The U.S. presidential election made its way into several remarks in footwear earnings calls this week.

Overall, executives discussed how Donald Trump‘s win over Kamala Harris might impact tariff policy, which in turn, would impact an industry that is heavily reliant on imports from foreign countries. (99 percent of the shoes sold in the United States are imported from primarily China, Vietnam and Indonesia.) Donald Trump’s proposed tariff plans include a 10 to 20 percent tariff on imports from all foreign countries and an additional 60 to 100 percent tariff on imports specifically from China.

Luckily for the shoe industry, many companies have already diversified their sourcing away from vulnerable regions like China in the wake of the supply chain meltdown in 2021. So executives were overall confident in their ability to manage another era of change, if necessary.

In a call with analysts on Thursday, Under Armour chief financial officer David Bergman said that the athletic company is on alert for potential tariff implications but does not expect any “sizable impacts.”

“There could be some U.S. duty implications that could impact our cost of goods sold and gross margin, and a little bit with income tax expense,” Bergman said. “But it’s something that we were prepared to manage pretty well before. We’ll continue to manage it as best we can going forward.”

At Wolverine Worldwide, which owns the Merrell, Saucony and Sweaty Betty brands, president and chief executive officer Chris Hufnagel said the company had worked hard to diversify its footwear sourcing outside of China. Exposure in the region went from about 40 percent in 2019 to the mid-teens in 2024, Hufnagel said, adding that within its sourcing ecosystem, Wolverine has the ability to “dual source” if needed.

“Other important regions are Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia — important pieces as the new realities are there,” Hufnagel said. “And as we hear more, we’ll obviously contemplate things that we need to go do to make sure we can protect and seek to grow the business.”

Steve Madden also called out its longstanding efforts to diversify its supply chain from China. Ed Rosenfeld, chief executive officer of the New York-based company, told analysts on a conference call Thursday that Madden — which reported solid third-quarter earnings — had been preparing for a “potential scenario in which we would have to move goods out of China more quickly.”

Overall, about two-thirds of Madden’s business is derived from imports, with about 70 percent of those imports sourced from China. Rosenfeld said the company has been working hard to develop production capabilities in Cambodia, Vietnam, Mexico and Brazil with an overall goal to reduce the percentage of goods produced in China by 40 to 45 percent.

“If we’re able to achieve that, a year from today we would be looking at just over a quarter of the business subject to tariffs,” Rosenfeld said.

The New York-based Tapestry also addressed the tariff news in a call with analysts this week. Chief financial officer and chief operating officer Scott Roe said the company, which owns Kate Spade, Coach and Stuart Weitzman, has often been required to adapt its supply chain due to port strikes, freight issues and changing tariff rules in the past.

“We’re pretty well versed in managing through this,” Roe said. “We’ll see what comes in terms of specific tariffs and other legislation that may come and we’re monitoring that closely and certainly prepared to react.”

Roe also noted that Tapestry has less than 10 percent of its overall sourcing based in China.

“So from an exposure standpoint, at least as it relates to China, that’s really on a relative basis not a big concern,” he said.

Outside of tariffs, some experts believe that Trump’s win, which prompted a market rally, will have a positive impact on consumer confidence and holiday spending this year.

“Coming off the election, I think that we’re going to have a much better holiday season this year than we did last year. I think the economy is on the right foot, people are normalized to the pricing, wages are typically up and employment is pretty high,” Andy Polk, senior vice president of the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America, told FN in an interview. “You’ve got all these [positive] economic indicators.”

Wolverine Boots is shining a spotlight once again on the hard workers who make holiday celebrations bright with its latest campaign.

Called “Joy to the Work,” the campaign, which first launched in 2023, is a continuation of Wolverine’s commitment to recognize the “merry makers” whose tireless behind-the-scenes efforts create the magic of the holidays.

According to the Rockford, Mich.-based footwear company, the “Joy to the Work” campaign honors everyone from warehouse workers and delivery drivers to the parents working tirelessly to ensure this holiday season is nothing short of magical. 

Melanie Nuechterlein, marketing manager at Wolverine, told FN in an interview that the campaign is the work boot brand’s way of expressing gratitude for those who do all of the hard work that goes into the holidays.

“It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ and to take a moment and really appreciate all the joy that comes out of that hard work during the holidays,” Nuechterlein said. “As we approach the holidays, it can be a time of stress and anxiety. As a brand, we want to take a moment and pause to remind them that yes, the holidays are a lot of work, but it’s the joy and warmth that are created that make it worth it all.”

