Nike's main rival, Adidas, is setting a very clear picture of where it sees its business moving forward in the post-pandemic months. According to Bloomberg, he trusts that the cultural changes in the return to physical spaces will benefit his business. The brand's CEO, Kasper Rorsted, said that people in the home office have gotten used to wearing sportswear and sandals. Something that could perhaps affect what is perceived as acceptable for offices.

He said that "it's going to be very difficult to convince people who have been sitting around in flip-flops and a running outfit to put on business shoes and a formal suit." The CEO of Adidas believes it will accelerate the trend of acceptance of more casual clothing in the corporate world. He also believes that increased interest in health could boost categories like walking, running, mountaineering and the like. The only weak point for the future could be the sale of sandals.

China and the return of sports favor Adidas

But it is not the only thing that would favor the fashion retailer. Also in data from Bloomberg, the CEO of Adidas raised his sales expectations for the next quarter. Among the factors that motivate this optimism is the return of live sports. This includes both the soccer cups in Europe and South America as well as the Tokyo Olympics. Rorsted noted that he will use this return to drive the overall online sales strategy.

The CEO of Adidas also referred to the situation in China and the boycott that many Western fashion companies, including his own, have faced in the Asian country. Rorsted pointed out that they have been dialoguing with consumers “in a respectful manner”, taking care to interpret their customs. Although he says that the impact of this phenomenon is still uncertain, he assures that the situation is already normalizing for a great year of sales.

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Related Notes

How optimistic are Adidas' expectations?

In general terms, the expectations of the German brand are not far from reality. According to McKinsey, the Adidas industry itself has been more resilient than the rest of the fashion universe throughout the crisis. Likewise, he confirms that there will be a greater penetration of outdoor activities that should help the sale of athleisure. And his expectations for the new office normality are not far-fetched.

Perhaps the most sensitive issue is the situation in China and Asia. Contrary to what Adidas points out, it seems that the boycott has been getting worse in recent weeks. According to the Global Times, more and more Asian country stars have turned their backs on Western brands and promoted local businesses. Although the battle is not lost, it is not yet as won as the German brand would like to think. There is a lot of reconciliation pending.

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The situation of his rivals

While Adidas is giving these expectations, other players within the sports fashion industry are experiencing their own post-COVID recovery. For example, industry leader Nike unveiled a new strand to advance its sustainability strategies. The idea of ​​the brand is to open a business for the resale of used sneakers. This, in order to reduce the number of units that become scrap when customers return them.

For its part, Zara is closing alliances that could put more pressure on Adidas and other sports fashion agents. The Spanish company recently launched a collection hand in hand with the Starter line. Although this is a temporary move, with a brand that is not as well known, it could help consolidate this company in a different market. Something that would be necessary in a post-COVID era of uncertainty and urgent economic recovery.