shop this South Korean city for sleek and sporty items such as caps and utility
bags, alongside feminine footwear and Y2K vintage looks

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Global product highlights 
Adidas x Allbirds
Adidas x Allbirds collab
Unveiling its first sneaker
collaboration, the
FUTURECRAFT.FOOTPRINT
shoe, Allbirds and adidas have
created the most sustainable
sneaker yet for either brand,
with a carbon footprint of less
than 3kg. Available since May
2021, wider releases will come
in A/W 21 and 22.
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Shinola
Shinola's sustainable watch
The Detroit-based brand has
debuted its latest sustainable
effort – a watch fashioned from
ocean-bound plastic. Design
details are inspired by the hatch
on a submarine and it proves
resistant up to 10 ATM.
Lunya
Lunya's terrycloth
accessories
Noted in our Cut-and-Sew Retail
Analysis, terrycloth/towelling is
a material to watch for the
coming seasons. US-based
Lunya taps into the full
spectrum of possibilities for this
summer-friendly fabric, with
matching slippers, headbands,
scrunchies and so shoulder
bags to pair with coordinating
apparel.
Paper x Fila
FILA x Paper collab
Just in time for Pride deliveries,
FILA released a sneaker collab
with Paper Magazine, alongside
apparel and accessories that
play within the Paper Volleyball
Club theme – an imaginary,
inclusive space for all.
Donations have been made to
The Trevor Project as part of
their involvement.
Coach
Coach's sustainable
collection
Launched in late spring, the
Coach Forever collection offers
a key in-store merchandising
opportunity, highlighting the
sustainable practices behind its
leather. Archival silhouettes are
reimagined in natural leathers
and responsibly sourced dyes.
Online product mix – footwear New-in sandals increase their share of the mix whilst
Sandal volumes rise, taking share away from sports shoes and shoes decline YoY globally
sneakers and dress shoes. 
UK US Germany
New-in volumes of footwear see a YoY upli
2019 2020 2021
in S/S 21 across the UK and US, while
remaining down in Germany as it continues to

% new in footwear
40
decline YoY (+23% UK, +4% US, -49%
Germany) 20
Initial

Similar to the story in spring 2021, new-in 0

Sandals Sports Shoes Boots
sandals continue to increase their share of
shoes/sandals
the footwear mix, while sport shoes and
dress shoes decline YoY across the UK, US
and Germany. Retailers are being careful not WGSN e-commerce: April 5 - June 17 2019, 2020, 2021
 
to over-index on the sneaker category a er a
successful year amid the pandemic when
sneaker volumes spiked. Meanwhile, dress
shoes are further reduced in volumes,
reflecting the shi away from wear-to-work Stradivarius
styles as many people continue to work
from home
Within dress shoes, pumps still represent
the biggest share of the mix globally,
followed by mules and clogs – rising stars in
the footwear space, as highlighted in our
A/W 21 and S/S 22 Buyers' Briefings

Camper Nordstrom

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Online product mix – New season jewellery rebounds back to 2019
accessories  levels in the UK and US throughout S/S 21
The accessories sector recovers after a
UK US Germany
severe dip in newness last S/S, as retailers
reintroduce staple #staycation and 2019 2020 2021
vacation items. 

% new in accessories
40

New-in volumes of accessories note an

20
Stradivarius
uptick throughout S/S 21 across the UK and
Germany, but are slightly down in the US
0
(+9% UK, +34% Germany, -2% US)
Bags Jewellery Eyewear Hats Scarves
Despite declining YoY in the UK and US, new-
season bags continue to represent the
WGSN e-commerce: April 5 - June 17 2019, 2020, 2021
biggest share of the women's accessories  
mix, while slightly upticking in Germany.
Interestingly, new-in volumes of bags are
down YoY across all market segments apart
from trend-led (+53% UK, +61% US, +95%
Germany) Dannijo

