Summer 2012
club Solemates road test Hotter
Great British shoe news Smart solutions for holiday footwear
STEP OUT IN COMFORT
Welcome to our
exclusive Comfort Club Magazine
Welcome
It’s a double welcome in this edition of Comfort Club…. welcome to you our lovely customers and welcome to our new Managing Director Peter Taylor. Peter, who joined Hotter in January, was thrown into the deep end in his first month when BBC Breakfast decided to showcase our factory as a Great British success story to their 1.5 million viewers. With less than 24 hours notice, and a 5am start, he was interviewed by Business Editor Steph McGovern; whilst Peter (left) a nd Steve n meet BBC ’s Steph our Quality Manager Steven Stewart became her Prince Charming for the day – it’s not too difficult to find the perfect fit in our factory! Long serving Team Leaders Joyce Holliday and Sue Roughley played cameo roles in the early morning programme, which kept the phonelines into HQ hot for the rest of the day! You can see the footage on the BBC News website – just search for Hotter Shoes. We’ve shoe horned lots of new shoes into this Summer edition of our magazine, and it’s not just us talking about them as we’ve asked some of our Hotter fans to test drive them just for you. And look out for our holiday footwear suggestions and a patriotic pair of Great British Shoes in the centre pages.
Joyce (left) and Sue featu red on TV
Whatever you do this Summer make sure you’re comfy and if you need a little Hotter fix anytime you can find us on Facebook, where there’s always something new! Best wishes
Melanie
Editor – Comfort Club
Our Great British Leanne and Shake
Taylor-made for hotter Watch out Hotter fans, with a stylish portfolio of roles under his belt, our new Managing Director Peter Taylor is going to be making sure that Hotter is on the lips – and the feet – of the nation. Peter started his career as a trainee at Jaeger – where his first week was spent folding knitwear on the shop floor!
2
He worked his way up through design, marketing and sales before heading up Jaegar’s business in the Far East. Moving onto Jacques Vert, and later becoming the Chairman of Liberty in Japan, Peter joins us from Hunter Wellingtons where he was Managing Director. With this amazing fashion pedigree you can look forward to seeing his influence throughout Hotter in the coming months. And that’s not the end of the good news, because our new CEO and the inspiration behind Hotter, Stewart Houlgrave, will be devoting his energy to product development and design – so lots more new lovely Hotter shoes for you! Exciting times for Hotter… and you’ll be with us every comfortable step of the way!
FIND HOTTER COMFORT CONCEPT SHOES ON FACEBOOK
Shoes to fall in love with...?
With over one million happy customers falling in love with Hotter shoes every time they wear them, we thought who better to tell you about our latest collection than the customers who slip their feet into a pair each and every day. We sent four ladies who helped with our TV advert new styles to road test, but did they fall in love….
Reviewer: Marianne is a local councillor and lives in Southport. Style reviewed: Lulu in Mimosa Yellow “Lulu felt great, I love the feel of the leather so soft. I’ve never worn yellow Marian ne shoes and now I’m so glad I have a pair, this colour has the ‘wow’ factor. Already after a few days I had lots of compliments as the style and colour are so striking”. Reviewer: Christy has been wearing Hotter shoes for over 5 years Style reviewed: Hollie in Teal/Opal “I loved how comfortable these shoes were, they fit really well and immediately I felt that they were made Christy just for my feet! The leather was soft and supple yet they gave my feet great support. The craftsmanship alone recommends Hollie to anyone.”
win
Reviewer: Joan owns 16 pairs of Hotter shoes and her favourite style is Valetta Style reviewed: Crystal in Hibiscus “As usual Hotter sandals are the most comfortable ones I have, they are so soft on the foot and like a cushion to walk on. The fit is perfect and even though they are cut out in design there is still plenty of support. They’re very elegant and will look lovely on a summer’s day.” Joan
Reviewer: Ruth is a member of the Society For All Artists and loves spending time on Facebook Style reviewed:Dionne in Damson “I loved the colour so much and was Ruth really glad I tried something new. I was also amazed at how lightweight Dionne was and how versatile the styling is, I’ll be wearing these with jeans as well as smart trousers.”
