'I feel like a million bucks' - is the high heel back?

Record ID: 1686425

  • Title: 'I feel like a million bucks' - is the high heel back?
  • Date: 25th August 2022
  • Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 22, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HIGH HEELS DISPLAY AT BLOOMINGDALE’S
  • Embargoed: 8th September 2022 19:26
  • Keywords: comeback comfort demand height high heels pandemic sales
  • Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment,Fashion,United States
  • Reuters ID: LVA001957119082022RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Is the iconic high heel ‘back’ as a girl’s best friend?
    Some women in New York City can be seen hitting the street with elevated feet.
    “I feel like a million bucks when I put heels on,” said Maria Barbarosh, a visitor from Maryland.
    Another high heels lover, Sandy Liu, noticed more people are wearing them.
    “Maybe they want to express themselves more now,” Liu said.
    Love for the high heel can be seen in sales figures.
    A high-end U.S. department store chain, Bloomingdale’s, has seen an uptick in demand for high heels with its customer, according to Marissa Galante Frank, fashion director for accessories and beauty at Bloomingdale's flagship store in New York City.
    "She is excited to go back to the office, she's excited to go to that first social event again," said Galante Frank. "So, high heels are definitely on the top of her shopping list.”
    A research firm, the NPD Group, also sees the comeback of the ‘dressy high heels for a special occasion' this year, said Beth Goldstein, NPD Group's industry analyst for footwear and accessories.
    “High heels actually have outperformed a lot of other categories,” said Goldstein.
    According to NPD's research, the recovery started last spring, after hitting rock bottom in the first half of 2020, when the sales of dress shoes with heels three inches (7.62 cm) or higher business fell about 50% compared to 2019.
    But, in the first half of 2022, they saw ‘real improvement’ as social events popped back up.
    Postponed weddings and rescheduled parties with dressy attire required from tip to toe have enticed people to go shopping again.
    Goldstein stressed, though, that unit sales are still lagging behind the pre-pandemic 2019 figures by about 14%.
    The need or desire to wear heels, in terms of sales, is up against the pandemic-period consumer focus on comfort and practicality.
    But there is a middle ground, said Bloomingdale's Galante Frank, pointing to the comeback of wedges and a rise in popularity of ‘kitten heels.’
    (Production: Andrew Hofstetter, Hussein Al Waaile, Kyoko Gasha)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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