And while Wolverine did create a feel-good campaign this season, it still made certain to highlight its latest range of footwear.

“We have centered a lot of our creative directly on product,” Nuechterlein noted. “We are making sure to highlight some of our newer launches for the season, as well as some of the core classics that just have been our tried and true over the years. You’ll also see some of our outdoor holiday collection that is resurfacing this year.”

Some of the footwear featured in this year’s spot include the men’s DuraShocks SR Icon boot, the women’s Torrent duck boot-inspired cold weather boot, the men’s and women’s Trade Wedge classic moc-toe wedge work boot, the men’s Overpass boot and the men’s Glacier Surge and Glacier Surge Arctic snow boots.

But ultimately, the campaign is all about connecting to the core Wolverine consumer.

“With everything we do, we have to make sure that people are seeing themselves through the lens of whatever we’re showing,” Nuechterlein added. “For this campaign specifically, we really want to continue to inspire joy in those everyday moments, and really, find that balance of embracing nostalgia and also just continuing to drive forward a lot of family traditions and different things that happen throughout the holidays.”

Wolverine’s latest “Joy to the Work” campaign is now live through the end of December across digital channels.

Younger consumers have changed the boot industry in recent years by demanding sneaker-like comfort. Now, work brands are adopting more tactics perfected by athletic brands to engage these next generations, using tools like influencer marketing, collaborations, design innovation and more.

“In skilled trades, the baby boomers are starting to age out, and we have this whole influx of younger people coming in. When you look at these customers — not just Gen Z, but millennials — they grew up with sneaker culture and this idea of always looking for the newest, the freshest,” said Kevin Oberle, senior director of global insights and engagement for Keen Utility, which used things like elevated seeding kits and unboxing videos this year to highlight its new work sneakers, the Overton and the Kenton.

Scott Schoessel, chief marketing officer for Wolverine World Wide’s work division, agreed: “Consumers want freshness. They want stories and they want to understand what we’re doing from an innovation standpoint. And while we can’t crank out the innovation on the same frequency as the sneaker brands, they do present a good model for us to study and watch in terms of how are they stretching their brands? How are they talking to their consumers?”

Collabs at Work

For Wolverine, collaborations have become core to its strategy in recent years, to help expand its audience.

Schoessel said the brand puts out three to four collaborations each year — a number that is kept intentionally low so Wolverine can invest time and money into due diligence, planning and advertising. “We’re willing to stretch and we put dollars behind it,” he said. “We market and story tell aggressively across every channel to drive a little bit of heat behind these things.”

He added that the goal behind each Wolverine collaboration is to either build brand buzz with a new audience — as with its Jarritos collab set to debut on Nov. 19 — or to raise funds for trade school scholarships, such as with its longstanding partnership with the rock band Metallica. 

Keen Utility also entered the collab game for the first time this fall. On Oct. 10, the work brand unveiled a limited release with L.A.-based streetwear brand Noon Goons, offering an update to its Cincinnati wedge boot. Oberle said that the partnership originated “on the other side” of Keen, but the Noon Goons team requested to use a Keen Utility boot. From there, Oberle worked with them on the concept for a year.

He added that the goal was to not only build brand awareness but “partner with someone that’ll push us from a creative standpoint into places we haven’t been before.”

Selling Innovation

The quest for newness also extends into the core product lines, where work brands are incorporating new features to enhance the comfort and performance of occupational shoes and boot. The benefits are two-fold: Customers like the fit and feel, and marketers have a compelling story to tell.

“The younger people who were brought up in this age of social media and real-time advertising, there’s definitely an emphasis put on cool features and things that people can lock on to and say, ‘I want to try that, that looks pretty good,’” said Brian Gerrain, vice president and brand general manager of Rocky, a division of Rocky Brands Inc.

Gerrain said Rocky still believes in brand awareness marketing but has also increased its collection-based advertising to draw attention to specific technologies and features. One of its recent success stories came in early 2024, when it launched the Rams Horn 6-inch comp-toe boot — its first equipped with the Boa lacing system.

“We have been absolutely amazed at how it’s taken off,” said Gerrain. “Revenue wise, it’s now my number-one-selling work boot, which is crazy.” What is particularly surprising, he added, is that it retailed for a premium price point of $216, bucking the trend in the market for value-driven pricing. To augment the success, Rocky is introducing more shoes with the Boa system starting in spring 2025.

