ARÓN JACO x MONTRAIL

Design a sneaker that will rejuvenate Montrail’s current running shoe lineup & explore new market opportunities. Made in collaboration with Montrail

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What do sales tell us?

Retail sales tell us 3 things

After speaking with a few sales associates & managers at several running stores, I learned that buyers typically buy trail shoes for one of 3 reasons.

- Competitive Trail Running

It comes to no surprise that trail shoes would be bought for competitive trail racing. Buyers typically are looking for lightweight, flexible, & strong shoes.

- Recreational Running

Trail running shoes have a slight advantage over typical running shoes due to their increased protection, tread, and grip. These buyers typically run outdoors on the road or on dirt trails.

- Hiking

Hiking boots have a reputation of being heavy, thick, & stiff. A lot of younger consumers are purchasing their first trail running shoes to go hiking with their friends on the weekend.

Market Opportunity

Your average consumer is mostly concerned about the shoes performance and protection when deciding their purchases; however, the aesthetic and design of these performance shoes is becoming more important with the increase of younger consumers and the expanding streetwear industry.

My market research concluded that there was a good potential for market growth if we could make a shoe that blended the functionality of a hiker/ trail runner and the styles of streetwear and utility fashion.