p.16-17 comfort footwear 11:FOOTWEAR NEW TEMPLAT 10 08 10/11/09 09:39 Page 16
Comfort Footwear
O
n first impressions, the term “Comfort Shoes” seems to be a
contradiction in terms – who, after all, would contemplate wearing
“Discomfort Shoes”?
Well, therein lies the paradox: women, and we have to be a
smidgen unpolitically correct because it is mostly women, have been
known to wear shoes that were, frankly, uncomfortable. To be more
balanced here, I am old enough to remember the Mods (or was it the
Rockers) whose “uniform” required men to wear “Winkle pickers”.
“Winkle pickers” were like the tight drainpipe trousers of the time – there
was no room for your bits – in the case of shoes that meant your toes.
Now, there has been a Damascene conversion on the way to
Crippledom: women, particularly those of the Sixties generation, have
redeemed themselves by expressing a willingness to buy shoes that
promise to heal the ravages that time have wrought on their feet. For
some, the odd bunion, in growing toenail or arthritis is not going to deter
them from hiking in the Himalayas or dancing the night away on a cruise
ship in the tropics.
Fortunately for them, these days comfort no longer has to be sacrificed
on the altar of style, and to look good doesn't necessarily mean enduring
the ‘breaking in' of your chosen shoe and the sticking plasters this
requires. Advances in shoe design and technology have led to a new
generation of footwear brands that specifically market comfort, offering
a wider fit which many people of all ages need, but, with younger, more
active and fashionable styles.
There has probably never been a time in history when the design,
DB Shoes
There is less excuse nowadays for hobbling
Comfort Footwear
around on bad feet, as modern comfort shoes can
banish the problems that cause the discomfort
production methods and materials used in making shoes have developed posture, eliminating pain. An example of this being the Hotter ‘Comfort
so rapidly. Besides countering some of the age-old defects in shoe design, Concept' ‘Dream' trainer, designed to cushion the knees and back. In ad-
those in this field are having to cope with new issues such as an ageing dition, the cool ventilated footbed with air holes means that feet will al-
population and an obese population who put increasing pressure on shoes ways be able to breathe.
and need the comfort to cope with the extra weight they are carrying. Hotter, which was founded by 50 years ago the parents of the current
One of the best examples of science driven design is the German brand Managing Director Stewart Houlgrave, initially manu-
Caprice, a brand that is renowned for its innovative comfort footwear factured slippers. Stewart led the Lancashire-based
technology, called "Walking on Air" that is patented throughout company into the production of branded footwear
Europe. Caprice has adapted the natural curve of the heel for in the ‘80s with the purchase of the first of four di-
fashionable all leather comfort shoes - "as if walking bare- rect moulding machines
foot" - and the flexible sole, insole and upper work to- In 2003, the company invested £6 million in a
gether to provide a feeling of lightness. new factory and added a further £500,000 of in-
Additional features include optimal vestment in 2007 in robotic production lines. It man-
moisture reduction during and after wear, ufactures 1.3 million pairs of shoes from its Lancashire
insulation against cold and heat and cush- base each year selling through a direct mail operation,
ioning providing up to 62% less pressure than
Caprice
five high street stores and 200 independent shoe retailers.
conventional shoes. Also, up to 50% more shock “In the years since we developed our Comfort Concept the comfort
absorbency, due to the pneumatic chambers and stabilisers in the heel, footwear market has evolved tremendously,” commented Managing Di-
which work to help reduce the pressure exerted during walking on the rector, Stewart Houlgrave. “Comfort nowadays is more and more a ‘given’
spine, discs and joints. – it is not an option for customers to have a stylish shoe or a comfortable
In Europe, including Britain, the Caprice brand has grown over the shoe – comfort is the baseline one which purchasing decisions are made.”
past three years from 450,000 pairs per year in 2006, to over 3.54 million “Our target audience is 50+ and we know that the 50 year old ladies buy-
pairs today. In Britain the brand has grown eight fold, partly because ing our shoes today have a completely different outlook and lifestyle than
its retail price points are lower than other established comfort brands. It their mothers did at 50. Today 50-year-olds are active, they are in a position
supplies traditional shoe retailers, department stores and boutiques, but to travel, have time for hobbies and enjoy long and fulfilling lifestyles long
does not supply directly to the public. after retirement. So now comfortable shoes no longer have to be boring lace-
Some comfort shoe brands offer features such as anatomical footbeds, ups or slips-ons – of course, they have to have a degree of functionality, but
or insoles, that can make your feet more comfortable and improve your they have to be appropriate to the age and attitude of the consumer. “
16
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FOOTWEAR TODAY
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NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2009 www.footweartoday.co.uk
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