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The top is a fine suede. The bottom is a stack of foam so tall youll instinctively pop an energy ball. You can wear it barefoot. You could run a marathon in it. I just . . . wish . . . it didnt look like an orthopedic pair of Vans. This is the Ahnu Sequence 1.1. Suede, launching today for $240. While you may not have heard of Ahnu yet (the boutique brand launched quietly in 2024), you do know the company behind it. Deckers owns brands including Teva, Ugg, and Hoka, which has celebrated healthy growth across its acquired brand portfolio over the past few yearssales across Deckers were up 17% over the past year. [Photo: Ahnu] Unlike its sister brands, Ahnu is being homegrown at Deckers to serve as a vehicle into court shoesthink classic sneakers silhouettes like Converse All-Stars, Adidas Stan Smiths, or Nike Air Force Ones and Dunks. But instead of a vulcanized rubber or EVA midsole, Ahnu is equipped with the same high-tech foams and carbon plates found in advanced running shoes for maximized comfort. [Photo: Ahnu] It very much looks like a classical sneaker, like something that’s more timeless, that’s easier to wear with any kind of garment, says Jean-Luc Diard, one of the original cofounders of Hoka who leads innovation across Deckers today. It packs in all the latest technologies without pushing it smash in your face. Thats the whole idea. Diard, a former elite skier who made his way into outdoor equipment and footwear design, was leading development at Soloman until 2007, when he got the idea for building a maximal-but-lightweight trail-running shoe, which became the Hoka One. (Outside ran a fantastic profile on Diard a few years back.) [Photo: Ahnu] His latest vision is to sell a court shoe thats sharp enough for a boardroom but performant enough to make a commute to work a breeze. The company has dubbed these super sneakers, and theyre designed to fill a hole in Deckers’s portfolio while establishing a new subcategory of shoe. One thing we started to identify at the start was the fact that, as a group, we were not really involved in the sneaker business, says Diard. We had running shoes, we had casual shoes, we had sandals, but we didn’t have, lets say, a significant effort being dedicated to the [traditional] sneaker. The original prototype Hoka. [Photo: Hoka] The rise of the foam stack Since Adidas launched Ultraboosts a decade ago, thick foam stacks have been a kind of arms race, growing taller and taller like the blades on a Gillette razor. The modern era of performant foamssolidified when Nike Vaporfly shoes started breaking Olympic records, circa 2020was just getting started when Deckers bought Hoka in 2012. Since then, Hoka’s rainbow-charred marshmallow midsoles have become comfort-first lifestyle shoes for many people. Their same elite technologies of advanced foams and carbon plates that lead marathoners to break records have a larger, second life for people who just want a softer day of walking for their knees. The aesthetic of shoes is shifting as a result. Midsoles have about doubled in height over the past decade, and what once seemed absurd is feeling more normal as the entire industry races toward what Diard calls dynamic comfort. Even the Jordan brand has launched a pillowy walking shoe. [Photo: Hoka] There a gap in technology between running and casual shoes, he says, and consumers whove stepped into the latest running technologies dont have interest in returning. [They say,] No, that’s done now. Now, Im moving to the next generation. Ahnu is essentially a running shoe, but its midsole foam has been tuned for a slightly lower impact of walking versus running, and its internal carbon plate is arced at a shallower angle than a racing shoe. With a rocker bottom, once you get used to your foot rolling forward with every step, I cannot deny that a pair of Ahnus become almost automatic to walk in. The grip of the TPU midsole is superb, even on wet surfaces (that brown you see on the bottom of the shoe isn’t rubber outsole, it’s just dyeallowing the entire midsole to be recycled as a single material). There are no stitches inside catching the top of your foot, either; and at just 200g apiece, they are a quarter the weight of a Converse All-Star. The shoes truly feel like a premium play on the lifestyle market. On is more lifestyle than Hoka, and so you know, why wouldn’t that On customer possibly buy Ahnu a year from now? Diard muses. But in my size 12, the Ahnus midsole proportions are just odd. An all-white Anhu colorway reads okay on my feet. With the suede top, I feel a bit like Im wearing Mschfs Super Baby crossed with a pair of Allbirds. Like, Im Tom Hanks in Big. Diard takes the criticism in stride, fairly noting that, for traditionally feminine silhouettes, the taller stack reads a bit more typical. He says theyre still fine-tuning Ahnus design language before taking it to scale in what sounds like a surprisingly patient process for a brand that wont target wide release until spring 2026. [Photo: Ahnu] The worst mistake you can get is putting pressure too quickly, too early, and then having a product that you start to