By Isobel Parker

Instagram has been in uproar this week, once again furious about an issue that’s been sweeping the sneaker industry time and again: ‘WE DON’T NEED WOMEN’S EXCLUSIVES. WE NEED INCLUSIVE SIZING’.

The streetwear and sneaker industry is renowned for being male centric, we only have to go into Newcastle city centre with shops like END. and the newly opening SIZE?, to see this inequality. Although arguably everything is ‘unisex’ in their stores and they hold a small female range, however, they are obviously male centric passing off size inclusivity by providing men’s XS in their ranges, a men’s XS is in no way the same as women’s.

But what does women’s size inclusivity have to do with PR?

EVERYTHING.

There are copious articles being written, from Vogue to Title magazine, declaring the problems with sneaker drop’s size inclusivity. Whilst Nike attracted a great amount of positive earned media in the summer when they announced the Virgil Abloh x Air Jordan would drop exclusively for women, this positivity was only damped when they announced, following male outcry, that they would instead drop the Jordan in all sizes.

Size exclusivity can be great for a companies’ profile and market image, fewer sizes meaning less availability creating a stir for their product. If something is scarce more people want it to become a part of the perceived exclusive club.

Surely, however, for any brand, whether big or small, by introducing size inclusivity they are showing themselves as brand engaging in two-way symmetrical communications with their consumers. Listening to what your consumer wants can only be a positive start.

It appears these companies are not researching the market enough; women are sneakerheads too! For example, Rebecca Hydahl, a female sneaker collector from Denmark has nearly 150, 000 thousand followers. Companies have a readymade base for influencer marketing on Instagram which they are not taking full advantage of.

I am aware I sound somewhat negative and as though there is no inclusivity for the female market; there have been some big leaps already taken however, time and time again, women’s drops are just pastel versions of the same design; it is just not enough. Give the girls what they want, increase your public outreach and listen to your consumers.

Engagement with and delivering for your consumers is the only way successful way forward.