Winter 2012
clu b Customers showcase hidden talents
Dress to impress Teach your dog new tricks
Designers step up
Welcome to our
exclusive Comfort Club Magazine
Welcome Hello and welcome to our Winter Comfort Club magazine, we’re delighted that you’ve joined us again. In this edition we asked our designers to show us their Hotter style; turn to page 8 to see how they teamed their own clothing with their favourite Hotter shoes. We also introduce new Design Director Ian Spedding who is the man with designs on your feet – can you guess how we made the Cherryberry Shake float in his hands? We’ve been out an about too, giving a passionate dog trainer a ‘Happy Shoes-day’ and meeting
Find more Comfort Club at www.hotter.com
customers with some varied hidden talents! There’s lots of ways to keep in contact with Hotter HQ Facebook, Twitter, email and, our very favourite, by post – why not show us how you’re wearing your Hotter shoes this season or let us know if you’ve a hidden talent that simply has to be shared! Have a warm and comfy Winter, Very best wishes
Melanie
Melanie Killilea, Editor, Comfort Club
HOTTER NEWS ON THE BBC
THE
Our Managing Director, Peter Taylor, (pictured above right) was invited to join the panel of Sally Naden's lunchtime show on BBC Radio Lancashire earlier this month. He was quizzed about all things Hotter, his career so far and his travels around the globe. You can find a clip of Peter’s interview in the Comfort Club area at www.hotter.com where you can also find out how the panel received a surprise visit from two Hotter shoe fans. And while you’re there don’t forget to sign up to our online newsletter and we’ll send you a brand new Comfort Club packed with news, stories and competitions every month.
2
FIND HOTTER COMFORT CONCEPT SHOES ON FACEBOOK
HOT SEAT If you’ve a burning question for Ian send it to the Editor – we can’t reply to them all but we’ll feature the most popular in a future edition and on our Facebook page. Or why not inspire Ian by telling us about your perfect Hotter shoe?
Ian has designs on your feet Meet Ian Spedding – the man who’s going to be showing a keen interest in your wardrobe over the next few years. As our new Design Director you’ll be delighted to know that this shoe fanatic’s mantra is “every shoe should be designed and made to please the foot as well as the eye”! So what can ladies, and gentlemen, expect from this passionate shoe designer who hales from Rutland...
“I’ve joined Hotter at an amazing time, our shoes are looking better than ever and we’ve got a design team hungry to ‘shoe horn’ our trademark Hotter comfort into as many different shoe styles as women have occasions to wear them!” enthused Ian, who started
his career in Kendal working as a designer and pattern cutter. “We’ve just undertaken research to understand how customers feel our shoes can help them enjoy their lives and with feedback from our home shopping and stores there’s a wealth of information to steer our developments.” Ian has already spearheaded design teams that have driven two shoe brands to international success and he’s now focussed on creating a collection of amazing shoes that Hotter customers across the globe will
enjoy. “Look out for Hotter versions of on-trend products, such as our lovely Kiara brogues which we injected with Comfort Concept ‘pixie dust’ to make them some of the most comfortable on the market. “And be assured, we won’t be forgetting the thousands of loyal Hotter customers who have enjoyed our shoes for so many years – we’ve special new developments to reveal next season, so leave some wardrobe space for a few more pairs!” Meet our designers on page 8.
ACTIVATE
YOUR LIFE “Octavia is my tip for a great all rounder that will give stand out appeal and performance all season long,” says Ian. “If your life is active you’ll love the airy mesh lining, special sports insoles and wicking uppers that will keep your feet fresh and dry; but for me Octavia’s real appeal comes from her sporty good looks and bright colourful accents.”