Influencers on the Job

In terms of how and where work brands are sharing their stories, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) are top focuses. And every brand FN spoke with was leaning into influencer partnerships.

For Rocky’s sister brand, Georgia Boot, it has taken a niche approach, partnering with do-it-yourself (DIY) influencers. “We originally only targeted occupational workers, but a couple of years ago, we started approaching DIY folks on Facebook and Instagram, and we found that the DIY space was performing as good or better than the occupational stuff,” said Jordan Gottke, vice president and brand general manager at Georgia Boot.

He said his digital ad spend is now 50-50 between occupational and DIY, but the brand will expand its DIY presence in the coming year.

Gottke said influencer partnerships are a solution to the high demand for fresh video assets and also offer “genuine” content that appeals to young consumers.

But influencer marketing in the work category does present challenges, according to Oberle at Keen Utility. Because tradespeople need different safety features in their footwear, “you can’t send the same shoe to everyone,” he explained. “We don’t ever want to put somebody in the wrong shoe for their job.”

One year after their first deal, Wolverine is expanding its name, image and likeness (NIL) relationship with the University of Michigan.

According to the 141-year-old Rockford, Mich. boot and clothing company, it has renewed its NIL relationship with University of Michigan football players, while expanding its 2024 talent roster to include trades professionals across industries and career stages.

Michigan football athletes featured in Wolverine’s “Blue-Collar Crew” include Donovan Edwards, Mason Graham, Max Bredeson, Colston Loveland, Will Johnson, Alex Orji, Benjamin Hall, and Blake Frazier, all chosen for blue-collar qualities they exhibit as athletes and competitors, the company said.

In addition to the eight football athletes, Wolverine has signed traveling welder Saray Hernandez, foreman electrician Stephen Madrosen, woodworker Leah Houghtaling, and water tower welder Miggie Milan. Rounding out the roster are three Michigan high school students pursuing education in the trades – Duncan Ruby of Clarkston, Grace Colone of Brighton, and Carter Worm of Ahmeek.

“The trades workers that keep our country moving day after day deserve to be in the spotlight as much as the collegiate athletes we cheer on every weekend,” Scott Schoessel, chief marketing officer of Wolverine Boots, said in a statement. “As a society, we celebrate the grit and toughness of college football stars getting the job done on the grid iron, but we often overlook those practicing that same work ethic and grind in their professions. Our goal is to show that being blue collar is badass, no matter your trade.”

The introduction of Wolverine’s Blue-Collar Crew comes alongside the launch of a new collection of game day-ready boots and apparel. Deemed the “Maize and Blue-Collar Collection,” the limited-edition University of Michigan branded gear benefits hardworking student-athletes, as a portion of sales will benefit Champions Circle, the University of Michigan’s leading NIL collective.

The collection includes a hooded canvas shirt jacket, hooded flannel shirt jacket, moc toe work boot and the University of Michigan Team #144 Commemorative 1000 Mile Boot.

First launched in July, the University of Michigan Team #144 Commemorative 1000 Mile Boot is handcrafted in the USA and built on the foundation of Wolverine’s iconic 1000 Mile Boot. The low-cut shoe rises to the ankle and includes a slight heel. In a nod to the University of Michigan’s team colors, maize and blue, the limited-edition boots are navy with yellow laces. They include antique brass hardware and commemorative details, including a 144 foil-stamped backstay and tongue featuring a block M. The 144 represents the 144th season played by the Wolverines.

This renewed deal follows Wolverine’s entry into NIL agreements with 13 University of Michigan football players last year.

In a fitting collaboration, Michigan-based boots company Wolverine is partnering with the University of Michigan to release a limited-edition adaptation of the brand’s 1000 Mile boot inspired by the school’s football team, the Wolverines. The Wolverine x Michigan Team #144 Commemorative 1000 Mile Boot will be available online on July 25.

The boot company aims to honor the football team after a historic 2023 season; the Wolverines finished undefeated with a 15-0 record, competing in the East Division of the Big Ten Conference.

Wolverine describes the shoe, “Designed with grit, resilience and a blue-collar work ethic in mind, this collaboration perfectly combines America’s Original Work Boot Brand and the winningest team in college football.”

The 1000 Mile boot features a silhouette from 1914. Handcrafted in the United States, the low-cut shoe rises to the ankle and includes a slight heel. In a nod to the University of Michigan’s team colors, maize and blue, the limited-edition boots are navy with yellow laces. They include antique brass hardware and commemorative details, including a 144 foil-stamped backstay and tongue featuring a block M. The 144 represents the 144th season played by the Wolverines.