Would you like to win a pair of shoes to put a spring in your step this Summer? Simply visit www.hotter.com and submit a product review on your favourite Hotter style and we’ll pick three lucky reviews submitted before Monday 14th May to win a pair of shoes of their choice.
3
Holiday in style with our
designers’ hot picks When you’ve planned, and saved, and looked forward to that special holiday every minute is precious – so make sure you choose footwear to keep your feet happy from dusk till dawn. In a recent survey into the footwear choices of 2,000 women we discovered that nearly two thirds of female holidaymakers have experienced pain from new shoes. What’s more, 60 per cent of women carry plasters with them because they expect a blister or a cut from their shoes. With more than half the women surveyed buying new shoes to take on holiday we thought it was time to ask the experts for their advice to find shoes to avoid the holiday blues.
rolyn outs ide Ki m a nd Ca les in N ew Y ork B loo ming da
Designe r Caroly n enjoy s bird wat ching whe n travelling the world
4
“Smart and comfortable footwear you can rely on is probably the most essential part of holiday packing. There’s nothing worse than wanting to spend time seeing the sights or going from beach to bar and being let down by sore, achy feet,” said Kim Denton, who designs our sporty and smart shoes. “Lightweight shoes with underfoot cushioning will keep you on your feet longer; if you’re going somewhere hot then your feet may swell so look for adjustability and natural leather uppers to help your feet breathe.” “We design comfort into every pair of shoes we make so the great thing about Hotter is there’s lots of choice, giving you an opportunity to focus on your individual style,” added Designer Carolyn Irvine who’s passionate about classic and casual comfort. “I’d advise travellers to plan their wardrobe; lay out everything you intend to take and you’ll probably find there’s a lot of excess baggage! If you’re going somewhere warm and sunny then select a wardrobe of neutrals in cool cottons and linens that you can mix and match but why not be extravagant and experiment with a splash of colourful accessories – Hibiscus, Kingfisher or Mimosa Yellow look amazing. If a city break is on your travel itinerary, then take a pair of trusted shoes you know won’t let you down – in fact why not travel in them too and you’ll probably only need to pack one smart pair for that special night out on the town!”
FIND HOTTER COMFORT CONCEPT SHOES ON FACEBOOK
hot picks
designers’ hot picks! Holiday in style and comfort with our
Carolyn says: “For sheer versatility try the beach-to-dining chic of our beautiful espadrille wedge Gaby. This sandal combines va-va-voom with underfoot padding and soft leather lined suede uppers.”
Gaby
Kim says: “I designed Harper with on-the-go comfort in mind; from the Spanish Steps to the Taj Mahal, when you’ve planned a busy few days trying to cram in each delicious sight you need the support of its cushioning sole and the breathability of its sporty mesh lining.” Harper
Carolyn says: “Divine is a great holiday essential; new to Hotter it includes a deep, cork footbed for lightness and added comfort underfoot. Its relaxed, natural styling offers a casual beach look that’s equally at home as you tour the sights.” Divine
new active concept We have also added two new toepost sandals to our Summer range. Gorgeous styles Borneo and Java are cleverly designed to assist with leg toning and to help boost circulation with every step you take, thanks to their unique take-off and landing pods. Find out more about these new styles at www.hotter.com
Borneo Java
y feet Smart tips for holida ca n pa ck – but shoe s th e more you
• Th e lighter your to ju st add th at extra pa ir you n’t be te mpted
do ar. kn ow you’ ll neve r we se an d bottom of your ca e th at s oe sh ur g in yo t cloth item.s to • Pa ck th your smalleser ca se su rroun d th em ewirig to th e corn of your ht ac sp ise im max dicu re – your th a pre-holidayeppeto wi et fe als. ur yo r pe m • Pa those pe e sa nd in p to tip k loo to toes need th e style – but don’t sa crifice t us m a e ar s oe sh • Co mfy s th at offe r both! – simply choose shoe
Java
FIND OUR FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
5
e l e c o t r i a p c A patrioti r a e y h s i t i r B t a Grea To celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Summer Olympics, our design team have given a patriotic makeover to two of our most popular styles. Following the national celebrations for last year’s Royal Wedding, we really couldn’t let such a special year go by without trying to spread special Hotter comfort and joy. So we’re delighted to introduce Shake, our Great British Shoe that will make every day an occasion and Leanne our Great British Shoe with a sporty twist. As a proud British manufacturer we’ll be making 1,600 pairs of Shake and 1,200 of Leanne in our Lancashire factory. This patriotic pair combines traditional red, white and blue colouring - on Shake it’s an intricate plaited strap and on Leanne a smart three coloured lace. Both have eye-catching decorative Union Jack insoles (as well as a plain pair for everyday use) and come in a colourful keepsake box with a certificate of authenticity.