Octavia
Super lightweight soles Breathable antibacterial footbed
Parchment FIND THE FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
3
How blogging changed my life… We asked blogger and Hotter shoe fan Ellen Arnison to tell us why she started blogging and her dreams of being an author. “Five years ago I started writing my blog, ‘In a bun dance’, I had no idea that my humble blog would have quite such a remarkable effect on almost every aspect of my life. “Before long, I was feeling more confident – about being a mother, a cook, a journalist and a feminist. I also began to review products that were genuinely relevant to my life, Hotter Shoes were among them. “As a journalist, over the years my words had appeared in lots of publications, however, nothing was quite so satisfying as the much smaller intimate group of readers seeking out my blog. Gradually some of those strangers became more familiar and even turned into friends. “These new friends, particularly the wonderful women of Britmums, have been invaluable in their support. After my third son was born I had post natal depression which was made worse by the unexpected death of my brother and to help me come to terms with these life changing events, I turned to my blog. “I found that if I wrote something positive about each of my three
4
Talented C Ellen Arnison
children every day, I started to look for positive things and, in turn, began to feel more positive about everything. It really was a writing therapy for a while. “My blog has helped me at work too. It has acted as a showcase for my writing leading to several new work avenues. “The most remarkable thing my blog has done for me is realise my dream of becoming an author. I suggested the idea of Blogging For Happiness to a publisher and the rest, as they say, is history.” Read Ellen's blog at www.ellenarnison.com.
Competition To win a copy of Ellen’s book, Blogging for Happiness, simply answer the qusetion below
"What is the name of Ellen's blog?" Entry details on back page.
FIND HOTTER COMFORT CONCEPT SHOES ON FACEBOOK
Acting in the West End, crafting handmade jewellery and producing their own music CDs are just a few of the amazing things that our customers do in their spare time, but we’ve discovered even more to inspire you. We’d love to hear about more of your hidden talents, don’t be shy just drop us a line!
Tale of a shoe Jean Williams has a natural talent for writing poetry, and we especially loved her tale of a Hotter shoe. Please there is no need, not for apologies, I will explain what the truth of the matter is, The conclusion I have reached no doubt, You cannot wear the darn things out! The ones I have are in good shape, For you therefore, there’s no escape, Already shoe rack overflows, But old and new I can’t dispose, They simply last forever by gum, I have to say your firm is clever. And if there is no order from me, Have you not thought why that can be, My daughter buys some now and then, For birthdays and Christmas when, What could she better choose, The latest pairs of Hotter shoes! Jean Williams, Newcastle.
Customers Tooning Learn with
Gra ndma Grandparents and their grandchildren can teach each other a thing or Valarie Wood-Gaiger two according to Hotter fan and ‘grandma on a mission’ Valerie Wood-Gaiger MBE. In 2006 she set up ‘Learn with Grandma’, to encourage the two generations to swap and share information that they will both find useful and have fun together. “Our aims include encouraging parents and grandparents to instil a love of learning, encourage respect between generations, and concentrating on recording these skills for future use” said Valerie from her HQ and home in Wales. “We are going to lose so many skills and so much knowledge in the next couple of decades but now we have the technology and the manpower – the younger generations – to record it all.” One of Valerie’s first projects was to create an SOS card to teach grandchildren how to alert the emergency services in a family member is in distress. And with her love of technology Valerie hopes her new website will encourage intergenerational learning, with visitors able to upload their own activities, films and photos.
talent Hotter’s exceptional customer service was the inspiration for this brilliant cartoon by talented customer Christine Clements. Christine explained: “As far back as I can remember I have always drawn – anything and everything, all the time. I attended art college for a while before going on to a career in education, teaching young children and those with special needs. I ventured into cartoon work almost accidentally when I found cartoons to be a really effective way to deliver a message fast – whether to support adult training or when working with children." In the past year, with her retirement on the horizon, Christine, from Suffolk decided to set up her own cartoon business ClemArt and has undertaken commissions for
Christine Clements
corporate and personal cartoons portraying hobbies, significant memories and events and even artwork for an anti-bullying campaign. “My advance retirement present to myself was a huge state-of-the-art flat-screen computer with all the trimmings so that I can scan my hand-drawn cartoons and colour them digitally. This is adding a new dimension to my work and I am just about keeping up to speed on all the technical side of things!” she added. Christine has yet to set up a website but in the meantime she is operating from an email address and can be contacted on chris.clemart@yahoo.co.uk.