Wolverine has been around for more than 150 years, with founder G.A. Krause first launching a leather tannery in Michigan in 1883. He started a shoe factory in 1901 and, in 1914, brought to life the enduring 1000-mile boot. Read more about Wolverine history here.

This collaboration isn’t Wolverine’s first foray into the athletic space. The brand recently partnered with the sporting goods company Rawlings to produce a 1000 Mile boot including a layer of a Rawlings baseball bat in the heel.

Wolverine is a subsidiary of Wolverine Worldwide, which additionally owns Bates, Chaco, Saucony, Sweaty Betty, Merrell, Hush Puppies, Hytest, Soft Style, Wolverine Leathers and the Stride Rite Children’s Group.

Wolverine X Valiant University Of Michigan Floorhand Moc Toe Work Boots

$169.95 Buy Now at wolverine

Wolverine’s best-selling 1000 Mile boot has been reworked again to pay homage to America’s favorite pastime with the help of sporting goods company Rawlings. What makes this new edition stand out? Each boot features a thin layer of authentic Rawlings wood baseball bat in the signature heel stack.

Handcrafted in Arkansas in small batches, the classic boot also includes a premium caramel brown upper made of Heart of the Hide Baseball Glove Leather from Horween Leather Company in Chicago. Underfoot sits a white Vibram rubber outsole that delivers durability and comfort with every step. Each boot is also individually numbered on the inside of the collar and includes two sets of laces, one in black rawhide and another in white athletic cotton with red detailing.

The limited edition plain-toe silhouette is complete with baseball-inspired red and white stitching throughout the upper, the Rawlings brand logo patch woven on the tongue (the same label stitched on Rawlings baseball gloves) and a metal Rawlings lace fob. The collar is also stamped with an “R” and “Wolverine 1000 Mile” in gold. Like other Wolverine styles, durable Goodyear welt construction allows the boot to be resoled for years of mileage.

In 2022, Wolverine and Rawlings debuted a similar boot with many of the same details, minus the baseball bat wood insert in the stacked heel. The version, dubbed the Americana Edition, came in navy leather and was designed with a moc toe instead of a plain toe. This marks the fourth time the boot brand and sporting equipment company have collaborated since 2021.

Retailing for $425, the new Wolverine 1000 Mile x Rawlings Grand Slam boot drops on May 29th and will be available to shop on wolverine.com.

Wolverine 1000 Mile x Rawlings Grand Slam Boot [PHOTOS]

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It’s a great time for female finance leaders in the footwear industry.

Last week, three major shoe companies all announced that they had added chief financial officers to their ranks — and all of them were women. Crocs last Tuesday tapped Susan Healy as CFO and Wolverine Worldwide followed suit the next day, naming Taryn Miller to the role. Insoles maker Superfeet topped off the week with the hiring announcement of Kathryn McKenzie as CFO on Friday.

The slew of new hires is in line with upward trend of female representation in the CFO role across S&P 500 and Fortune 500 companies. According to a Volatility Report released from executive search boutique Crist Kolder Associates in February, the percentage of female CFOs in these companies has nearly doubled over the past decade, going from 10 to 20 percent between 2013 and 2023.

“I think there’s been a bit a bit of an awakening that diversity has really positive impacts on company performance, profitability, culture and employee engagement scores,” said Kirby Perkins, managing director at Crist Kolder Associates who co-runs the company’s Volatility Report program. She added that the influx of female CFOs across several sectors could also be a trickle-down effect from diversity mandates at the board level. And at the same time, the pool of qualified CFO candidates is finally in a place to offer more diverse options for the top finance role.

“We’re seeing the fruits of some very intentional programming in middle management and early leadership development programs that give rise to a much broader pool of diverse optionality for these roles,” Perkins said.

Retail and footwear lead the way

Consumer companies, in particular, are leading the way when it comes to female representation in the CFO role. According to Crist Kolder’s Volatilty Report, the consumer sector was the industry that had the most female CFOs between 2013 and 2023, with 30 women holding CFO positions in that sector in 2023.

In footwear, specifically, representation stands out.

“Female CFOs are highly sought after, especially in the footwear sector,” said Dana Levine, a partner at executive search firm Kirk Palmer Associates who specializes in fashion, retail and consumer experience brands. Data from Kirk Palmer found that the percent of female CFOs in footwear has grown steadily since 2022, with eight female CFO appointments already in 2024, year-to-date.