scale that is not completely right, that is not completely ready, says Diard. Sometimes, it’s just tiny things that make the difference between success and failure. This patience is echoed by Deckers president and CEO Stefano Caroti, who sets a high bar for Ahnu, noting that the company doesnt want to sustain smaller brands like Sanuk, which it sold off last year. We want brands that can be at least half-a-billion dollars, says Caroti. Otherwise, it’s not really worth the effort, considering that we have two brands that are in excess of 2 billion with potential to be truly multibillion-dollar brands. Building a brand from scratch is not as easy as finding something that already works, and we have been good at amplifying brands, building brands that already had a DNA, he continues. We’ll see whether we . . . have the scalability and the know-how to do it. Were fortunate to have the time. [Photos: Ugg, Teva, Hoka] I will admit, though, having worn Anhus for a week now, my tastes have been slowly acclimating to their proportions, and perhaps my criticism will look archaic in a few years’ time. After all, we live in the age of the big midsole. And Deckers’s entire portfolio is embracing the thicker foam stack to fuel a genre-bending approach to otherwise traditional (and even tired?) shoe categories. Across the brands in our group, you will see many, many evolutions in that direction, says Diard. From the Teva Aventrail (an off-road running sandal) to the Hoka Speed Loafer (a sporty dress shoe that sold out a trial run in minutes) to the Ugg Tasman (an all-weather take on cozy). I think these hybrids are going to create [new] segments for our business, says Caroti. What is important is that you stay true to your roots and stay true to the DNA of the brand. The minute you try to be somebody you’re not, something you’re not, the consumer smells it immediately.
Category:
E-Commerce
As President Donald Trump’s administration takes a sledgehammer to government agencies, Senate Democrats are opening their inboxes to whistleblowers. On Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York announced a portal for people to send in their complaints. The cleanly designed website shows just a few boxes to enter details including name, organization, and contact information; there’s a submit button at the bottom of the page, and a short description at the top: Whistleblowers are a vital part of Congressional oversight to hold the administration accountable. If you would like to submit a whistleblower complaint, you can submit it here. It’s frictionless design applied to government oversight. The portal lets users lodge complaints about issues including retaliation, wasteful spending, fraud, and criminal activity, and Schumer said those who submit complaints will receive the legal protections afforded to whistleblowers. According to the Department of Justice, it is unlawful for any personnel action to be taken against you because of your whistleblowing, and other federal agencies have similar language about whistleblower protections. [Screenshot: Senate Democrats] Senate Democrats have a responsibility to fight back on behalf of American families as Republicans look the other way in obedience to Donald Trump, Schumer said in a letter Monday to his Senate colleagues. We are committed to working with these brave whistleblowers across America to fight back against the Trump administrations cruel and illegal actions. The website is a first step by the party out of power seeking to exercise oversight, and an alternate route for whistleblowers to air their complaints as Trump nominees take over federal agencies. Since Trump’s taken office and tapped Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, to lead a rebranded government agency to cut government spending without transparency, Democrats have criticized these efforts as overreach. I think this is the most serious constitutional crisis the country has faced, certainly since Watergate, Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, told ABC News’s This Week on Sunday. The president is attempting to seize control of power, and for corrupt purposes. The president wants to be able decide how and where money is spent so that he can reward his political friends. He can punish his political enemies. That is the evisceration of democracy. The judicial branch has exercised its checks and balances over the executive branch, with judges blocking Musk’s team from accessing Treasury Department records, staying a deferred resignation offer to federal workers, and ordering an unfreezing of federal spending, among other rulings. In the minority in both chambers of Congress, though, there are limits to how Democrats can now respond. A viral moment in which Rep. Maxwell Frost, a Florida Democrat, asked fellow lawmakers what do we need? only to be met with a jumble of indecipherable answers seemed to sum up the opposition party’s flat-footed response. With their new whistleblowers site, though, Senate Democrats have landed on something coherent. What do we need? Your information about corruption, abuses of power, and threats to public safety. When do we need it? Now.
