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FEELING A LITTLE FLAT? A


fter being seen all over the catwalks this season, flats are back in fashion and women are now ditching their high heels in favour of a stylish, but seemingly more comfortable, flat shoe. However, Peacocks, one of the UK’s hottest values fashion retailers, reveals


that British women have placed their feet firmly on the ground in 2011, as sales of flats over take heels by three to one for the first time in years.


Since the start of 2011, sales of flat shoes have soared by 70 per cent at


Peacocks’ stores nationwide and online. The company’s designer inspired brogues and fashion pumps are topping the retailer’s footwear charts, as seen marching down the spring/summer 2011 catwalks of the hottest designers.


It’s not just ordinary folk who have opted to save their soles with a pair


new season flats. The queen of the highest heels, Victoria Beckham has also recently ditched her signature skyscrapers for a pair of heel-free pumps, joining the likes of Katie Holmes and Carla Bruni who, when saying “I do”, also agreed to abstain from wearing any footwear that risked towering over their other halves.


Sarah O Shea, Peacocks’ Director of Accessories said: “Winter weather, plus the frantic economic climate has certainly seen a shift in British women’s shoe wearing habits. Gone are the towering sky scrapers of last year, and the 2011 woman has her feet firmly on the ground.”


Foot Health warning Flat shoes may feel comfortable, but styles without proper support can


lead to foot health problems. The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists warns women that many of these styles don’t provide adequate support for your feet and can cause arch and heel pain if you wear them regularly.


Lorraine Jones, a podiatrist from The Society of Chiropodists and


Podiatrists said “It’s good to see the fashion industry embracing a lower heeled shoe, but it’s also important to opt for footwear that supports the foot. Women should opt for a round toe shoe with a slight heel with a strap or lace that holds the foot in place. Brogues which are popular this season are a good option as they provide the foot with support.”


Top tips when choosing footwear:


• Consider wearing shoes with a strap or lace over the instep rather than slip-ons. This will help stop your foot sliding forward, a bit like a seatbelt in a car


• Choose shoes with a toe box that is high enough and wide enough to comfortably fit, either rounded or square shaped, not pointed.


• Footwear should have a firm thick heel to help with shock absorption and supportive arch to keep the foot in place.


• Vary your shoe type and heel heights from day to day, one-day wearing low heels, and the next day slightly higher heels. For everyday use, keep heel heights to under 3cm.


• Always wear the right shoe for the job. Not all foot problems can be prevented but a large majority of problems do result or are exacerbated from incorrect or poor footwear


The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists is the leading professional body for registered chiropodists and podiatrists in the UK. www.aetrex.com


Aetrex Offers a Hi-tech Marketing Tool


Painful feet can affect our ability to enjoy the most basic activities in our daily lives. Thankfully, many foot conditions can be easily prevented or treated by wearing properly fitting footwear or using the right over- the-counter orthotics and other foot care products. Aetrex, the US giant in comfort and wellness footwear products, widely acclaimed to offer the healthiest shoes your customers will ever wear, is now marketing its products in the UK. Founded in 1946, Aetrex, is a world market leader that designs and


manufactures casual, dress sandals, athletic and therapeutic footwear for both men and women as well the no.1 doctor and pedorthist recommended foot orthotics. Although footwear is a major focus, the company has also pioneered an industry-altering technological innovation on foot scanning, for both the retail and medical communities. This technology, which is used widely in the US, has huge potential benefits for UK footwear retailers, particularly those who are looking to gain a commercial advantage over chiropodists who are now stocking and selling shoes! It offers a new dimension to footwear retailing in Britain.


Think about it… The shoe buying experience is not always what it’s cracked up to be, but now there is the opportunity for shoe retailers to offer value added services that could increase the customer footfall (literally), revitalise retail shoe stores and put the sale of shoes on the Internet on the back foot


iStep technology Through the iStep programme, Aetrex offers cutting edge


technology unlike any other in the industry. With state-of-the-art digital scanners and pressure sensors, iStep accurately measures feet and determines foot type and pressure points. This patented technology then immediately recommends appropriate footwear and orthotic options from your own inventory. iStep will enhance your image and drive revenue by substantially increasing your footwear and orthotic sales. It will enable you to provide an extraordinary customer experience and allow your customers to benefit from products that truly meet their needs and the high level of service provided. Aetrex has introduced iStep software version 7.1 and the


revolutionary iStep Wave, the result of many years of engineering and software development. Put the two together and you receive the most advanced in-store foot analysis technology ever created to help your customers immediately feel great on their feet. The iStep utilizes advanced wireless technology and can be operated with handheld wireless devices, with the foot scans displayed on the monitor and sent virally via MMS or email to customers.


Foot orthotics Lynco® orthotics are recognised as the premier orthotic system on the market today with millions of pairs sold to consumers seeking the quality and arch support of custom-made orthotics at an over-the- counter price. Lynco offer unsurpassed comfort, support and proper body alignment and are tri-density providing shock absorption, cushioning and a cool, friction free surface. Lynco orthotics are available in a variety of styles to provide a


custom selected solution based on your customers’ specific foot types and footwear styles. Options include metatarsal support to provide additional protection at the ball-of-the-foot and/or medial posting to gently realign the rearfoot and control over-pronation.


AUGUST 2011 • FOOTWEAR TODAY


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