Target and Dr. D’Wayne Edwards Team Up on Shoes That Are Affordable, and Also Grow With the Wearer
With innovation at the forefront of sneaker conversations, Target and Dr. D’Wayne Edwards — president of the design-focused college PLC Detroit — have teamed up to solve several problems with a single solution.
Target is set to launch Ünos by Sz, an innovative and stylish new footwear brand that is exclusive to the retailer. It is built with a patented technology conceptualized by the sneaker design veteran that allows every pair of shoes to grow with the wearer.
Speaking with FN, Edwards — who transformed PLC Detroit into the country’s first design-focused historically Black college and university (HBCU) in 2021 — said this has been an idea he’s wanted to pursue since 2016.
“This idea came through a business problem. It was a business proposition of how stores who carry apparel could sell more footwear,” Edwards explained. “Footwear takes up more inventory space. Most of the time, if you have a store that carries apparel and they add footwear, it’s a limited selection because it takes up too much space inventory wise and on the floor.”
He continued, “What if I could design something that didn’t take up as much space? That led me to problem solve against the only way you can reduce space [consumed] is if you reduce quantities, and the only way you can reduce quantities is if you reduce the sizing of the shoes. The concept came out of that idea of, what if I could make a shoe that has less sizes, fits more people and took up less space?”
Aside from problem solving around sizing, Edwards — who spent nearly a decade of his 35-year career at Jordan Brand working on footwear for the likes of Michael Jordan and Derek Jeter — said he approached Target specifically with this idea around his desire to make an affordable sneaker.
“I’ve always wanted to design affordable product, but obviously in my career, it’s been stuff that hasn’t been so affordable. I always wanted to do something affordable that didn’t necessarily equate less than,” he said. “Sometimes, when you see $50 and below product, it doesn’t have much tech, it doesn’t have much substance to it. I didn’t feel like $50 and below product needed to be that way.”
Edwards explained Ünos by Sz — which stands for “U Need One Size” and Sz is pronounced “size” — solves several size-specific problems for the wearer, and is a full-family play.
“From a kids’ perspective, they grow out of their shoes quickly, and most are wearing the wrong size because parents can’t keep up and they keep wearing the same shoes. When the foot grows, these grow as well, and it allows kids to have more comfort as their feet grow over time,” Edwards explained. “And then as adults, on the women’s side — because it’s unisex — it could fit a woman up to a size 15, which is extremely rare. Similar for men, it helps people who have difficulty finding shoes in bigger sizes or if you need that a little bit wider as well.”
He continued, “Also, the majority of time your left and right foot are a half a size different. In some instances, people’s feet are a whole size different. Those people have to buy two pairs of shoes in some instances. With this, you only have to buy one because it adjusts and moves.”
The Ünos by Sz shoes, Target explained, were designed to expand up to a half size for kids and one full size for adults. This is accomplished through the Z-shape design of the sole, which the retailer stated allows the shoe to stretch in length and width to expand with your foot.
There are eight adult sizes for adults and eight for kids, both ranging 1-8. The adult sizes start at men’s 3/women’s 5 (1) and ends at men’s 15/women’s 16.5 (8), and the kids starts at 8.5C (1) and ends at 3Y (8).
“We know a challenge for many consumers is having to replace shoes often, whether it’s their children’s feet growing rapidly every few months, or changes in their own over time causing their shoes to be uncomfortable. We also know our guests have been purchasing sneakers based on comfort, durability and ease of wear,” Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of apparel and accessories, home and hardlines, told FN. “We don’t want consumers to make tradeoffs, and this collection delivers on style, comfortability and are built to last.”
The pricing, too, checks off a box for Edwards. The shoes for kids will be priced at $35 and adult sizing will be $50. They will be available exclusively in select Target stores and via Target.com starting Sept. 29.
Looking ahead, Edwards said if the initial launch does well, then more styles with appeal to both men and women, as well as more specific looks for kids, could land in stores.
“It’s really about getting the consumer to embrace this concept of an affordable product doesn’t have to look bad, and an affordable product could actually last longer than what you may think,” Edwards said. “As this progresses and it does well, you’ll see a broader assortment of Ünos product at Target.”
As for Target, Sando said the debut Ünos by Sz speaks directly to its broader footwear strategy.
“What sets our assortment apart is our magic mix, bringing together a wide selection of expertly designed owned brands that can only be found at Target, national brands consumers love and new and emerging brands they discover for the first time at Target,” Sando said. “This launch of Ünos by Sz reflects Target’s larger business strategy for footwear leading into 2025 — continuing to curate a well-rounded portfolio of footwear for all guests that is relevant, on-trend and delivers comfort, quality and value.”
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.