Are you aware of the ‘athleisure’ trend in fashion? It is what has helped boost the coffers of The Athlete’s Foot, with profits at its parent company more than doubled in the half year to December 27.

RCG Corporation has seen net profit rise to $16.1m with revenue hitting $220m.

The group business also run Vans and Skechers, both footwear businesses benefiting from the trend for sneakers.

The Athlete’s Foot franchise has recorded a like-for-like sales rise of 4.3 percent in the six months.

CEO of RCG Corporation, Hilton Brett, said “We are very pleased with the performance of the TAF business. Its uncompromising focus on service and the customer experience provides it with a clearly differentiated and defensible market position that sets it apart from all other market participants.

““The investment over the last two to three years in key business initiatives including CRM, retail management and business intelligence systems is beginning to deliver tangible benefits that are driving growth, and we expect to be able to maintain positive sales momentum for the remainder of the financial year,” he added.

“The strategic review of TAF’s market position and consumer offering has now been completed. The implementation of the strategic initiatives has begun, with the first trial stores expected to be in the market before the end of the financial year. It is expected that these initiatives will set a platform for growth over the coming years”, he said.