Category:
E-Commerce
Youve signed up to attend a conference or industry event, and when the day finally arrives, you probably experience some regret. Thoughts run through your head, such as Why do I have to go? I have too much work to do. I wont know anyone. I can make connections online. Sound familiar? Entering a room full of strangers or, worse yet, people in your field that you admire can make you feel like youre a kid again, walking into your first day of kindergarten. Its intimidating, but worth it because nothing replaces live connections, says Rebecca Grinnals, cofounder of the luxury wedding and event business conference Engage! Summits. You can’t put a price on the value of connecting with people meaningfully in personwe certainly saw that over the last five years, she says. Its a cliché, but your net worth is your network. In-person networking is more vital than it’s ever been in this age of AI and social media. While online connections are important and a good first step, theyre also limiting, says Kathryn Arce, Engage! Summits cofounder. You can miss out on the benefit of being connected to people, finding your group, and being inspired, she says. Everyone needs to be a part of something a little bit bigger. In-person events get you away from your office and computer. Theyre like fresh air for your soul. Your success will depend on attitude and planning. Here are five networking tips that will help put your nerves aside and open the door for meaningful connections with others: 1. Set An Intention Before the day arrives, decide what you want to get out of the event. In other words, dont come without a plan, says Grinnals. Some conferences will provide you with a list of attendees. Other times, there will be a Facebook page set up for the conference and you may be able to see the names of people in the group. If the event hasnt provided access to attendees, you can still review the speakers, workshop facilitators, and organizers. Then, identify three to five people you would like to meet and have a good conversation with over the course of the event. 2. Find a Warm Connection Once you have a list of people you hope to meet, research them on LinkedIn, social media, and news sites to see if you have anything in common that could serve as a way to connect. Maybe you both attended the same school. Or perhaps you share a friend or colleague. If you dont find a commonality, you can still use what you learn as a conversation starter. For example, if theyre from Philadelphia, you can ask how they felt about the Super Bowl. It helps to be more personal and genuine before you go into any type of business conversation, says Arce. 3. Be Genuine Theres a fine line between introducing yourself and promoting yourself and leading with an elevator pitch can be off-putting, says Grinnals. People often go to networking events with their chest puffed out, like a peacock, she says. They want to tell everybody, I’m a big deal in my market, or You should know me. That’s the wrong way to go about it. Nobody wants to feel sold to. Instead, be authentic and vulnerable. It’s better to come in and say, How’s business been? I’ve had a couple of challenges this year and don’t know if you’ve experienced it as well, says Grinnals. That immediately takes people a little off their guard and allows for a much more meaningful conversation and connection. You can also ask for advice. Instead of being another person trying to pitch their business, its refreshing and unexpected when someone says, I’m a big fan of your work. This is something I’m struggling with and wondered if you’ve got any advice? adds Grinnals. Everyone loves to be asked for advice. They don’t love to be asked for their business right off the bat. Offering help can also be a powerful way to connect. Sometimes people feel like, I’ve made an investment, and so I am just here to receive, says Grinnals. An easy icebreaker is, Is there anything I can help you with? Is there anybody I could introduce you to? The more you help other people achieve their goals, the more you’re going to feel good and have your goals achieved as well. 4. Be Open Its common to go into a conference focusing on what your return on investment needs to be, but this opens the door to leaving disappointed. Have a plan and a target list of connections but stay open to the organic meetings that can happen, too. People too often focus on the power players or the movers and shakers in an industry, hoping they will crack open a new opportunity or change you and your business forever, but thats not always true, says Grinnals. More often than not, it is the people that you least expect that you may be sitting next to on a shuttle ride or being seated next to in a session that actually turn out to be the most valuable people. Strike up conversations without expectation of what anyone can do for you, says Arce. There needs to be a nice balance of being open and letting things happen in the moment, she says. 5. Follow Up Its easy to leave a conference and move on with your life. However, intentional and thoughtful follow-up is the key to building your network. After the event, carve out time to reach out to interesting connections but be mindful of not spamming people. Take careful notes each day about who you met, says Grinnals. If you want to connect with the speaker, for example, you could send a follow up email specifically calling out something they said that was meaningful to you. If its someone you spoke with, recall a part of the conversation you remembered. Be specific, personal, and thoughtful, as opposed to just saying, It was great meeting you. Dont expect to go to one event and walk away with a lot of connections, answers, or business. Thats not the purpose, says Grinnals. The purpose is to start conversations with people and make initial connections, she says. Like anything in life, consistency is key. Plant the seeds and water them. Networking is a long game.
Category:
E-Commerce
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