In addition, the trend toward a more casual and fashionable American lifestyle was likely to persist, but there, the link to athletic footwear and apparel was more tenuous. “Running shoes set a new standard for comfort,” one executive noted, “but comfortable shoes do not have to look like running shoes.” Recognizing this, many companies began to expand their product lines in more casual and fashionable directions. Inevitably, this brought them into increasing competition with
companies such as Levi’s or Stride Rite that had more marketing and merchandising experience in fashion-oriented business.