TRADE TALK Would you really want to be in their shoes? Caroline Sheppard, footwear agent for Khrio, insists that this type of
footwear has changed 'dramatically' in recent years. She says: "Comfort footwear doesn't have to look old and frumpy and is no longer reserved for the silver pound generation. The consumer wants to look fabulous whilst not having to compromise on their style. Traditional brand shave also realise this and now offer a much younger look to their collections." Bob De Rosa of Aetrex, another comfortable, yet fashionable brand,
comments: "In the last five years, there were two major changes that have driven the comfort footwear industry. The first was a commitment to stick to the core values of comfort, but creatively design shoes that raise the level of style to appeal not only to the comfort shoe space, but a broader audience as well. Aetrex achieved this by taking a fresh design approach, and incorporating new technologies in material, design and craftsmanship." So, women everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief. After years of
Aetrex
Generations of women have suffered in the name of fashion - just take a look at Victoria Beckham. Granted, she is stylish and her choice of footwear is always spot on, but as one of the most photographed women of modern times, the damage she has done to her feet has not gone unnoticed. Becci Knowles reports ...
W
hen we read about celebrities wearing 'killer heels' the suggestion is that any fashionista worth her salt is happy to pay the price for looking good. Pictured in footwear that looks like it would bring a tear to the eye, we can't help but wonder how they manage to take
a single step without collapsing in agony. It's no secret, however, that us women would prefer not to struggle through the evening in a pair of shoes that seem intent on ruining the night! While in the past comfort footwear didn't even register with the younger woman, in the last five years or so it has shed its dowdy image and presented itself as the perfect fusion of fashion and function. David Coles of Tamaris agrees that the tide is turning, as
women wake up to the benefits of looking good and feeling great in their choice of footwear: "There was a time when comfort and fashion were separate categories of footwear and crossover was slight, at Tamaris we recognised that comfort and fit should be a pre-requisite for the consumer and with hard work in development and design it was possible to have fashionable footwear that is also comfortable, that feels 'worn in' from the first try in the shop." Paul Green's Ewen Campbell suggests that the category's biggest
waiting, when it comes to footwear, they really can have their cake and eat it. But, it begs the question: why now and not ten years ago? Who exactly is driving this trend? David Coles puts it down to a combination of things: "Over the past 10 or so years the consumer has changed, in clothing women in their 70's and 80's shop at Next and River Island - not for everything, but consumers of all ages want to look their best and 'buy into' the latest fashion trends. The changes have come from suppliers, brands, retailers and also the consumer who is seeing fashion in magazines, in the media and on television." Paul Green's Ewen Campbell agrees and suggests that a more European style is filtering through: "Fashion is changing in this country to a much more continental model. A generation or two ago, consumers could be segmented into age brackets which meant that through lack of choice and pressure they shopped in certain stores “fitting to their age”. The modern style led consumer is more than happy to wear the correct clothing and style whether she/he is 30 or 60 years of age. This is a good thing for the independent retailer as by offering a quality directional selection they can recruit a far wider age group than previously." Caroline also thinks that life stage has become far more important than age as a trend driver: "With so many fashion trends to choose from both the high street and the luxury brands are making it possible look and feel good whilst maintaining their comfort levels. The Duchess of Cambridge is showing younger generations that it's ok to wear classic shoe profiles such as loafers and still be on trend." Bob De Rosa insists that the consumer is now in the driving seat: "Demand, Demand, Demand. Everyone wants to capture that feeling of a time when they looked their best," he says adding: "In order to do that without compromise, we provide our customers with the best footwear experience possible. Incorporating trendy styles with a commitment to health and comfort, allowing our customers to not only feel good, but look good too.
Aetrex Paul Green
problem, however, is the way in which it is marketed. "Comfort footwear is a dangerous term both for the retailer and for the brand, if it is used too extensively it can definitely “age” the profile of whoever is using the term. However, the consumer is more aware that comfort and good fitting exists and is demanding this even from more design and style led collections."
18 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • OCTOBER 2012
A fashion forward appeal Bob continues: "Women over 35 make 49% of all footwear purchases. The main complaint was that chic comfortable shoes weren’t coming fast enough. Over the last five years, our company made a commitment to stick to our mission of providing comfortable shoes with a fashion forward
appeal. We put that challenge to our design and product development team, and we have seen tremendous response from our retail partners and our customers." So where does this leave the more traditional retailer? Are they
benefitting from the new designs coming through, or has it left a void where the more classically comfortable shoe once stood?
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