Converse "Pink Slip-on"
Layoffs are hitting the sneaker industry hard. Recent announcements of 1750 layoffs at Nike amount to a 5% worldwide cut in staff, including cuts of 500 jobs in Beaverton. Converse is, of course, included in that count. adidas (with Reebok) are doing their own "restructuring", including cuts of approximately 1000 jobs worldwide and 500 at Reebok. Already FSF has seen many of our favorite contacts at sneaker companies lose their jobs. Since much of our work is about building the FSF community, we want to acknowledge the losses and stress that many women (and men) in the industry are facing. Our thoughts are with you as you try to find new work and reshape your lives.
We are also watching to see how job cuts impact the sneaker industry's relatively new (and fragile) commitment to female sneaker fiends and athletes. Already Nike has cut Mary Thompson, the head of its grassroots girls basketball program. (Under her watch Nike had firmly taken the lead on national tournaments and skills academies for girls.) We hope other difficult decisions like this one don't threaten the industry's commitment to high quality sneakers for female athletes and sneaker connoisseurs.
Note: If you are a female who has been laid off by the sneaker industry or has been impacted by layoffs in some way, please contact us for a follow up story at: submissions@femalesneakerfiend.com
Sources: ESPN Hoopgirlz.com, ChinaFinancialDaily.com, Transworld Business
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