Did you hear?… Vans to introduce a line of outdoor footwear for women

Vans has announced that it is introducing a line of outdoor footwear for women “geared towards a youthful, edgy consumer looking for a technical product designed for aggressive outdoor activity.” SNEWS® notes that Vans used this same exact quote when they introduced a line of outdoor footwear for men in December 2000. To Vans’ credit, the women’s shoes are on a women’s-specific last, according to media representative Chris Overholser. Overholser told SNEWS® that while the shoes have functional design and features, it is more a lifestyle approach than a technical one. SNEWS® View: This is a logical move for a very successful publicly traded company that needs to keep driving consumer interest in its product beyond the world of surf and snow. There are 140 company-owned stores and factory outlets that are looking to hang onto female customers who have had to shop elsewhere — Merrell, Salomon, Adidas, and the like — to purchase shoes with an active outdoor design. Will outdoor specialty stores start carrying Vans as a result? Highly unlikely, but then, we doubt Vans’ really cares.