Footwear Insight

KEEPING UP WITH COMFORT With wellness top of mind, more shoppers are putting health, comfort and happiness at the forefront in their purchases, especially when it comes to footwear. "More consumers recognize the value and importance of proper support, fit and comfort," explains täōs founder Glen Barad. While täōs has been in the comfort space for 20 years, succeeding primarily on word of mouth from consumers and independents; now Barad and his team are planning to take a more proactive approach to build brand awareness, with the potential for a greater number of consumers to be receptive to its story. Here, brand executives tell us what's in store for comfort for 2024 and beyond. How is your brand propelling the comfort category forward? "Biza continues to focus on trend-driven styling with modern day comfort features. ese include memory foam cushioned insoles, adjustment features, shock absorbing outsoles, so uppers and linings." – Dave Astobiza, president, Biza "Arcopedico has made a commitment to developing styles that are eco-friendly, sustainable and comfortable. e brand's DNA encompasses a supportive sole and non-binding upper, making our footwear ideal for anyone looking for a ready-to-wear shoe that offers comfort and support." – Sydney Simas, VP of sales and marketing, Simco Imported Shoes "e wellness benefit of Xelero's technology is that it helps people walk easier, with less pain, due to underlying conditions." – Dan Werremeyer, president, Instride Shoes "KLOGS has been a leader in comfort for 25 years. Our removable TRUComfort insole cradles the foot in cushion and support that doesn't fade over time. Recent Heeluxe testing shows the cushion and support in a pair of KLOGS outlasts traditional EVA footwear, 4-6 times." – Victoria Feldman, marketing director, Latitudes "From ECCO's beginning, founder Karl Toosbuy aspired to make shoes that were built around comfort and quality. is year we are launching our latest midsole called LYTR (pronounced Lighter). It's our lightest, soest, and most comfortable midsole yet. We are also rolling out styles with Dual Width insoles to allow the customer to have a little extra room if they are in between sizes." – Brandy LaPlante, sales manager, ECCO "ere is comfort and then there is next level comfort. We have taken our comfort features and integrated them into new collections and new types of products. We are providing the younger generation with newer styling that gives them the looks they want with the comfort they are demanding." – Ayelet Lax Levy, president of U.S. operations, Naot "No two feet are created equally. Our sneakers, boots and most of our flats can be customized to each foot's needs with our proprietary Sole Saver Pack. It helps customers to mix-and-match according to their needs; whether that's for a narrow, regular, or wide fit." – Caroline McCulloch, co-founder, FRANKIE4 "Mephisto creates shoes with removable and replaceable insoles to allow users to insert custom orthotics or choose insoles that suit their specific comfort and support needs. Our footwear is designed to not only elevate your fashion sense, but also ensure you experience unparalleled comfort with every step." – Rusty Hall, president, Mephisto USA "Täōs premium quality and on trend styles have always been designed 'foot first' around our exclusive and innovative footbeds. Upcoming lines are Understandably Fresh – meaning they bring a newness or freshness to the comfort space while still being intuitive and understandable to the consumer." - Glen Barad, founder, täōs "Our brand is propelling the category forward with our new styles and bottoms that feature the footbed comfort that we are known for but in exciting and more fashion-forward offerings." – Megan Gold, design director, Alegria "Finn Comfort has always strived to produce the best authentically healthy footwear possible, utilizing materials and production methods that are also healthier for the environment. e best comfort footwear retailers ensure they are satisfying increased demand for healthier products by carrying the best brands and products in this category. ey also make sure their salespeople are sufficiently trained and educated to present the right products to the consumer." - Justin Orrell-Jones, president, Finn Comfort USA 28 • Footwear Insight ~ January/February 2024 footwearinsight.com

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