BRAND FEATURE B
arefoot shoes are minimalist footwear designed to mimic the feeling of being barefoot while still offering protection
– featuring thin, flexible soles, wide toe boxes to let toes spread, and zero heel-to- toe drop, promoting natural foot movement, strengthening foot muscles, improving balance, and potentially correcting posture issues often caused by traditional restrictive shoes. The Barefoot shoes market is projected to
reach $867 million globally by 2032, and in the UK more and more brands are now offering more and more Barefoot styles as demand extends beyond just athletic wear, now including women’s formal shoes and children’s everyday options too. “Barefoot shoes are not a passing fad;
they are reshaping consumer expectations,” explains Brittany Balinski – aka Barefoot Brit – a champion of the Barefoot shoes movement. “People now understand that foot-shaped footwear should be a basic expectation, and the kids of this generation will never settle for anything else. The Barefoot movement is no longer just about comfort for niche audiences or fitness enthusiasts.” And Rob Sewell from El Naturalista agrees, adding that the Barefoot concept is “flying”, with new product launches for AW26 being unveiled at Footwear Today Live in February. “El Naturalista has an extensive collection
of casual of shoes, boots and sandals adopting Barefoot technology,” he explains. “For example, the Nomada boot family for AW25 and the Horizon sandals and clogs for SS26 have enjoyed considerable success. It seems the public have some knowledge of the Barefoot concept, and I believe the market is quickly swinging towards this style as a mainstream concept.” The Spanish footwear brand started
incorporating Barefoot products more than four years ago. This casual styling was more in-keeping with the brand’s DNA and less technical looking than some styles on the market at that time, yet still sticking with the Barefoot attributes of Zero Drop, Flexibility and Wide Last.
‘CUSTOMERS ARE DESPERATE TO TRY ON BAREFOOT SHOES!’
We explore the rapid growth of Barefoot shoes, and Rob Sewell from El Naturalista shares an update about his latest collection of Barefoot styles ahead of the Footwear Today Live show… Rob tells us that retailers have really started
to notice the trend with significantly greater forward orders; the Barefoot collection has grown from 200 SKUs in AW25 to over 350 for SS26 – a reflection of the growing interest.
What the retailers say Footwear Today spoke to some independent retailers to get their thoughts on the growing Barefoot concept. Sarah Decent from Modish in Cambridge says she had been toying with stocking Barefoot styles for a few seasons, but everything she’d seen was either prohibitively expensive or aesthetically unappealing! “El Naturalista are the first brand that I’ve
come across that look great and are well priced,” says Sarah. “And I am so glad that I started stocking it, as not only did I repeat twice during the season but its brought in a number of new customers to my store desperate to try on Barefoot shoes in person! “The quality of the product is great too – not a single pair returned. All round, a resounding success! I will be visiting Footwear Today Live for both days in February as I can buy so many of my brands there; it allows me to make instant decisions and compare styles between brands. I’m looking forward to it!”
26 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • FEBRUARY 2026
“Barefoot shoes are not a passing fad; they are reshaping consumer expectations.”
Elsewhere, at Imelda’s Shoe Boutique in Norwich, Irene Astley says the Barefoot by El Naturalista collection has had an impressive impact on sales over recent months… “Currently we see our existing customers buying Barefoot styles but I think with future seasons it will attract new customers to our shop,” she says. “Most of our customers are looking for foot-shaped shoes that are light, so the Barefoot styles are perfect! “We sold out of 50 per cent of the styles
we bought and had two re-orders in AW25, so it’s been a strong start for us. We are looking forward to seeing the new collection of Barefoot by El Naturalista at the Footwear Today Live show in Birmingham!”
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