Alison Bergen, CEO of Aerosoles, masterfully navigated the complex transformation of a legacy comfort footwear brand into a modern, fashion-forward label. This episode offers critical lessons on implementing radical business shifts, including product, pricing, distribution, and branding, even when it means consciously shedding parts of your existing customer base to achieve long-term profitability and relevance. Operators will learn about the strategic courage required to reposition an established brand.
Key takeaways
Embrace strategic customer attrition: Acknowledge that evolving your brand may alienate some existing customers, and factor this into your growth strategy for long-term relevance.
Prioritize product and brand modernization: Radically update core offerings and brand perception to align with new market demands, even for established brands.
Overhaul internal structures: Recognize that a significant brand transformation requires realigning internal teams, distribution, and business processes, not just cosmetic changes.
Leverage brand heritage strategically: Reinterpret the founder's original vision to resonate with contemporary values while driving modern brand storytelling.
Anticipate multi-faceted challenges: Understand that repositioning a long-standing brand is a complex undertaking affecting product, pricing, distribution, and brand perception, requiring sustained effort across all facets of the business.
After becoming sold on accepting the CEO job at Aerosoles, Alison Bergen is hellbent on selling fashion fans on shopping the brand. “I don’t think I ever thought I would end up at a comfort footwear brand. And I think [Aerosoles] offered me the job twice before I accepted it, because I had to get over my own snobbery,” Bergen said on the latest Glossy Podcast. Prior to Aerosoles, she held lead merchandising roles at Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors and Diane von Furstenberg. “What finally attracted me to [Aerosoles] was the original story about the founder, Jules Schneider,” she said. “How and why he started the brand … felt like it was equally relevant today as it was revolutionary back in the late ’80s when he founded it… He thought, ‘Women shouldn't have to sacrifice comfort for style, or vice versa.’”
Bergen joined the brand in 2018 with the goal of modernizing its approach to design and business — which has proven to be quite the feat. “Taking a Titanic and trying to change the course doesn't happen by just hitting one button,” she said. “You’re really repositioning and realigning so many facets of the business. Whether it was distribution, product, branding, team structure -- all of those things were going to change, in order to push this brand into relevancy and a healthy future, from a profitability perspective.”
Bergen also discussed the internal changes she’s made and the customer response to the brand's recent updates, including product pricing.
Embrace strategic customer attrition: Acknowledge that evolving your brand may alienate some existing customers, and factor this into your growth strategy for long-term relevance.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Prioritize product and brand modernization: Radically update core offerings and brand perception to align with new market demands, even for established brands.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Overhaul internal structures: Recognize that a significant brand transformation requires realigning internal teams, distribution, and business processes, not just cosmetic changes.
What does this episode say about product & merchandising?
Leverage brand heritage strategically: Reinterpret the founder's original vision to resonate with contemporary values while driving modern brand storytelling.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Anticipate multi-faceted challenges: Understand that repositioning a long-standing brand is a complex undertaking affecting product, pricing, distribution, and brand perception, requiring sustained effort across all facets of the business.