Find out more at www.learnwithgrandma.org.
FIND THE FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
5
DOGGEDLY DETERMINED TO CREATE CANINE HARMONY A blissful state of canine and human harmony is the ultimate goal for dog trainer and psychologist Tina Meaney. For five hours a day, seven days a week, this determined 57-year-old from Carrington, Cheshire, devotes her time to helping dogs find a way to live in perfect harmony with their human companions. This enthusiastic volunteer is the co-founder of the Animal Behaviour Centre in Lymm, and firmly believes it is always possible for an old dog to learn new tricks! “Dogs should always fit in with a family and not the other way round,” explained Tina, whose work brings her into contact with misbehaving and misunderstood canines, and their owners, all over the North West. “One of the most satisfying parts of my job is working with families whose lives are in chaos with their pet and helping them turn the situation around so everyone is happy and enjoying the amazing benefits this special canine/ human relationship can bring.” Tina, ‘dog mum’ to bulldog Luna and English Springer Hetti, began training dogs 17 years ago after acquiring a hard to handle Belgian Shepherd. “She was a rescue pup that had issues with food and people and at my wit’s end, I turned to Altrincham Dog Training Society for help,”
6
explained Tina. “I was soon told that my ‘kid gloves’ attitude to Amber was the problem and I needed to be firm and take control.” Tina believes that there’s no dog, and owner, who can’t improve with training and her subsequent experience has shown her that the training and attitude of the human is often more important than that of the dog. “Dogs don’t realise that they are being trained so ‘dog rule one’ is make sure classes are fun; and ‘human rule one’ is that persistence and patience will pay dividends,” says the lady who became so hooked on the pleasure she gained from working closely with her pet that she worked her way up from tea maker to trainer at the Society. Since that start Tina has completed courses in animal behaviour and psychology, training with the Kennel Club Accreited Instructor scheme and even first aid – human and canine, of course! On call to assist vets, the police and social services with difficult
FIND HOTTER COMFORT CONCEPT SHOES ON FACEBOOK
and sometimes dangerous situations this grandmother of 12 also acts as a private consultant to people whose dogs are acting strangely. “We’re often called in by members of the public whose dogs have been spooked by ‘ghosts’,” she said, “but there’s generally a simple explanation once we investigate. I’ve met dogs acting strangely because someone had changed the polish on a floor making it too slippy for their paws, being spooked by birds hopping across a conservatory roof and simply from the scent of a fox that had crossed a familiar path. “If there’s bereavement in the family the dog will pick up its owner’s emotions and may act differently, looking away or yawning for example,” added Tina, “dog emotions really do mirror those of their owner.” Which is perhaps why when Tina introduces Luna and Hetti at the end of the interview we’re greeted with enthusiastic wags and ‘smiles’.
Tina’s tips for a happy dog:
1 Set rules and boundaries 2 Be a responsible owner 3 Be good company for your pet them good quality food 4 Give and exercise in good 5 Invest health care
HAPPY SHOES-DAY! Tina walks her dogs for one and half hours each day, so comfort footwear is essential. We gave her a pair of Trek in Cherryberry to try, she told us:
“I wore the boots whilst on a course over the weekend, they were really comfy even in the heat, so they are doing exactly what it says on the tin.”
sHOW us YOur HAppY HOunDs! Post a photo of your dog enjoying a Winter walk to our Facebook page and we'll pick a favourite to win something comfy!
