The day after U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled the terms of his so-called “reciprocal tariffs,” the nation’s biggest footwear trade organization held an emergency meeting. The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America counts more than 500 brands and retailers among its members. Normally, its weekly Tuesday meetings have some 225 people on the call. On Thursday, April 3, that number was 700, Modern Retail has learned.
As 99% of footwear sold in the U.S. is imported, “there’s not a member that’s not affected” by the tariffs, Matt Priest, CEO of the FDRA, told Modern Retail. In fact, some of the highest overall tariffs — up to 50% — are being levied on Southeast Asia, a major manufacturing hub for shoe brands like Nike and On.
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