Footwear Insight

18 • Footwear Insight ~ July/August 2017 Vionic Gets Beachy footwearinsight.com C hris Gallagher says the launch of the Vionic Beach brand is about more than introducing another flip flop line into the market. "We always try and bring dis- ruptive technology to the market and that's what we're doing here," he says. The footbeds of the shoes are injection molded from a proprietary compound made largely from rubber and polyurethane. The beds are baked in a mold and then silkscreened and packaged, a vast difference from most flip flops, which are typically stamped out of large pieces of rubber. The manufacturing process yields a shoe that Gallagher, Vionic's CEO, says is true to the brand's core ethos of providing comfort and relief from foot discomfort. The design includes an "embrace me" heel cup, and ergonomic footbed and what the company calls "Ahhhhh Cushioning." Like the Vionic product, the Beach products are endorsed by the American Podiatric Medical Association. Most of the shoes retail at $39.99, with some of the new women's wedge styles set to retail at $54.95. Gallagher says he hopes the price points introduces Vionic to a new consumer. The brand's pre- vious entry price point was about $65 retail. The Vionic Beach line has been shown at several trade shows since its introduction in June and Gallagher says the line has been picked up by spas, resorts and yoga studios. Vionic Beach is also reaching out to consumers with its Soul Shack, a camper vehicle that turns into a retail store that has been travelling to music festivals, volleyball and surf events. The Shack will also make an appearance at the August Platform show. O THEFOOTWEAREYE NEW COLLECTION Vionic's Chris Gallagher in the brand's Soul Shack, showing off the Beach brand. 18 F t I i ht J l /A t 2017 f t i i ht make an appearance at the August Platform show.O an is- s. d d h 's ce he on. 4.95. pre- trade esorts ns into ill also

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