• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, February 8, 2016

Running faster and jumping higher took a backseat to retro foot fashion last year, with the shift to classic sneaks leading to a banner year: The NPD Group says sales of athletic footwear bounced 8% last year, bringing in $17.2 billion. On a unit basis, sales gained 3%, and the average cost per pair rose 5% to $61.15. December was the best month for the category, with sales advancing 13% from December 2014.

Noting lots of volatility, “performance footwear, particularly running and basketball, cooled off in 2015,” says Matt Powell, VP/sports industry analyst for the Port Washington, N.Y.-based market research company in its report, “and we saw a rise in the more casual and retro styles.”

Sales of classics reached $3.5 billion -- a 30% jump, thanks to 1980s-era looks from the likes of Saucony, Nike, Adidas and New Balance. Driven by retro basketball and running shoes, sales of classics are up 69% in women, 29% in kids and 26% in men.

Sales of hiking and light hiking shoes climbed 15%. Powell expects those gains to continue, thanks to the ongoing blending of athletic and outdoor shoes. But sales of casual athletic shoes actually declined, and both the basketball and running shoe category each grew by less than 5% in dollar sales. 

The top three brands for men are Nike/Brand Jordan, Adidas and New Balance; for women, Nike, Skechers and Asics; and for children, Nike/Brand Jordan, Adidas and Converse.

Powell predicts the category’s sales mojo to continue through this year. “The athleisure trend has helped the acceleration of growth, as has social fitness, which will continue to shape the sports business as class-based fitness activities and other shared experiences will dominate the industry,” he writes. “Brands and retailers must integrate this trend into their plans. It will be necessary for them to capitalize on social fitness in order to grow in the months ahead.”