One reason for this outsized growth could be owed to the general rising power of the female consumer, who is driving the most growth to discretionary businesses like footwear and apparel. According to media research firm Nielsen, women will make up 75 percent of discretionary spending by 2028.

“It is women, many times, that are transacting at the end of the day,” Levine said. “And businesses that are looking to broaden and retain new customers are looking at women. The best way to do that is to bring in diverse executive leadership teams and to bring females to the table.”

More women in finance

The renewed push for diverse leadership at the CFO level is also galvanized by more women entering and advancing in financial fields in general. According to a 2023 study from Deloitte, the number of women reaching top roles in financial services is on the rise and expected to grow through 2031.

“I think you’re seeing a lot more women enter finance, whether it’s through accounting or more strategic finance roles,” Dayna Quanbeck, president and CFO of Rothy’s, told FN in a previous interview. She joined the sustainable shoe brand in 2019 as CFO and added chief operating officer to her title in 2022 before she was promoted to president in January. “I do think that you’re going to start to see more females come up the ranks. I know that there are a lot of aspiring CFOs. I’ve mentored some. I think it’s an incredible job for people that are curious and want to continue to grow in their careers.”

But despite the surge in female CFOs, gender parity still lags across the C-suite in general. According to data from leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds Associates, while women account for 47 percent of the American workforce, they make up just 28 percent of executives in top leadership teams of the S&P 100. In contrast, men make up 53 percent of the U.S. workforce and 72 percent of executives in top leadership teams.

Luckily, the progress in the CFO role could potentially translate to more advancement for women down the line, as CFOs increasingly parlay their experience for broader roles in a company, such as president or chief executive officer. According to data from leadership advisory firm Russell Reynolds, CFOs in 2023 were three times more likely to get the chief executive officer nod than they were in 2021. And lower margin businesses like consumer and industrial companies often look to finance talent more than other sectors when it comes to making these larger promotions down the chain. In footwear, that trajectory has been the storyline for Quanbeck as well as former Crocs CFO Anne Mehlman who was recently promoted to brand president.

“Seeing that there now is space for [female] CFOs to come in is exciting,” said Kirk Palmer Associates’ Levine. “Across the industry, we’re starting to see CFOs ascend into the No.1 seat. It hopefully will open up more gender diversity at the executive leadership team level across the board.”

Wolverine has been a pioneer since its humble origins in the late 1800s. The brand, born in Rockford, Mich., was propelled to global success by embracing innovation at every turn. Beginning with perfecting a process in its tannery that produced soft, pliable leather, Wolverine produced incredibly durable shoes that outperformed the competition.

As it found its niche in the work boot space, Wolverine continually pushed to improve the performance of its footwear to keep its customers comfortable and protected on the job site. Alongside its core business, the brand also has garnered a following among people looking for everyday lifestyle styles. Honoring its heritage, Wolverine’s popular 1000 Mile collection offers footwear that is inspired by archival patterns and highlights old-world craftsmanship and attention to detail.

An American Dream

Wolverine’s story began in 1883 when entrepreneur G.A. Krause started a small leather tannery in Michigan, and staffed it with a team of workers. Fulfilling the needs of that time, the fledging company produced work boots and gloves.

In 1901, Krause brought electricity to the city of Rockford, where he planted a new shoe factory that was soon cranking out 300 pairs a day. Six years later, the businessman — who by that point had been joined by his sons — established the Wolverine tannery, giving the factory a direct supply of durable, yet pliable shell horsehides for its shoes.

In 1914, the Krauses introduced what would eventually become an iconic product — the 1000 Mile boot, whose name was inspired by its long-lasting wear. Over the next several years, Wolverine grew into a household name, with the help of a national sales force (a novel concept at that time) and a national ad campaign.

Roaring Twenties

By 1921, business was booming, prompting the company to change its name to the Wolverine shoe and Tanning Co. In 1928, employees were invited to buy shares in the company in one of the country’s first profit-sharing plans.

After weathering some lean years during the Great Depression, Wolverine rebounded in the 1940s. The company supplied pigskin gloves for the U.S. Navy during World War II, and later — following the Allied victory — decided to go all in on pigskin as horses had become scarce. A newly built factory in Rockford began producing what became known as pigskin suede, and G.A.’s son Victor had the idea to use the material to make soft suede casual shoes.

Dog Days

In 1958, the Hush Puppies brand was born, taking its unique name from the treats that Southerners gave their dogs to calm their barking. Before long, an estimated one in 10 American adults owned a pair of the suede shoes.

