Even for a category as innovative as the sneaker world, the mainstream heavyweights — Nike , Puma, Adidas and the like — still dominate social conversations and take up major shelf space. Yet that hasn't stopped a wave of smaller brands from competing to gain momentum in the market, and retailers are capitalizing on the moment. The latest example comes this week, with Foot Locker set to become the exclusive U.S. retail launch partner for Salomon , effective July 19. Though the Amor Sports-owned brand has been around for decades, in recent years it's picked up traction thanks to its fashionable yet high-performance styles, celebrity endorsement and buzzy collaborations with fashion labels like MM6 Maison Margiela and Sandy Liang . For Foot Locker, it was the perfect brand with which to join forces, per Michelle Wang, SVP and chief merchant at the retailer. "I think you see it all over the feet on the streets in New York City," she tells Fashionista. But Salomon is...
Slate Swim , a minimalist swimwear label based in Los Angeles, officially has a new owner. However, rather than selling to a private equity firm or conglomerate looking to expand its portfolio, Founder Jessica Liao Mayers sold her brand in a "seven-figure" deal to an independent buyer named Natalie Wisniewski on Monday. (Mayers declined to comment further on the financial terms of the deal.) Mayers was just 21 years old when she founded Slate Swim in 2015 with $300 and a goal of filling the swimwear industry's gap for sleek, minimalist designs. Since then, Mayers has scaled the brand while remaining independent as celebrity fans like Kylie Jenner and Camila Cabello helped drive popularity. In Slate Swim's early days, Mayers was adamant that she would never sell it, but upon the label's 10-year anniversary, she realized she was ready for her next chapter. "I truly just felt so at peace and like I put in my time and this is its own thing now," she tells...