win 6
Here’s a chance to win a 2012 makeover for your Summer of celebrations. For a chance to win all the patriotic products in our photo simply tell us the total number of colours you can buy our Shake shoe in our newest collection. Why not check online at www.hotter.com for the answer? Entry details on the back page.
ebrate
60 years of memories From the Queen’s Coronation to Everest being conquered, when we asked you for you most memorable moments from the Queen’s reign, you came up with some wonderful tales. We’ve picked a selection to share with you, and hopefully they’ll inspire you to send in some more. We’ll get in touch with our winners from the last edition in early April. When Norma Thomas of Cardigan was selected to attend her annual WI conference in London she took the opportunity to fulfil her ambition to see the Queen. With the Royal Standard flying Norma knew her Majesty was at home, and as she waited a small crowd formed anticipating the arrival of the royal car. When it arrived “The Queen looked serious, and then she saw
‘my crowd’ all waving and she looked straight at me and gave me a dazzling smile” said Norma, “I always think of this as the day I made the Queen smile!” “I remember as a teenager collecting cuttings from newspapers and magazine for my scrapbook of the Coronation,” said Mrs M Spiteri of Morden. “Years later I watched with my small daughter as the Queen visited Brixton as part of her Silver Jubilee celebrations.” The Queen’s accession to the throne was also Mrs Williams’ husband’s birthday and the pair spent the night out with crowds waiting for the big moment. “About midnight the news came
that Everest had been conquered by Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tensing,” explained Mrs Williams of Hanham, whose most memorable moments of the day were Queen Salote of Tonga in an open carriage and “the best beans on toast
dinner ever at Lyons Café, Marble Arch!“ Sheila Shipton of Dursley recalls the day King George died, when she was a 16-year-old school girl. “We were between classrooms in our little town when a lady opened the door and told our teacher that the King had just died. He said: “This is real life history, we have a new sovereign, long live Queen Elizabeth.”
“I was 18 and went with my friends to the Coronation dance at New Brighton Tower Ballroom, we all lived in Liverpool and sailed on the ferry” said Kathleen Wood of Warrington. “I met a lovely young man, he was 21, and we fell in love and later married in 1955. I was very lucky as he is the love of my life.” FIND OUR FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
7
i n r g p s i n you a t r step! Pu If you’re looking for a simple exercise routine to boost your energy and fitness levels but don’t fancy tackling anything too strenuous, why not try walking? It’s free, easy, suitable for all ages and can help improve your general health and wellbeing. With the NHS Live Well Scheme advising that walking 10,000 steps a day will significantly improve your health we decided to challenge four Hotter employees to see exactly how easy it would be. Armed with pedometers Liz, Rachel, Tracey and Jenni set off on their challenge! Liz works in our mail room and has worked at Hotter for 10 years. She manages all the post coming in and going out of Hotter headquarters. Liz used her pedometer every day during the challenge and walked an average of 8,264 steps a day, she said “I really wanted to beat 10,000 steps a day, from now on I think I’ll get off the bus a stop earlier after work and walk the rest of the way home to help reach my target.”
Racha el
Liz
Rachael works in our warehouse and helps to dispatch your lovely new shoes from our factory straight to your door. “Walking a lot in work really keeps me feeling active and full of energy, and keeps me motivated to do even more exercise outside of work” she told us. On average she walked 15,353 steps a day, phew, well done Rachael!