Trek Cherryberry
Check out the Kennel Club at www.thekennelclub.org.uk to find your nearest registered trainer. FIND THE FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
7
Designer style
this Hotter season When we asked our designers to style their favourite Hotter shoes, they gave us some great tips. Here Carolyn Irvine, who has worked at Hotter for six years, introduces the team and explains how to dress to impress in comfort and style this season. “If we’re not travelling looking for inspiration, you’ll find us rushing around head office as we’re generally working on shoes for two seasons … and thinking about a third,” she told Comfort Club. “So when we were asked to select our favourite season’s shoes, and show how we styled them, we all made sure they were trendy, casual and versatile. We’re always keen to include the latest trends in the shoes we design, so for Pixie it’s soft ruching and fur lining, whilst Kim’s choice of the Kiara brogue is one that’s converted amazingly well from high fashion to high street. I always like to wear at least one bright shade for Winter, which is why my choice of Sangria, and Ellspeth’s choice of Alexa in Ink Blue, adds a splash of colour and I think really accents our outfits. “I think Pixie looks great with skinny jeans teamed with a tunic top or long chunky sweater – in fact, when we turned up for the photo we realised that all three of us had selected similar clothing styles to highlight our shoes – which is great because there’s so much of this casual styled clothing in store at the moment. “For smarter occasions I’d choose court shoe Opal, which is bang up-to-date with its fashionable toe and heel shape and brogue punch detailing, and Panama offers versatility because it can be worn long or with its trendy fur collar turned down.”
8
get ACtiVe in
ALEXA
Alexa £65
Selected to star in our latest TV advert, Alexa is the trendy, vintage styled pump that will keep you on your toes on the busiest of days. If you’ve not yet seen this star of the small screen why not visit www.hotter.com to see Alexa strut her stuff in the ‘director’s cut’ of our advert.
FIND HOTTER COMFORT CONCEPT SHOES ON FACEBOOK
Hit tHe ROAD
Smart, sophisticated and perfect for an evening out – that’s our Road shoe not Ian and Andy! Andy’s focussed on bringing Hotter comfort to the masculine feet of the nation – he’s introduced more new styles than ever before and would love to hear your views on the latest men’s range.
Road £75
Find more designer news at www.hotter.com
Motion £75
MArK’s in MOTION At 31 Mark’s the baby of the design team, but has chalked up an impressive 13 years working at Hotter. Recently promoted to Design Studio Manager he simply loves his sporty Motion lace-ups, which keep his feet in tip-top condition when he’s chasing samples, liaising with the technical team, quality checking and setting standards for production.
Kiara £79
Pictured showing their Hotter styles (l-r): Ellspeth Robson, Ian Spedding, Carolyn Irvine, Andy Taylor, Kim Denton and Mark Roughley.
ADD PIXIE Dust tO YOur OutFit Who better to give us the low down on Pixie than customers just like you! You’ll find hundreds more customer reviews just like this at www.hotter.com. “I wear them every day … most comfortable boots ever. Warm, cosy and up to date worn with jeggings.” Victoria from Market Harborough.
Pixie £79
true Brit BrOgue KIARA
It’s not just our designers who love our brogue styles, fashion editors adore them too: “When you love comfort but love fashion even more, it’s hard to find a shoe that ticks both boxes. Hotter brogues are super smart and super sturdy. Make them top of your wish list for mastering that great British heritage look and wear them with dark ribby tights”. Angela Kennedy, Woman and Home “I love these brogues, they are so comfy, a classic colour and bang on trend. I'll wear them with skinny jeans and a bright blazer." Julie Player, Take a Break.
FIND THE FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
9
Wines to accompany your festive feast
By our wine writer Graham Gendall Norton For so many of us, the Christmas meal is the biggest of the year as family and friends gather for the festivities. Make yours impressively cheerful with a few little tip(ple)s! As guests gather, the best herald of the feast to come is a Champagne cork rocketing across the room. The big supermarket own brands, all of course from Champagne, often win high ratings at international blind tastings. Dress yours likewise and after dry chilling, wrap and pin a fine white napkin around the label… quite a touch of class! To the table….if you are beginning with smoked salmon, white wine is a must. Chablis, would be the usual choice, particularly for guests who prefer white throughout their meal. But I’d go for an Austrian Grüner Veltliner, such as Majestic’s Weingut Pfarre Weissenkirchen 2011. If you’re offering a duck or chicken liver pâté, enjoy with a lightly chilled Sauternes, the sweet white from near Bordeaux - usually coming in half bottles,
10
however a little goes a long way. Try Clos L’Abeilley 2009 (Majestic £9.99), or, as an alternative try an Italian dry Pinot Grigio. The great thing about turkey is that it is so versatile, working well with many white and red wines. For reds, why not give a towering lift to the centre of your table by getting a Magnum, two bottles of wine in one big 1.5 litre bottle. Such a giant could be a Rioja, say a Reserva Marques de Riscal 2006,(£31 from Majestic). Also a good match: a Pinot Noir, from Burgundy, Chile or New Zealand. If you are having goose, roast beef, or lamb, try a good Malbec from Argentina, say Viñalba Reserva 2010. Or try a Bordeaux red such as the Baron Philippe de Rothschild Mouton Cadet 2010, a blend of classic red grapes. Christmas pudding ends the meal; try the Sauternes, or the traditional sherry, port or Madeira.
