Can 30 million-plus YouTube subscribers be wrong?
Skechers, a leader in kids’ footwear, went right to the source for its latest introduction by partnering with nine-year-old Ryan Kaji, star of “Ryan’s World” franchise and whose YouTube channel boasts more than 30 million subscribers, with today’s launch of the Skechers x Ryan’s World collab. Kaji worked with the Skechers Kids design team on the colorful collection—marking the first time a major shoe brand has offered a child YouTube star a global footwear deal.
“These shoes are awesome and I know my fans will love them,” states Kaji. “It was amazing to help design the sneakers and we did some super cool things in a special video that I can’t wait for everyone to see!”
“Skechers has been designing shoes that kids want to wear for nearly 30 years, and Ryan’s energetic enthusiasm makes him perfect for our award-winning Skechers Kids line,” says Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. “We know the millions who watch Ryan and his family will love discovering how the Skechers x Ryan’s World collection is revealed on his channel, and parents will appreciate that Ryan’s fun footwear arrives with the comfort and quality that only Skechers delivers.”
The initial three styles offer options for any kid. Ryan’s Challenge (406061L) is a light-up, colorful slip-on sneaker with bungee laces and a hook-and-loop strap closure. Gamer Ryan (406062L) is a lightweight colorful slip-on sneaker with a cool Magna-Fit toggle closure. The canvas mid-top Red Titan (406060L) sneaker features Ryan’s superhero secret identity character design and a durable rubber outsole.
Skechers developed the collaboration with pocket.watch and the Kaji family’s Sunlight Entertainment. Since its 2015 launch and partnership with pocket.watch, “Ryan’s World” has become one of the world’s largest and most successful kids’ franchises. The “Ryan’s World” YouTube channel features easy science experiments, educational content, animated adventures, imaginative toy play and videos that document daily life for the family of five, which includes Ryan’s younger twin sisters. The franchise also features videos and content distributed via the Ryan and Friends OTT channels, mobile games and apps, and consumer products sold in 30 countries.
The Skechers Kids collection has been recognized numerous times by the fashion and footwear industry, receiving accolades for design excellence from Drapers, Earnshaw’s and The Footwear Industry Awards UK, as well as five design excellence awards from Footwear Plus, most recently in 2021.
The Skechers x Ryan’s World collection is available at Skechers retail locations, skechers.com and select retail partners in North America.
