Matt Priest’s Post

It takes a village of amazing footwear companies and service providers to do what we do. We don’t take membership investment in Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) lightly. 🙏Thanks to our new footwear family members for putting your trust and confidence in us. We won’t let you down. 💪

🙏 Thanks to Kate Nishimura at Sourcing Journal for covering last night's debate and the candidates' discussion around tariff policy. Setting the discussion about performances aside, both the current and former president have an insatiable appetite to tax American companies and consumers. There's an irony to it all as I told Kate... “The irony of all of this is that we have both candidates talking about inflation, inflation, inflation—and there’s one thing they can do about it. They can lower tariffs on products that are imported to try to tamp that down,” he told Sourcing Journal. “I think we’re just in a nationalistic environment, and it will take a different type of candidate—one who knows how to lead, one who has courage, and one who understands global economies more than these two—to step up and change the narrative around tariff policy.” https://lnkd.in/ejTnZQeU

🎬 And here it is...Sneaker Day on Capitol Hill 2024 in all its glory. Starring Dr. D'Wayne Edwards, Jared Moskowitz, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Melanie Stansbury, countless congressional staff, and tons of great kicks. #SneakerCaucus Greatest day job ever...

Kudos to Katie Abel with Footwear News for hosting a critical conversation between two iconic Crocs leaders, Michelle Poole and Anne Mehlman. Tons of great takeaways about where the iconic brand has been and where it’s heading next. 🚀 ❓Question - how many Crocs do you have in your closet? Be honest.

Two of the best talks on #AI and its impact on the #footwear business I’ve ever heard at the Footwear News summit today. Shirley Gao with PACSUN and Elias Stahl with HILOS brought practical and digestible information on the proliferation of AI. Great takeaways. The potential of AI building brands overnight using open source information. 🤯

Hanging out with Michael Atmore and the gang at Footwear News today in New York. 👟🗽 Great open and honest convo on the explosive growth of On with Britt Olsen and Peter Verry. Tons of takeaways. #footwear

📣 Hey #footwear family and friends! We’re just a few weeks out from the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) 2024 Shoe Sourcing Exec Summit at the NYSE. Join me along with some amazing speakers on July 16 in NYC. You’ll hear from Dan Friedman, Jung Yoon, Pete Mento, Ronnie Robinson, Bishu Jayaram, and many more! Live and in-person. You have to be there to be there. So stop by https://lnkd.in/ggw5G7p7 to learn more and sign up before it’s too late!

Make sure you join us rooftop in Bryant Park August 6. No agenda…just summer fun and networking. 🤝

Thanks to Katie Lobosco and CNN for covering the plight of American companies and consumers burdened by the Trump Tariffs in these inflationary times. Big shout-out to my friend Rick Muskat for providing key #footwear industry insights for the story. https://lnkd.in/eZRfhiYx

Thanks to Pablo Manríquez with Vanity Fair for capturing my cool kicks on the steps of the U.S. Capitol for Sneaker Day on the Hill 2024. #SneakerCaucus https://lnkd.in/eu9Dx5TA