Footwear Insight

14 • Footwear Insight ~ July/August 2018 THE FOOTWEAR EYE footwearinsight.com Wiivv's Custom Story The Comfort Stretch TECHNOLOGY NEW PRODUCT A new sandal hit the market this month – a $129 custom style from Wiivv – but it's the tech- nology involved in creating the fit of the sandal that is the real "product" on display. Vancouver-based Wiivv's execs refer to the firm as a "technology company" rather than a footwear or insole com- pany, although Wiivv makes both. Wiivv co-founder and CEO Shamil Hargovan believes that shoes designed "for everybody and nobody in par- ticular" is no longer a winning formula and has placed his bets on custom. At Wiivv, the technology starts with the consumer's phone. Founded in late 2014, Wiivv also makes 3D printed, custom-fit insoles. Like its insoles, Wiivv's sandals will feature a custom design for each and every sandal. Wiivv Sandals are made using foot measurements taken from the Wiivv app. Using just four photos taken with a phone, each foot is digitally mapped using more than 200 points to under- stand arch contours, foot length, width and volume, and toe spacing. Wiivv then 3D prints a custom arch for each foot using HP Multi Jet Fusion technol- ogy, places the toe thong to fit perfectly between the toes, and adjusts each strap to match the mapped points of the foot. These custom-fit features of the Wiivv Sandals are paired with a deeply cushioned, contoured heel cup and triple-density foam, which work together to stabilize the foot, absorb shock, and promote an aligned heel strike, allowing you to move optimally from the ground up. The sandal's straps are also adjustable to accommo- date preference or swelling throughout the day and can be interchanged with different strap colors. Hargovan sees custom as an opportu- nity rather than a threat for brands and retailers and part of Wiivv's business plan is to work with brands and retail- ers to use the technology platform has created. And the brand has high hopes that its custom sandals will resonate with consumers in the $17 billion sandal market. "When you wear a product made just for you, it enables you to feel and move your best," says Wiivv's head of product Hannah Zachritz. "Custom-fit products should not be limited only to those who can afford bespoke suits or hand-cobbled loafers." O Custom sandal from Wiivv. Lots of Os: OOmg Fibre from OOfos contains OOtex Fibreflex. A NEW ADDITION TO THE OOMG LINE FROM RECOVERY BRAND OOFOS COMBINES RECOVERY BENEFITS WITH a "knit" aesthetic. The shoe, called the OOmg Fibre, features a durable textile weave that will stretch in all directions to allow the foot to move in its natural motion. Available for both men and women, the $129 style is designed with OOfoam impact-absorbing recovery technology. The upper features OOtex Fibreflex. O

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