Style over purpose as athleisure outpaces athletics in US sneaker market

Athleisure has now surpassed performance to become the largest category in the US sneaker market, a recent report by market intelligence firm NPD Group revealed. Sports-inspired footwear, intended more for casual use, generated $9.6 billion last year, posting a 17 percent growth YoY while accounting for almost half of the country's overall sales. Revenue from athletic sneakers, on the other hand, dropped about 10 percent to $7.4 billion. In 2016, the two categories were roughly even at $8.2 billion.

The emergence of sneakers as the everyday footwear of choice, even in the office, has pushed aside athletic purpose in favor of style and comfort.

The group also noted that this is the first time in almost 20 years where there is not a single performance category that is trending positively. Sales for cross-training shoes, for instance, went down 15 percent while those for running shoes declined 8 percent. In contrast, running-inspired and casual athletic sneakers have become the fastest-growing segments at about 40 and 25 percent, respectively.

A number of brands havetaken advantage of the trend. Sportswear giant adidas has made significant gains in the US by delivering fashionable athleisure footwear. While rival Nike is still the largest player in the US sneaker market, this move by the Germany-based firm helps it inch closer albeit gradually.