In a testament to its success, the company — now renamed Wolverine Worldwide Inc. — made its debut on the New York Stock Exchange in 1965.

Acquisition Mode

Building on the success of its Wolverine and Hush Puppies brands, the company sought out new opportunities. In 1994, it debuted a Cat footwear line under a licensing agreement with construction equipment giant Caterpillar.

Wolverine added the Merrell outdoor brand to its portfolio in 1997, which was followed one year later by a licensing deal with Harley-Davidson. In 2003, the company acquired Sebago, known for its classic boat shoes, but later sold the brand in 2017. In 2006, Wolverine inked a footwear licensing deal with Patagonia. Chaco also joined the company’s roster in 2009 as a new acquisition.

Wolverine snapped up Collective Brands’ Performance + Lifestyle Group in 2012, a move that beefed up its brand roster with Saucony, Stride Rite and other major names.

Reviving an Original

In 2009, Wolverine brought back its classic 1000 Mile boot in a bid to capture a share of the demand for casual footwear with an Americana aesthetic. To celebrate the boot’s 140th anniversary in 2023, the brand introduced a special-edition 1000 Mile style made from Horween leather and featuring a vintage Wolverine label on the tongue.

In recent years, Wolverine has also continued its dominance in the work category, trumpeting the slogan, “We’re not good because we’re old; we’re good because we’ve stayed good,” to underscore its longevity and history of performance innovations and quality craftsmanship.

To support its customer base, the brand created Project Bootstrap, an initiative that advocates for skilled trades and aims to inspire and nurture the next generation of tradespeople.

Who Owns Wolverine?

Wolverine remains under the Wolverine Worldwide Inc. banner. Today, the publicly traded company, still headquartered in Rockford, also owns Bates, Chaco, Saucony, Sweaty Betty, Merrell, Hush Puppies, Hytest, Soft Style, Wolverine Leathers and the Stride Rite Children’s Group.

At least 400 people have signed a new petition from boot brand Wolverine that seeks to add the phrase “woman-made” to the dictionary, alongside the more commonly used “man-made.”

The petition, which officially launched in early February, is a part a new campaign from Wolverine to uplift women in the skilled trades this Women’s History Month. Dubbed “Woman-Made,” the campaign highlights female workers and encourages more women to enter the historically male-dominated sector.

The campaign launched Thursday with a video highlighting notable female contributions to famous structures, such as the Brooklyn Bridge and Terminal One at the LAX airport. It also highlights accomplished women in the skilled trades, such as Anna Connelly, the inventor of the fire escape, and Jane Blain Gilbertson, the first female chief executive officer of general store chain Blain’s Farm and Fleet. Wolverine is partnering with the chain to offer customers a free coloring book that features Gilbertson, along with all the other skilled female trade workers highlighted in the video.

According to Wolverine’s Director of Brand Marketing Lauren King, the “Woman-Made,” campaign was driven by the fact that women and girls tend to have lower confidence levels than men until they reach their mid 40s. And when it comes to skilled trades like construction and manufacturing, women have been historically underrepresented and less likely to try them out.

“We’ve been around for 140 years and our mission is to celebrate the next generation of skilled trade workers,” King told FN in an interview, noting that only 10 percent of workers in skilled trades are women. “With this campaign, we knew that we had the opportunity to inspire and build confidence in young girls and women to try out the trades to ultimately help close the gap that there is in skilled trades.”

To help circulate the message, Wolverine is partnering with several skilled trade-focused influencers. The brand has also partnered with real estate developer Mika Kleinschmidt of HGTV’s “100 Day Dream Home” to show a real example of a woman excelling in this arena— and how men like Mika’s husband Brian can be allies for this cause.

“We are showcasing and honoring all of these accomplishments of women, and letting young girls know that can be them, they can do that,” King said. “They should have the confidence to go try it out as well.”

Wolverine is also donating $25,000 to Girls Garage, a design and construction school for female-identifying kids.

When it comes to its own house, the brand Wolverine is looking to double its women’s business in terms of volume and revenue over the next few years. Like other footwear names such as Ariat and Timberland Pro, Wolverine has diversified its product mix and increased its women’s offerings by 60 percent in 2023. (The brand’s women’s business is currently in the single digits in terms of the percentage of the overall business.)

“We are looking to make sure she feels like she has plenty of options for what she needs for the job site and beyond,” King said. “And we’re excited to earn her trust and be the brand that she chooses for her work boots.”