Jewellery increases its share of the mix

across the UK by 2ppts to 26% and 3ppts to
39% US, while decreasing YoY in Germany by
4ppts to 14%. The jewellery category is
slightly up across the luxury segment by
25% UK and 16% US, signalling a space to
watch for brand inspiration
New-season sunglasses hold stable across
Mango Pretty Little Thing
the UK and US while slightly upticking YoY in
Germany (stable at 9% UK, 7% US, +2ppts to
8% Germany). Despite this, trend-led
retailers are bringing in more new volumes
of sunglasses across the UK and
US, increasing YoY by 28% UK and 147% US
New-in hats are also up from S/S 20 across
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all three regions, growing the fastest across
the trend-led market segment (+107% UK,
+101% US)
Online product performance  Sports shoes and sandals continue to be the most
Markdowns fall YoY as the accessories and price-protected categories in the footwear mix
footwear sectors recover. 
UK US Germany

The overall volume of footwear in

Sandals 51%
markdown declines significantly YoY across
52%
all three regions as retailers pull back on Sports shoes 44% Average
discounting this category as a whole,
Boots 61%
decreasing by 4ppts to 52% UK, 19ppts to
42% US and 16ppts to 34% Germany Shoes 52%

0 100 Forever 21
The average depth of discount in June 2021
% of assortment in markdown
across footwear decreases YoY within the
UK and US while remaining relatively stable
in Germany (-1ppts to 34% UK, -5ppts to 32% 1/3
US, stable at 21% Germany)
Boots and dress shoes are the most
discounted category within the women's WGSN e-commerce: April 5 - June 17 2019, 2020, 2021
footwear mix, with markdowns sitting above
the average for both categories, compared
to sports shoes and sandals, which are the Retailers across the UK and Germany pull back
most price-protected by retailers globally on discounting jewellery throughout S/S 21
The overall volume of accessories being UK US Germany
discounted by retailers falls YoY throughout Monki
S/S 21 and decreases past 2019 levels Bags 37%
globally. Down YoY by 12ppts to 33% US, Sunglasses 36%
13ppts to 24% Germany and 5ppts to 37% Hats 38%
UK. Interestingly, although markdowns fell Jewellery 27%
below 2019 levels, they began to pick back 33%
Scarves 37% Average
up again around the end of May
0 100
% of assortment in markdown

1/3

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WGSN e-commerce: April 5 - June 17 2019, 2020, 2021 Stradivarius
Consumer demand – Intent to purchase all footwear categories
footwear  lifts YoY across three regions
WGSN Barometer consumer surveys point UK US Germany
towards an uptick YoY in demand for all
2019 2020 2021
footwear categories.
Sandals Shoes Sport shoes Boots
30 20 20 10
Intent to purchase all footwear categories
upticks YoY. Sandals continue to hold the top
spot women across the UK, US and Germany 10 10 5

plan to purchase in the next month (+4ppts

to 25% UK, +3ppts to 32% US, +2ppts to 25% 0 0 0 0
Dolce & Gabbana
Mar Apr May Jun Mar Apr May Jun Mar Apr May Jun Mar Apr May Jun
Germany in June 2021)
Appetite for dress shoes also grows YoY,
particularly across consumers in the US and 1/3
Germany as planned purchasing rebounds
past 2019 levels in S/S 21 (+1ppts to 16% UK,
+2ppts to 25% US, +5ppts to 22% Germany in WGSN Barometer: May 21 - June 27 2021, 2020, 2019 Q: which of the following items are you
June 2021) planning to buy in the next month?

Interestingly, as seen in the chart at right,

consumer demand for sports shoes remains
li ed throughout S/S 21, increasing past 2019
levels across all three regions. Up in June Fenwick
2021 by 1ppts to 15% US, 5ppts to 19%
Germany and stable at 10% UK in June 2021.
Although retailers pull back on this
category, itʼs clear consumers are still
interested in sports shoes following on from
2020
Consumer interest in boots is also up YoY
globally by +1ppts to 6% UK, +2ppts to 8%
US, +1ppts to 5% Germany in June 2021, Selfridges Galeries Lafayette
rebounding past 2019 levels in the US from
April 2021 and onwards

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Joyful expression 
Consumers gravitate towards optimistic
colour and prints as lockdowns lift globally.

