38 • Footwear Insight ~ November/December 2017 footwearinsight.com
Shoe Department of Health,
Safety and Food Services
DANSKO
TRENDS
The Kayla Wildflower has
a bold upper design that will
dress up the drabbest of scrubs.
The Winona with a Mosaic
pattern leather upper.
ALEGRIA
W
hen he was asked why he robbed banks,
the legendary criminal Willie Sutton replied,
"because that's where the money was." By
that logic, shoe retailers should be upping
their investment in the occupational footwear
category, the business that has taken shape
to service health care workers and those in the hospitality and culi-
nary fields. The category has been steadily increasing at retail over
the past few years with independent stores, so called "scrub shops"
frequented by nurses and even in cooking specialty stores. If con-
sumer spending follows job growth, there should be dollars flowing
into this category. The nursing profession is forecast to grow 16
percent over the next seven years. Jobs for chefs are forecast to
grow at four percent in the next year and employment for waiters
and waitresses is expected to grow at seven percent over the next
two years. Where will the money be? Seven brands showcase what
they have in store for the coming seasons.
O
