Canada Goose preparing to expand into footwear market

By

Olivier Guyot

Translated by
Nicola Mira

Published
Aug 24, 2020

Canada Goose parkas are immediately recognisable, but what will a pair of shoes by the Canadian outdoor apparel label look like? Adam Meek is the man who is expected to provide an answer to this question in the coming seasons. Canada Goose was founded in Toronto in 1957, and has been listed on the stock market since 2017. It has now decided to develop a footwear range, assigning the task to Meek, formerly senior vice-president of product at Sperry-Wolverine Worldwide. Canada Goose specialises in garments that protect against extreme cold, but is diversifying and increasingly targeting urban consumers, having for example opened a store in rue Saint-Honoré in Paris at the end of 2019.

“Now that all the elements are in place and our strategy has taken solid shape, we have never been closer to realising our long-term vision for the footwear category,” said Dani Reiss, president and CEO of Canada Goose. “Having Adam on board is a key element for making Canada Goose footwear a reality, one we pledge to execute in the best and most timely fashion possible. Adam’s entrepreneurial spirit, his passion for footwear and his profound expertise in global product development and management mean he is perfectly suited to his new role,” added Reiss.

Meek, who besides footwear is also responsible for Canada Goose's accessories, is an expert in his chosen field. In 2015, he was in charge of Nike Sportswear’s merchandising for western Europe. Previously, he spent 10 years at UK group Pentland, notably overseeing product development and merchandising for Lacoste footwear for two years.

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In the last financial year, closed at the end of March, Canada Goose generated a revenue of CAD958 million (€614 million), up by more than 15% over the previous financial year. However, in Q1 of the current financial year, closed at the end of June and heavily influenced by the worldwide lockdown, Canada Goose’s sales fell to CAD26 million, compared to CAD71 million a year earlier.