Key icons channel an optimistic mood, from

the smiley face to butterflies, magic
mushrooms and rainbow motifs
Urban Out tters
# Smiley has been in continuous growth for
15 months in a row across social media,
peaking in March 2021 and growing the
fastest across the innovator market segment
(+24% YoY in May 2021), signalling a key
Nordstrom Galeries Lafayette
trend
Seasonal fashion colours of Mango Sorbet
and S/S 23ʼs Digital Lavender offer upbeat
tones to offset core neutrals for future
ranges DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse

Pride merchandise fits into the theme of

joyful expression, with many retailers
coinciding their June deliveries around this
celebration. Be sure to associate any Pride
merchandise proceeds with a related cause,
tying into the consumer desire for brands
that make a real impact within their
communities
Follow # joyfulexpression on the Fashion Galeries Lafayette Zara adidas
Feed for more inspiration

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Beaded jewellery jumble 
The crafted look extends to jewellery, with beaded bracelets, earrings and necklaces trending across
markets and working well for juniors' assortments. DIY kits are a popular option for online assortments,
tapping into customisation trends. Leverage this for occasion purchases and gifting – a key consumer
driver amid the pandemic. Despite declining YoY, new-in earrings continue to hold the biggest share of the
jewellery mix globally at 39% UK, 38% US and 35% Germany.

Zara Nordstrom Nordstrom Etro Dixie

London  San Francisco  San Francisco  London  Milan

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Colourful lucite frames
Pops of joyful colour invigorate the sunglasses category, with bold seasonal hues worked on tinted lucite
frames. Look for bold oranges, turquoise and Digital Lavender to extend into next year, a key trend noted at
the MIDO show.

Macy's

Conversations around #sunglasses have been in

growth for seven of the past 12 months across
social media, upticking within all market
segments, especially among the innovator
(+52% YoY) and retailer (+58% YoY in May 2021)
segments

Salvatore Ferragamo Dolce & Gabbana Pretty Little Thing Next

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Versatile silk scarf
Retailers leverage social media and e-commerce content to emphasise the versatility of the silk scarf.
“Summer of Love” styling propels the headscarf's popularity in retro prints, while soft belt and neckerchief
styling offer alternate ways to wear. Look to social media posts, like this one from Fashion Bomb Daily, to
capitalise on the scarf as a top (the video saw +589% in viewership). TikTok “out t hack” videos offer
another popular channel to drive this trend. 

Zara Free People Fenwick Zara Neiman Marcus

Barcelona  Miami  London  London Miami 

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Summer craft
Update straw and handicraft accessories with bold colours and patterns to inject joy into collections.
Woven leathers and raf a refresh smart accessories such as handbags and mules with a summer aesthetic,
while crochet and embroidery lend a casual feel. 

Mads Norgaard

Crochet has been in continuous YoY growth for

11 months in a row across social media, peaking
in May 2021 when it was posted by one in 33
accounts. Rising the fastest across innovator
(+138% YoY) and brand segments (+66% YoY in
May 2021)

Carandaí 25 Dolce & Gabbana Loewe Free People

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Strappy sunhat 
The soft bucket hat has been a popular choice amid the pandemic, performing better than most styles,
even in 2020. To update it, look to oppy constructions and soft ties or drawstrings that fall under the chin,
channelling cottagecore or outdoor adventure trends depending on the construction.

Zara Loewe Nordstrom Monki Mango

Copenhagen  London San Francisco  Stockholm  London 

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Straw tote 
New-in straw bags represent 4% of the bags assortment mix in the UK and US respectively and 5% in
Germany. They are growing across all market segments globally, especially across the luxury sector (+232%
UK, +231% US). A trickle-down approach to the straw tote is a good sign of its longevity going into S/S
22. Promote beach-to-street versatility with zippered linings, covered straps or convertible cross-body
attachments that will appeal beyond vacation capsules.

+232% UK,
+231% US
new-in straw bags at online
luxury YoY

Zimmermann Nordstrom Stylenanda Pink Hotel Printemps Anya Hindmarch

Sydney  New York Seoul  Paris London

13
Y2K shoulder bag
Short-strap shoulder bags that t neatly under the arm spike in popularity after peaking in the early
2000s. Modern mini hobo and slouch styles incorporate trending details such as ruched handles, glossy
patent and soft volume. While new-season shoulder bags are down YoY in their share of the bags mix,
luxury retailers in the UK and US are discounting shoulder bags much less in comparison to last year (40%
in S/S 20 vs 31% in S/S 21 UK, 38% vs 24% US).

