Skechers brings limited-edition One Piece collection to US and Canada

By

Robin Driver

Published
Mar 27, 2018

After the collection saw strong demand in Asia, Manhattan Beach, California-based footwear brand Skechers USA, Inc. is bringing its range of D’Lites featuring characters from Toei Animation, Inc.’s hit anime series One Piece to North America in summer 2018.

 
The limited-edition collection includes six different colorways, each themed around a character from the anime series: Luffy, Chopper, Sanji, Zoro, Law and Doflamingo.
 
First launched in 2007, Skechers D’Lites are a development of the brand’s earlier chunky sneaker models, the Skechers Energy and the Skechers Stamina. This lighter version of the chunky sneaker has experienced particular popularity in Asia over the last few years, especially after the brand invested in regional marketing featuring K-Pop groups.

Indeed, the Skechers x One Piece collection was previously exclusive to China and South Korea where it saw strong sales but Skechers has been persuaded to expand its distribution after it observed interest from consumers and trendsetters around the world.
 
“Pairing the iconic long-running anime series One Piece with one of our top heritage styles resonated with our consumers in South Korea and China who have been driving trends for the past few years,” stated Skechers President Michael Greenberg, in a release. “And now fashion moves at light speed, so as influencers around the world had already been embracing Skechers D’lites and the chunky sneaker trend, we started to see style purveyors […] covering Skechers X One Piece collaboration as a must have fashion style. We knew it was time to introduce the collaboration to the United States and Canada—and fast”.

Having sold more than 430 million copies worldwide, One Piece, created by Eiichiro Oda in 1997, is the best-selling manga in history and was adapted into a hit anime series which debuted in Japan in 1999. The series has since gone on to spawn a number of films and video games, as well as a theme park which opened in Minato, Tokyo in 2015.
 
A Fila Korea x Pokémon sneaker collaboration recently caught the attention of stateside anime fans, with many an article lamenting the fact that the collection would not be made available outside of South Korea. However, whether Skechers’ recognition of a market for anime-themed adult footwear in North America could set a precedent and pave the way for the introduction of further such collaborations in the region is yet to be seen.
 
The Skechers x One Piece collection will launch in North America in July 2018, and will be available in Skechers stores, on the brand’s site and in selected specialty retailers.