FIND HOTTER COMFORT CONCEPT SHOES ON FACEBOOK
COMPETITION For your chance to win and taste a standard bottle each of the six wines, send your answer to the question below to the usual address: Q. Name one red and one white Hotter shoe from the current collection.
Send us a Christmas cracker Yule make us very happy Hotter people if you present us with some Christmas cheer in our Merry Xmas competition. If you’re a creative cartoonist, an amazing artist or a prolific poet simply send us something festive that we can share with our Comfort Club readers in our December email. It could be something to look at, a welcoming recipe to warm the Winter nights or some words to give a Ho Ho Ho Hotter moment. We’ll select a lucky winner to receive some special Hotter Christmas cheer – just post or email to the address on the back page.
Let it snow! Let it snow!
There’s snow point getting cold feet this Winter – keep toes toasty outdoors and in with lovely boots and snuggly slippers. Here’s our top five Christmas picks - give them to a loved one - or add to your wish list for Santa.
SLUMBER Relax and enjoy THOR Performan on the go! ce PANAMA Trendy and warm!
SHETLAND End of day bliss!
JADE Cute and casual
FIND THE FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
11
Readers’ letters Hotter shoes have travelled the globe, from America to Zimbabwe – here’s our latest roundup of our travelling customer’s tales. Next time you step out in Hotter holiday comfort, why not take a snap and send it in?
Find more customer stories at www.hotter.com
Sightseeing with Candice
In the wildca and whilst there
Patricia from Surrey took her favourite pair of sandals, Candice in Hibiscus, along with her on a recent holiday to Crotia, here she is relaxing and sightseeing in Dubrovnik. Patricia Ellis, Surrey
I went on holiday to Afri a week and spent went on safari in Botswana for ght a pair of bou I we. bab Zim in days a few holiday and GORE-TEX® Mist shoes for the every day! The ended up wearing them all day well and were shoes performed marvellously , even after lots time the dry and comfortable all at a lion am I e Her day. hot a on ing of walk my Mist. The ring wea s Fall oria encounter in Vict s and raises lion ut encounter educates people abo actually got we , wild the into ased rele them to be them! with walk and s to stroke the young lion Jill Hipson, Hertfordshire
My shoes travel the globe
in Cathy moved to Australia her January this year, taking one and only pair of Hotter been shoes. Months later she’s and busy at www.hotter.com of five is now the proud owner pairs! Here’s Cathy wearing ave new style Kiara in Musgr Park, South Brisbane. lia Cathy Thomson, Austra
We’d love to see where your Hot ter shoes have travelled, please send you r photos to weloveshoes@hotter.com and you may see them printed in the next edition.
Customer Service: 0800 525 893 Personal Shoppers: 0800 083 3083 E: weloveshoes@hotter.com W: www.hotter.com Hotter Comfort Concept Shoes @hottershoes Hotter Comfort Concept Shoes
Send in your stories, photos and competition entries to Melanie Killilea, Editor, Comfort Club, Hotter Shoes, 2 Peel Road, Skelmersdale, WN8 9PT or email weloveshoes@hotter.com. Any stories or photos sent to us may be used in future editions of Comfort Club or on our Facebook page. Unless otherwise stated, competitions in this edition will close on Saturday 24th November– winners’ details will be printed in our online Comfort Club at www.hotter.com or contact the Editor for a full list.