The boat shoe is the unexpected shoe of the summer. Prada helped bring it back into the fashion conversation with its fall 2024 menswear show, and brands like Bally, Miu Miu and Valentino featured it in their spring 2025 collections. But it wasn’t until Aritzia and the supposed boat-shoe originator, Sperry, collaborated that access to a fashion spin on the classic was democratized — and took off as a popular trend.
Their collaboration landed at a moment of overlapping pressures: rising tariffs, trend fatigue and a consumer shift toward more subtle, functional design, especially with footwear. The result was one of the year’s buzziest footwear launches, driven as much by cultural timing as by logistics.
The collaboration introduced two styles: the Slim Boat Shoe and the Authentic Original 2‑Eye Boat Shoe, each priced at $120. The first drop, released in early spring, sold out within hours. “The sell-through was really successful, both in stores and on e-commerce,” said Jonathan Frankel, president of Sperry North America. According to him, the collection’s sales were in the six figures. “It gave us a lot of confidence that the product was resonating across program, color, material and price point.”
While Aritzia declined to share exact sales figures from the brand’s side, CEO Jennifer Wong said during the company’s July 10 earnings call that the collaboration “drove additional excitement” and was “hugely successful.” Aritzia reported Q1 fiscal 2026 revenue of $663 million CAD, approximately $485 million USD, up 33% year-over-year.
The release coincided with a turbulent period for apparel and footwear sourcing. On April 2, the U.S. announced a new round of tariffs, beginning with a flat 10% import levy and escalating to country-specific increases by April 9. This included raising rates on Vietnamese goods to 46%, with similar hikes for Cambodia, Indonesia and China. For brands dependent on Asian production, the rapid escalation disrupted seasonal planning. Sperry maintained its production schedule and pricing strategy, citing gradual, ongoing shifts in its sourcing strategy.
“We never took the decision to swing the pendulum too quickly,” Frankel said. “We moved 5-10% at a time. We didn’t suddenly relocate production from China to Vietnam, or from Cambodia to Brazil. That approach introduced a lot of volatility for other companies, and we didn’t want to go through that.”
Sperry currently produces across China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Brazil and parts of Europe. Its 140-person sourcing office in Asia manages 85% of its global production. “We don’t use third-party agents. That gives us control, from a cost, compliance and capacity standpoint,” Frankel said. “We’re able to consolidate materials and components, plan capacity across multiple brands, and be specific about pricing and margin from the start.”
Because the tariff hikes came after the first drop’s completed production, price planning for the second drop had to happen quickly. Rather than passing on sharp increases mid-season, Sperry modestly raised U.S. retail prices, by $5-$10 per pair, while keeping Canadian prices flat. “All of that was built into the pricing before launch,” said Frankel. “We didn’t make in-season adjustments or hike prices after customers saw the product. That’s something we tried to avoid.”
While other companies paused production or delayed shipping to reduce tariff exposure, Sperry moved forward. “It’s risky to hold back footwear [at Asian ports] in those conditions,” Frankel said. “Humidity levels are high. You’ll open the container, and the product could be ruined.” The brand delivered 100% on time for both the back-to-school and the holiday windows.
The second launch, released in July, built on the initial momentum with additional colorways and silhouettes. The collection, which was supported by expanded marketing efforts, also sold out. Marketing included a Design Bar event at Aritzia’s SoHo flagship on August 6, which generated over 206,000 social impressions. The event offered a VIP preview and light product customization, including a “bar” offering custom laces.
The collaboration was amplified across Aritzia’s digital channels through stylized Instagram Reels, product-focused posts, and coordinated influencer and media coverage.
“It’s a real partnership with [Aritzia],” Frankel said. “The minute the program gets cooked, the marketing, PR, content development, and digital teams start collaborating right away on messaging and who’s doing what.” According to Frankel, Sperry managed execution, while Aritzia led customer-facing timing and positioning. “They really know their business and their customer,” he said. “That makes it very easy for us to focus on the how.”
Sources at Aritzia said the collaboration exceeded internal benchmarks and that additional styles are already in development. The company declined to provide an on-the-record interview for this story.
Planning is already underway for a 2026 Aritzia x Sperry collection. Frankel said the company began scaling production early to match potential demand. “You need to prepare your factory for what it could be at its peak,” he said. “Then you adjust down if needed. That only works if you’ve built strategic relationships.”
He noted that several brands struggled this year after abruptly shifting factory partners. “A lot of executives moved production quickly, and now they’re trying to go back to suppliers they left,” Frankel said. “But these are relationships, not switches you can flip. You can’t ghost a partner and expect them to take you back like nothing happened.”
For Sperry’s part, “We’re not forecasting major changes,” Frankel said. “It’s more about adjusting volume within our existing factory base, rather than moving completely from one geography to another.”
