Dressed for Success

Dansko hit on the needs of its customers, many of whom sought back-to-work styles.

DANSKO HAS COME a long way since 1990 when its founders launched the brand in the U.S. by selling clogs out of the back of a station wagon at area equestrian events à la how Nike founder Phil Knight introduced its running shoes at local track meets. The now iconic Professional clog, led by its ergonomic contoured footbeds and generous wiggle room for toes, fast became a hit with nurses, hospitality workers, teachers, and many others who spend long periods of time on their feet.

Since then, the West Grove, PA-based company has expanded into a wide variety of silhouettes, colors, and materials—always with comfort at the forefront of the designs. Last year was no different. Dansko reported success with an expanded sandals collection in the spring and followed that up in the fall with a broad range of boots, flats, casual sneakers, Mary Janes, and, of course, lots of cool clogs. In particular, the company reported a strong response to its dressier styles as consumers returned to offices.

Here, Kitty Bollinger, executive vice president of sales and marketing, and Vice President of Design Kelsey Jayne Gomez discuss the highlights from 2022. —B.S.

How was business in 2022, and how did it compare to the year before?

KB: Dansko had a strong 2022, particularly our spring season. For the full year, we were up versus 2021, though not as much as we had planned coming into 2022.

What were some key product highlights of the year? KB: Last spring we were able to expand on our success with key sandals, specifically the Reece, Rowan, Tiffani, and Marcy styles, and added to our offerings in lifestyle sandals with the athletic-inspired Racquel. Moving into fall, we saw a considerable increase in demand for back-to-work shoes. Whether it was our old faithful Fawna Mary Jane, the sleek flat Larisa, or the brand-new Callista heeled Mary Jane, consumers view Dansko as an essential for workplace style.

KJG: The best looks of 2022 included stapled styles like the Tiffani Mary Jane and Sassy cut-out clog, as well as dressier styles like the Callista Mary Jane and Larisa flat. Tiffani and Sassy feature new looks on Dansko classics, with updated leathers, details and, of course, never-ending support. We really dug into the interiors of our new dress collections, building out the best support and comfort possible while providing dressier styling for work looks. With our Reece and Rowan sandals, we introduced new colors and materials for our best footbed flats, making them able to style up or down. With our lifestyle shoes the Pace and Racquel, we innovated the best interiors again but with the emphasis on walking comfort.

In addition to great product, what were some other successful brand initiatives introduced in 2022? KB: Community is a central component of Dansko’s enduring success. Our consumers and retailers foster this with Dansko in-store events, product feedback, and social media engagement. Our employees thrive as a community as well. One of our most successful initiatives in 2022 was returning to the office. When we are together, collaborating in person, we excel. As simple as it sounds, reinforcing our commitment to community was an initiative that made us stronger.

What was the biggest surprise of the year? KJG: We can have great success in several categories when the product is right. And even when times are tough, we have a fiercely loyal consumer.

What were the toughest challenges—be it supply chain woes, record inflation, ongoing pandemic, etc.—and how did you overcome them?

KB: Is “all of the above” a fair answer? Overall, our biggest headaches came from lingering supply chain issues. Once the factories were back to capacity, the increased transportation time negatively impacted our on-time delivery goals. We are fortunate to work with amazing factory and logistics partners, and their efforts to prioritize our key constructions meant that our disruptions were a hurdle, but not an insurmountable obstacle to our success.

KJG: Another big challenge was figuring out consumer priorities as the world shifted back to work and making sure we were in front of them. In many ways, priorities for consumers have changed, so we built product that supports their desire for max comfort and versatility.

How would you grade your team on its overall performance navigating through such difficult challenges? KB: As a 100 percent employee-owned company (ESOP), our team is crystal clear in that everything we do impacts the families of everyone who works for/with Dansko. Navigating through challenges with this mindset means that we make decisions with Dansko’s long-term goals always in mind. Our team did not lose sight of this and emerged from a difficult time period prepared for a phenomenal future. So, I guess that means I’d give them an A.

What was your biggest takeaway from the year? KB: My biggest takeaway is that our consumers, retailers, and employees are steadfast in their loyalty to Dansko.

KJG: During challenging times, you can’t stop innovating. As a brand, we truly aim to deliver on comfort, not only the literal physical comfort, but also the comfort of feeling joy at a “shoe shopping discovery” or the life that a new shoe brings to an old favorite outfit. We never lost sight of that joyful moment we are trying to provide to the consumer.