THE FOOTWEAR EYE
12 • Footwear Insight ~ March/April 2019 footwearinsight.com
By Jennifer Ernst Beaudry
I
f you're looking for everyday adventure, Matthew
Walters wants to make performance footwear for you.
The former Under Armour footwear designer quit his
job with the Baltimore-based athletic firm in 2017 and
moved back to his Chicago hometown to launch his
own brand, Coddi. It's named, he says, for the English
slang term "coddiwomple," meaning to "travel on purpose
toward an unknown destination."
The initial style — a $169 unisex full-grain leather boot with
a sneaker feel and a rugged tread — was designed for versatil-
ity, Walters says.
A Kickstarter campaign for $30,000 launched on January
8th; 23 hours later, it was fully funded. It closed on February
7, with 336 backers pledging $61,316. Walters has been final-
izing orders, and production at a Hong Kong-area factory with
low minimums sourced through his industry connections will
begin shortly for summer deliveries.
Walters says Kickstarter was an attractive option for the
fledgling brand — for multiple reasons.
"Honestly, I'm doing this all by myself, and it's a really nice
way to gain funds," he says, "but if the Kickstarter is done
right, a nice community starts to form, too."
Post-Kickstarter, Coddi shoes are available for preorder on
the brand's website www.coddi.com. l
Coddi Launches with a Purpose
EMERGING BRAND
Coddi's $169 Polaris boot.
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