Bershka Common Unique Tod's Calliope Stylenanda Pink Hotel

London Seoul  London Milan  Seoul

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Feature chain
Chunky chain straps take a cue from recent jewellery trends, adorning footwear, bag straps and sunglasses
chains with gold or colourful plastic renditions. 

Burberry

Jimmy Choo Versace Nordstrom Stella McCartney

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Soft knots 
Soft volume and padded styles have been trending for a few seasons and remain top performers. Inject
newness in this category with knot details on bag and sandal straps.

JNBY

Loewe Jimmy Choo Selfridges Zara

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Elevated thong sandal 
An emerging preference for toe-post designs gives rise to a new elevated ip- op look set to carry through
to S/S 22. Look to cupsoles and platforms to add height and use ankle-wrapped straps and fabric uppers. 

Zara

Stylenanda Pink Hotel Arket Massimo Dutti Stradivarius

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Summer slides 
The slide becomes a key vehicle for experimentation, in lower price points and lower risk styles. Colourful
plastic in shades of orange and purple, fuzzy uppers that double as slippers and puffed and knotted
leathers are all key directions. 

Coach

Mentions of #sliders have been in continuous

growth for six months in a row across social
media, growing the fastest across the retailer
segment (+75% YoY in May 2021)

H&M Reserved Reiss H&M

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Hi-vis details 
A rise in at-home workouts is coinciding with many regions returning to the gym after months of lockdown
- all signs point towards sneakers as they remain the biggest and top selling footwear segment. Look to
classic trainers with hi-vis accents to balance new and traditional tastes.

Saks Fifth Avenue

JD Sports Fenwick Puma A.P.C.

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Court sports 
Court sports, particularly tennis, gear up to
be a key motivation for brands. Lean into
preppy styling for S/S 22. 

According to WGSN social media, # sneakers

have been in continuous growth for five
months in a row, peaking in March 2021 when adidas

it was posted by one in 32 accounts

Specifically, social media interaction with
posts for classic white court-style sneakers
see significant YoY boosts: Aimé Leon Dore x
Adidas Originals by Noah
New Balance 550 (+252%), Off-White's 'OOO
For Walking' sneaker (+202%) and Puma's
retro Cali sneaker on @breuninger's
Instagram are up an impressive (+507%)
According to Google Trends search data, a United Colors of Benetton
few of the top related queries to the search
term “tennis” include “Asics tennis shoes
women” +200%, “tennis trainers womens”
+200%, “womens tennis shoes” +190% and
“FILA tennis shoes” +160% across the UK. In
the US, the top related queries include “mk
tennis shoes” +350%, “wool tennis shoes”
+300%, “Kate Spade tennis shoes” +250%
and “Croc tennis shoes” +250%
Zara Burberry Jeff Lee

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Comfort sandal 
The classic two-strap sandal construction takes on upgraded details to keep comfort looking chic. Choose
feature hardware and printed or metallic uppers to add value. Conversely, reworking the silhouette in
cushy memory foam offers an alternative to ip- ops. 

River Island

Conversations around #sandals have been in

growth for six of the past 12 months on social
media, growing the fastest across the innovator
(+27% YoY in May 2021) and brand (+26% in May
2021) market segments

Roger Vivier Arket Stradivarius Marks & Spencer

21
Heels return 
Demand for heels begins to recover as
occasions return, but comfort is still a key
consideration. 

New season heels described online as “flat”

(one inch or lower) continue to hold the
Tod's
biggest share of the dress shoes mix and
increase their share of the sandals heels mix
globally by 3ppts to 61% UK, 8ppts to 60%
US and 5ppts to 52% Germany. In addition,
flat heels are the most price-protected
Reformation
heels in the UK and Germany, with MDs
sitting below the footwear average Despite declining across social media for 10 of the past 12 months, mentions of #heels increase
YoY in May 2021 across the retailer (+50% YoY) and innovator market segment (+16%)
'High heels see declines YoY across the UK
and US, and are discounted heavily across all
Zara
three regions, with MDs sitting above Google Trend searches reveal that consumer sentiment
average picks back up for heels in the UK and US Continuing from spring, mules see an uptick in
new-ins for summer too (16% UK, 18% US, 7%
Google Trends data shows consumer
UK US Germany). New-in volumes rise signi cantly
demand for dress shoes picked up in early 100 across trend-led retailers (+213% UK, +218% US
February and continues to grow throughout YoY)
Google search interest 'Heels'

