Textile Insight

I n preparation for Fall/ Winter 2025/26, the Coterie New York show presented style cues for the women's contemporary market. Sneakers were front and center at the show held February 18-20, with textural elements taking center stage. "We see a lot of customers that are fed up with boring sneakers," stated Katherine Ferretti Luzi, sales and mar- keting manager for Falc USA. e firm's Flower Mountain brand features attainable luxury sneakers falling in the $250- $320 price point. e unisex offerings are colorful, with many having recycled elements and fluffy fabrications – namely shearling and wool. Some are trek-inspired and feature a cork insole. e performance collec- tion is equipped with a Vibram Megagrip outsole. "Customers are excited to have a fun hiking brand that's not brown and black," the exec said. Woolloomooloo showcased shoes craed from 100% Australian Merino wool, "which we knit from toe to heel, including the lining," explained Jerry Friedman, sales representative for the brand. e shoes have an anatomical footbed, are machine washable and also breathable, "contributing to healthy feet," he commented. e unisex shoes can be worn with or without socks. A wool travel shoe will be the brand's newest drop. While JSlides Founder Tina Liu showed suede, cowhide and pony hair on-trend offerings, England-based Gola expanded upon core styles, drawing from its founding roots in 1905. "Everything old is new again," noted Steven Weinreb, president of Jacobson Group. e exec expects a resurgence in animal prints for Spring/Summer 2026. e Elan has been mod- ernized with different material applications like suede and metallic accents. Meanwhile, the Tornado Zephyr brings a cro- chet-style upper to the forefront. Representatives at Veja presented its Rio Branco, a ret- ro-running shoe inspired by the sneakers of the 80s, in Nolyn, its own take on nylon. "Nylon is not sustainable in the way it's made and does not align with us at all," Veja Wholesale Assistant Katie Malatras stated. e exec explained that Nolyn's perfor- mance is also superior to nylon. Veja uses Brazilian and Peruvian organic cotton for its canvas and laces, Amazonian rubber for soles, in addition to other innovative materials made from recycled plastic bottles or recycled polyester. e firm uses three types of bovine leather, all sourced from the southern regions of Brazil and Uruguay. n Footwear Told a Material Story at Coterie. By Suzanne Blecher 1. Veja Rio Branco. 2. JSlides Phoenix. 3. JSlides Phoenix. 4. Flower Mountain Iwano. 5. Woolloomooloo Byron slip-on. 6. Gola Tornado Zephyr. IN THE MARKET/COTERIE 6 • Textile Insight ~ Spring 2025 textileinsight.com TEXTURE FOR THE SOUL 6 5 4 3 2 1

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