Project: Billie Boat Shoe
JORDYN AVERY FOR COTTON ON, 2024
Miu Miu brought a preppy aesthetic to their Spring/Summer '24 runway show with an elegant take on the classic boat shoe. Though the silhouette itself was developed in the 1930s, Miu Miu's 2024 version ignited a trend which felt fresh and exciting for the season. Other luxury brands, like Loewe and Prada, quickly came out with similar styles to tap into this aesthetic.
At Cotton On, we predicted that our competitors would be racing to release their own boat shoes in order to keep up with the trend cycle. Therefore, I began developing my own iterations of this style. My buyer presented me with the task of designing a boat shoe for our 'Everyday' range; considered the most affordable part of our footwear offering with a price point of $29.99 for all SKUs. With a target margin of 78%, I was extremely limited with materials, hardware and outsole, as I knew needed to drive an FOB under $3.
The Cotton On customer (18-24 year old females) has forever been known to be very mainstream. Through the extrapolation of data from weekly trade reports, it was clear that the customer typically bought into fashion trends that were already popular in the mass market. Thus, my team was conscious of nailing the release time of our own version of the boat shoe. We had to ensure we weren't the first to come out with this style (compared to other Australian fast fashion retailers) but also weren't too late, or our customer would be forced to shop elsewhere. Development began in March 2024 with an intended delivery date of December 2024, just in time for Summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
Moodboard
Development
The first step in my development process was pulling together CADs of existing styles from our 'Everyday' range. Knowing I was limited creatively by a high target margin, I intended to save on cost by using an outsole that our suppliers already had available. I sketched a number of ideas before presenting them to the team. Some were variations of our best-selling styles with updated hardware to suit the boat shoe aesthetic. Others were new upper designs with luxury-inspired stitching, eyelets and tassels.
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Additional Development
Throughout the development process, I went on a small side quest to explore how I could translate this trend to sit within our best-selling 'Rex' program. 'Rex referred to our dollar-driving footwear volume line which averaged 2000 pairs sold per week. Though the classic 'Rex' designs made up the bulk of our sales, my team constantly explored opportunities for new developments in this space to bring newness and excitement to our customer's favourite style.
I had the idea to utilise the Rex outsole and design a new upper in a typical loafer style. I sketched a range of designs before selecting two to sample. Though we did not end up proceeding with this direction for this project, my buyer was still excited to see a fresh take on a style which had been running consistently for 10 years.
Current Rex Product
Proposed New Direction
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The Product
Through considered cost negotiation, my team and I managed to achieve a landed margin of 77.7%. Though slightly under the target of 78%, we were still able to price the Billie Boat Shoe at the RRP set by my buyer ($29.99).
Several factors contributed to the low cost of this product. Firstly, we purchased an available TPR outsole, which was also being utilised for other footwear products across the range. Thus, we were able to distribute the cost across multiple styles, subsequently reducing the FOB. We also used an available PU upper material instead of selecting from a swatch card. As the material was already in stock, we only had to cover the cost of transportation from the manufacturer to the factory.
Aesthetically, I was extremely happy with how this product evolved. Despite cost restraints, we managed to produce a timeless design whilst still capturing the boat shoe trend. It proved to my team that we could emulate a luxurious vibe without the high price tag.