the year, li ing past 2020 levels both in the

UK and US
50
Note the fastest growing Google search
terms related to “heels” in the UK include
“block heel sandals” +400%, “mustard
heels” +400% and “mule heels” +350%. In 0
2019 2020 2021
the US, it includes “Yeezy heels” +450%,
“rose gold heels” +450%, “clear heels”
+400%, and “sock heels” +400% Google Trends Bloomingdale's

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Strappy sandal
Strappy details on footwear have not performed as well as comfort styles, but still offer trending looks for
gladiator updates and occasionwear heels. Add comfort considerations to soles going into S/S 22. 

Magasin du Nord

Animale Zara Zara Zara

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Action points
1 2 345
Use this retail analysis for real-time analytics in tandem with our Buyers' Brie ng suite, which targets
product development for S/S 22.
Inject joyful optimism
into assortments
As neutrals have been
trending amid the pandemic
across apparel, footwear and
accessories while consumers
play it safe, expect colour and
print to have a resurgence for
future seasons as shoppers
step out again. Colour and
joyful prints such as smiley
faces and rainbows are
trending on social media,
showing emerging demand
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Keep comfort and
function at the core
Although heels are beginning
to creep back in as occasions
return, sneakers are still the
biggest share of the footwear
mix and see high OOSʼs even as
brands pull back on volumes.
Comfort will remain a key
consideration – build this into
all your footwear styles, from
heels to sandals
Tap into the DIY craft
moment
Stay-at-home measures
prompted a return to cra and
DIY trends, offering new
opportunities for material and
print innovation. Tie-dye still
has appeal for so goods such
as socks and scarves, while
newer directions such as
crochet will carry over for
next year. A Summer of Love
aesthetic is taking hold,
offering growth for macramé
and crochet accessories
Versatility helps move
decorative items
Purely decorative items, such
as the silk scarf, see renewed
purpose via versatile styling.
Tap into outfit hack trends
spurred on by TikTok and
Instagram to drive home
styling content. The appeal of
lower heels and smartened-
up sandals also tap into
versatility. Look for styles that
feel just as at-home in the
office as they do at an occasion
Be strategic about
vacation capsules
Depending on your region,
many areas are once again
operating as normal and
returning to vacation
destinations. Be smart with
assortments and target them
towards regions where
vacation assortments and
marketing would feel
appropriate. Items such as
sunglasses and straw totes
are beginning to pick up again,
but stress versatility with
pieces that work across
everyday and holiday use
Methodology 
WGSN e-commerce data:
Based on women's products across 133 retailers in the UK, US and Germany from
April 5 to June 17 2021, 2020 and 2019
Please note, some retailers are excluded to ensure like-for-like calculations and
to avoid inflated product counts due to the acquisition of new retailers on the e-
commerce platform
Numbers may fluctuate as we recategorise to help clarify ambiguous/new
products or if retailers refactor their website
WGSN Barometer
WGSN Barometer is a retail consumer intelligence and surveys platform. Data
used was collected across women 16-74 across the UK, US and Germany from
March 1 to June 27 2021, 2020 and 2019
WGSN s ocial media data:
We use text analytics to track, measure and respond to the conversations that are
driving some of the key trends within this report across our WGSN influencer map
WGSN influencer map: created by a team of WGSN trend specialists that lists
influencers from the US and Europe, selected from a range of disciplines, eg
brands, stylists, photographers, publications, etc
Definitions :
New-in: the products that are newly added to the retail website within the Loewe
timeframe selected
YoY: year-on-year
Markdown (%): products in markdown divided by overall products available
during the specified period in each given department or category
Percentage point (ppts): a percentage is the proportion of a set of products over a
larger set, an example is new-in trousers over new-in apparel mix. A percentage
point computes the arithmetical difference between percentages; going from 40%
to 44% is a 4 ppts increase

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