Fashion
Nike eyes China growth, with outdoor sports revamp at the centre
By
Reuters
Published
August 22, 2025
Nike‘s push into the booming outdoor recreation market- which will kick off on Monday with the launch of a new trail running shoe- will test whether it can turn a little-known sub-brand into a meaningful growth engine.
The sportswear giant plans to unveil a version of its Ultrafly trail running shoe – branded under its outdoor sub-brand, ACG – at the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, an ultramarathon in France that begins on Monday, Nike spokesman Jay Paavonpera said.
It is part of Nike’s push to reposition ACG as a serious player in performance trail running. More broadly, the move is in line with CEO Elliott Hill’s strategy to refocus the Nike brand around core sports like running at a time when its dominance is being challenged by smaller rivals.
Nike is playing catch-up in both outdoor recreation, which has surged since the pandemic, and in China, where the populace has taken to outdoor activities like trail running in a big way. The company’s lagging performance in both markets goes some way toward explaining why its share of the global sportswear market has ebbed in recent years, analysts said. Outdoor recreation includes a range of activities including hiking and camping.
Nike-sponsored runners like Anthony Costales will race in the shoe, dubbed the ACG Ultrafly, which is set to hit shelves in spring 2026, Nike said. A similarly rebooted, ACG-branded version of the Zegama trail runner will launch later in 2025.
Brands like Salomon and Hoka “have broken out and done well” in trail running, said Morningstar analyst David Swartz, and “Nike needs to fight back.”
Doing it with ACG – short for All Conditions Gear – will not be easy. The unit, which debuted in 1989 with a focus on hiking and biking, is now associated with “gorpcore,” a fashion trend that incorporates functional gear into stylish wardrobes. It is usually relegated to a shelf or two at Nike stores, often next to “a picture of a guy walking up a mountain, or something like that,” said Swartz.
But with China and ACG, Nike may be playing a long game as it plans to expand its businesses across that market. It established its ACG team as a sub-brand in October and put Angela Dong, vice president for all of Greater China, in charge of the unit. In June, Hill said its biggest opportunity in China is “from a brand perspective, to inspire and invite the 1.3 billion consumers into the world of sport, lifestyle sport and to fitness.”
Sales of outdoor apparel nearly doubled in China between 2019 and 2025, with outdoor footwear ticking up 65% over the same period, according to Euromonitor International data. Nike, though, has logged double-digit sales declines in China in each of the last three quarters.
“China has remained a challenging market for Nike,” wrote Zacks Equity Research. The company has faced heavy competition in China from other retailers, and the nation’s own economic struggles and high youth unemployment have inhibited spending. Nike’s share of the global sportswear market has fallen to 26% from 29% in 2021, according to Euromonitor, as competitors like Hoka, the title sponsor of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, use trail running to fuel growth. That company’s shoes were also once a niche brand before going mainstream, Swartz said.
Launching at a Hoka-sponsored event may be Nike’s attempt to steal some of its rival’s thunder, said Jessica Ramirez, co-founder of retail industry consultancy the Consumer Collective. It is a way for Nike to “flex its financial muscle” over smaller brands, Ramirez said.
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Directed and shot by Mert Alas, the new chapter sharpens the focus on denim as the ultimate expression of personal style through icon Jung Kook’s distinctive and influential point of view as he lives in the moment.
Calvin Klein, owned by PVH Corp., has unveiled its Spring 2026 denim campaign fronted by BTS icon Jung Kook.
Directed and photographed by Mert Alas, the cinematic film fuses music, movement and city energy, highlighting 90s Straight, Baggy and reworked Trucker silhouettes.
A special appearance by Rosie Perez amplifies the brand’s signature visual storytelling.
The campaign unfolds across a series of immersive worlds, unified and guided by Jung Kook’s style, attitude and way of living. The high-impact film fuses fashion and entertainment, moving to an instantly recognizable soundtrack and brought to life through the artist’s signature choreography and commanding presence. The interplay of music and movement – complete with a cameo from New York City legend Rosie Perez – captures the impact synonymous with Calvin Klein’s iconic visual storytelling.
Calvin Klein jeans are at the center of the wardrobe with hero silhouettes leading the narrative: the effortless attitude of the 90s Straight; the relaxed and nostalgic proportions of the Baggy; and new interpretations of the iconic Trucker jacket — all reimagined with elevated washes and designed for versatility. Casual logo tees and oversized bombers complete the looks, reinforcing denim as both uniform and statement.
“I love Calvin Klein jeans because they’re designed to be lived in,” said Jung Kook. “The looks I wore for this campaign nod to ‘90s style while feeling completely modern. It was exciting to bring together my love of music, dance and fashion against the energy of the city.”
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
Premier Li Qiang, who delivered the report at the opening of the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing, said the growth target is “well aligned with the country’s long-range objectives through the year 2035 and is broadly in line with the long-term growth potential of China’s economy, with favorable conditions in place for achieving this target.”
China has set a GDP growth target of 4.5–5 per cent for 2026, alongside goals to stabilise employment, manage inflation, maintain grain output and cut emissions.
The plan also preserves flexibility for structural reforms under the 15th Five-Year Plan, aiming to balance steady economic expansion with long-term, high-quality and sustainable development.
Main development targets for 2026 also include a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 per cent, creation of over 12 million new urban jobs, a rise in the consumer price index of around 2 per cent, personal income growth in step with economic growth, a basic equilibrium in the balance of payments, grain output of around 700 million tonnes, and a drop of around 3.8 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP.
Qiang said the targets took into account the need to leave room for structural adjustments, risk prevention and reform in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–30) period, to lay a solid foundation for improved performance in the coming years. Government at local level should, taking into account their own conditions, make solid efforts to deliver positive outcomes, he added.
Analysts said the 2026 target reflects a pragmatic approach in recognising structural and cyclical challenges facing the world’s second-largest economy, while pursuing reasonable growth in line with high-quality development.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JP)
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