Foot Locker’s Kimberly Waldmann on Sneaker Culture, Data & Gen Z Growth

16 Jun 2026 · 31 min
30:35

In this episode of the Speed of Culture podcast, host Matt Britton interviews Kimberly Waldmann, Foot Locker’s Global Chief Customer Officer, about the evolution of sneaker culture and Foot Locker’s strategic response. Waldmann explains how the brand is unlocking the "inner sneakerhead" by expanding women’s participation, embracing the resale ecosystem, and blending sports, music, and fashion. She details the omnichannel shopper journey, the new "Foot Locker Reimagined" store concept, and the Bulls "Tunnel Walk" partnership that merges live‑event fashion with influencer content. The conversation moves to Foot Locker’s focus on Gen Z, creator‑driven marketing, and the relaunch of the FLX Rewards loyalty program that leverages first‑party data for personalized experiences. Waldmann also discusses AI’s role in powering search, dynamic visual assets, and future one‑to‑one communications, as well as emerging trends such as the drop model, nostalgia, health‑related lifestyle shifts, and the rise of new sneaker brands. The interview concludes with Waldmann’s career reflections—from Sephora and Athleta to Foot Locker—her leadership philosophy (functional expertise, enterprise mindset, collaboration), advice on career navigation, and a personal mantra about re‑examining data while trusting intuition.

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