Founded in 1981, the British retailer JD Sports introduced exclusive collections to the market, becoming the global benchmark in sport fashion. Growing worldwide, in Italy JD Sports counts on a chain of 37 points of sale and on the multi-channel platform jdsports.it where customers can access (via Web or App) a greater variety of products than those present in the stores. On the occasion of Milan Fashion Week, we meet the brand to know what strategies it is adopting to meet the damands of the market.

What are the drivers of JD Sports’worldwide growth?

We focus on quality, cutting-edge brands, trust and style to be a leader in urban style and sport. This allowed us to close the fiscal year 2019 up by + 29.5% with 6.75 billion euro. In 2020, Covid-19 limited our progress in the short term, but JD has a market-leading multichannel proposition that maximises its relevance and reach while maintaining a deep connection level with its consumers. An extremely solid proposal, which allowed another year of significant progress for the group.

What sneaker trends do you predict will we see in your – physical and digital – retail shops next Autumn-Winter 2021?

After a somewhat particular 2020, which saw though a very strong “back to the 90s” full of colours, patterns and refined materials, in 2021 we will have a breath of simplicity and sustainable style. We strongly believe that the trends will not be too bold and that there will be a return to classic models that everyone likes and adapts to every outfit. We will therefore leave the ultra-futuristic trends and bold designs in the past year, to make room for evergreen models such as Vans Old School, Converse Chuck Taylor, Nike Air Force 1 or the timeless adidas Superstar. With these versatile and casual shoes you simply can’t go wrong.

How important is comfort in your selection?

Comfort is the most important keyword in choosing our new sneakers: being beautiful is not enough, they also must be easy to walk in. For this reason we also will revalue the market of sports shoes correlating them to the most classic or urban chic outfits.

What role will sustainability play in seasonal trends?

Urban fashion is becoming ever more eco-friendly, increasingly oriented towards the use of sustainable materials for both clothing and shoes. Reusing waste materials, recycled fabrics, sustainable production, everything that allows you to reduce environmental impact will be highlighted in our selection. For example, we will offer the Nike Air Vapormax 2020 and the Nike Air Force 1 Crater which are made with recycled materials, as well as a line of eco-friendly and vegan adidas.