FFANY’s August event may be lighter than the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America’s (FDRA) other three seasonal market weeks, but that didn’t stop industry leaders from coming out to shop the latest products for spring 2025.
“It was an active few days for market and it’s always just good to be together,” said Matt Priest, president and chief executive officer of FDRA, which hosts the seasonal FFANY trade show. “I think the mood is always positive. We have a positive industry. So that’s good, but there’s also a ton of uncertainty in the marketplace.”
Priest noted that the upcoming presidential election appeared to be on the minds of many brands and retailers who are weighing how the results could impact tariffs, the supply chain and the economy.
“We’re analyzing what that looks like and playing out different scenarios and helping our members better prepare,” Priest said. “But our industry is very resilient. So it wasn’t necessarily hand wringing. It was more like, ‘How do we prepare? What are the contingency plans? How do we navigate through this uncertainty?'”
Despite the uncertainty, brands were overall excited about the momentum they see heading into the new season.
Chief executive officer of Ground Up International Jack
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