Unveiling Summer Trends in Children’s Footwear and Accessories: From Understated Classics to Handcrafted Vibrancy and Enchanting Pastels.
Essential Insights
Our investigation delves into pivotal trends in children’s shoes and accessories for Summer 2023, drawing on a rich collection of over 1,500 images and reinforced by exclusive e-commerce and search data from WGSN. Spanning vital fashion hubs like Paris, New York, London, Dubai, Istanbul, and Barcelona, we reveal the season’s foremost products, innovative visual merchandising, and unique in-store experiences.
Trend Highlights
Summer 2023 sees a resurgence of natural textures in kids’ accessories. Accessories like straw hats and bags, embodying vacation vibes with a handcrafted touch, are made predominantly of raffia and crochet. As classic whites and beiges maintain their popularity in footwear and accessories, a surge of multi-colored stripes infuses the range with vibrant colors, adding lively touches to items like woven totes and sneakers. In girls’ fashion, ethereal and dreamy motifs are prominent, blending soft pastels and lovely pinks with luminescent glow, ornate studs, and sleek finishes. Accessories receive a retro infusion with ‘80s-style washed denim and classic toweling. Footwear trends emphasize ease and minimalism, with athletic styles simplified and practical, enduring molded shoes and sandals gaining traction.
Worldwide Retail Spotlights
Istanbul
Istanbul is fast becoming a retail hub worth watching, with its promising growth trajectory. Renowned Turkish and French brands offer a variety of affordable children’s shoes and accessories. The House of SuperStep, a concept store in Istanbul, is a must-visit for its eclectic mix of sneakers, streetwear, art, and music, featuring artistic collaborations and popular brands like Crocs, Puma, and Vans.
Dubai
Dubai, hosting the world’s second-largest mall, showcases an extensive selection of luxury children’s fashion brands and department stores, with European and international retailers. SVD offers a contemporary sneaker collection, and Nike and Adidas flagship stores dazzle with unique displays and customizable options.
The Hamptons
In The Hamptons, summer retail thrives with a unique mix of beach-friendly styles and timeless classics. Stores like Pink Chicken and Ethel + Row curate an array of colorful accessories, footwear, and thoughtful children’s brands. For classic styles, J.Crew’s Crewcuts and Polo Ralph Lauren are go-to destinations. Paris, synonymous with high-end children’s fashion, features stores like Galeries Lafayette and Le Bon Marché with dedicated kids’ footwear sections, showcasing trendy brands and captivating visual merchandising. Le BHV, situated in the prominent Le Marais district, offers a variety of children’s fashion, footwear, and accessories, including brands like Bonton, Veja Kids, and Flik Flak.
Barcelona
In Barcelona, explore a selection of Spanish and international children’s brands. Inditex’s Lefties presents a broad range of playful accessories and footwear, complementing its clothing lines. For baby accessories and gifts, Nanos is the place to be, offering jewelry and cosmetics for older children and a recent collaborative sunglasses line with MÓ.
Footwear Data Overview
Sandals are marked for growth in the UK and US markets, capturing an increasing share of the footwear category. While athletic shoes continue to dominate the market in both regions, there’s a notable shift towards other comfortable footwear like molded clogs, sliders, and sporty sandals.
Accessories Data Snapshot
Hats and headgear are strong performers in the UK and US markets, with significant growth noted. Small accessories are emerging as a growing segment in both regions. The bucket hat, in particular, remains a staple, especially in ‘90s-inspired looks for children and tweens.
Color Trends in Footwear
For summer footwear, classic neutrals and multicolored designs are in vogue. WGSN data shows multicolored shades leading the footwear category in both the UK and US. Neutrals, particularly beige in the UK and white in the US, are seeing the largest year-over-year increases. Blue is also gaining popularity, indicative of future trends in ocean-inspired hues.
Color Trends in Accessories
Multicolored styles lead in the UK, while black sees the most significant year-over-year increase in the US. Neutrals are performing well in both markets, with low markdowns and high full-price out-of-stock, as consumers favor core shades for their lasting appeal. As Barbie-inspired looks gain traction, pinks maintain a steady presence in the accessories mix in both the UK and the US.
Sustainability Focus
Sustainability is at the forefront in children’s footwear, with brands and retailers prioritizing quality, longevity, innovation, and collaborative efforts to minimize environmental impact. UK retailer Schuh’s initiative and Clarks’ collaboration with Frugi exemplify this trend. The rise of recycled materials, particularly polyester, is evident in both footwear and accessories. Brands like Kane Footwear and Wildling are notable for their use of innovative, recycled, and regenerative materials.
Emerging Style Trends
Retailers are embracing retro resort looks with cozy toweling and a blend of vibrant and soft pastel colors. Handcrafted crochet details and macramé weaves refresh summer accessories, while embroidered motifs add a splash of color to espadrilles. Super kitsch themes resonate with children and tweens, with playful details and Barbiecore aesthetics influencing design across categories.
Actionable Insights for Retailers
1. Emphasize natural materials and crafted details to reduce plastic waste. Opt for raffia, crochet, and macramé weaves in summer bags, hats, and headgear, and add details to footwear using embroidered motifs and patches for a plastic-free alternative.
2. Focus on sandals that pair well with socks for a versatile, year-round appeal. Invest in multi-functional styles like the strappy sport sandal, slider, and molded two-strap sandal for comfort and durability. Upcoming crafted styles for S/S 24 should utilize offcuts and introduce crochet trims and bold stitch work for lively color combinations.
3. Innovate with bio-based and regenerative materials to reduce environmental impact in footwear and accessories. Consider sugarcane and algae-based foams for molded footwear and sneakers, and choose bio-based or recycled materials over oil-based plastics for accessories. Explore hemp as a sustainable alternative to cotton.
Methodological Approach
Our analysis is grounded in data from WGSN’s proprietary retail e-commerce platform, focusing on children’s apparel products in the US and UK markets from April 1 to June 30, 2023, and 2022. We also incorporate Google Trends data collected up to June 30, 2023, to provide a comprehensive view of the current market landscape. The report details the methodology, including definitions of key terms like assortment mix, new-in products, markdowns, and full-price out-of-stocks, to ensure a clear understanding of the findings and trends presented.