Managing our Exeter store Tracey May keeps a smile on her face and a spring in her step when wearing her favourite Hotter shoes. During the week we set the challenge Tracey walked 12,011 steps a day! She told us “I really love keeping fit and was surprised at how Tracey many steps I actually take a day, I’ll be using my pedometer at weekends too from now on.”
8
FIND HOTTER COMFORT CONCEPT SHOES ON FACEBOOK
I
Shoes,
and I also love...
...painting Jenni is our PR Assistant and looks after everything from writing articles for Comfort Club to speaking to our customers on our Facebook page. “I really enjoyed wearing the pedometer and seeing how many Jenni steps I take, knowing how beneficial walking can be for your general health I’ll certainly be looking into ways to step this up”, Jenni said. On average she walked 2,237 steps a day, a little more to go we think! If you’d like to challenge yourself and see if you can walk 10,000 steps a day or more, here’s a few tips to get you started: Think first about your posture, stand taller and straight, let your arms swing and feel yourself breathing more deeply. Each time you go for a walk, see if you can go just a little bit further. If you can get to the end of the road, try walking just around the corner and increase this each time. As you walk maintain and improve your core stability – as you breathe out gently pull your lower tummy muscles in and lift your pelvic floor muscles. During your walking adventures why not do it in comfort and style with a pair of shoes from our Summer collection. New styles Harper and Fern will put a spring in your step and keep your feet feeling happy for miles and miles. To win a pair and a pedometer to keep track of your daily steps, simply enter our competition.
win In less than 50 words complete the following sentence, I will increase my daily steps by…....... Send your entry via post or tell us on our Facebook, Google+ or Twitter page (entry details on back page).
When self-taught artist Amanda Bates followed us on our new Google+ page online, the beautiful paintings that she talked about to her friends soon caught our eye. We simply had to find out more about her passion for art… Hotter fan Amanda, who’s favourite artist is Cezanne, has been painting nearly all her life and loves to explore the outdoors looking for inspiration. Lucky enough to live in walking distance of the Hampshire Downs, this has become one of Amanda’s favourite places to visit and paint. She told us: “When the weather is warm enough, I pack my painting kit up and head for the hills. I like to paint from life, and when you’re painting landscapes you learn to capture what you see by creating effects with light and colour, it gives me a bit of exercise too.” Painting with oils, applied with a knife, straight from the tube, Amanda loves the practical advantage of working with oils on the hillside, no mess and no tidying up! Her favourite countryside painting is ‘Watership Down’ (below), a hill in the Hampshire Downs which is well known as the setting for Richard Adam’s 1972 famous novel. And after she finished painting this famous hill, Amanda didn’t pack up and go home, she turned straight around to face the opposite direction and started another painting of Cottington’s Hill. When she’s not painting Amanda likes to write about her art on her blog, have a look and you’ll find out about her latest painting projects - http://amanda-batesartist.blogspot.com/. If you love Hotter shoes but love something else too - like cooking, poetry, dancing or even crafts - let us know by emailing weloveshoes@hotter.com and you could be in the next edition of Comfort Club. FIND OUR FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
9
Light
fantastic
by our wine writer Graham Gendall Norton
What could be more refreshing in hot weather than a glass of chilled white, and you might find you’re more comfortable with wine with a low alcohol content. We are continually reminded about the need to monitor what we drink, and nowadays all our wine bottles tell us the percentage of alcohol, with many carrying government guidelines on regular drinking limits. A little bottle picture carries how many units of alcohol, another tells how many in a 125 ml glass. We are told ‘not to regularly exceed’ 2-3 units for women daily and 3-4 units for men, but many bottles don’t give this information. So based on what I consider is an average of 13% alcoholic content there are 1.6 units in a glass; two glasses, therefore, 3.2 units. So for special occasions, take a quick look at the alcohol in the bottles and maybe go for lower alcohol content, and have an extra glass or so. Champagne is usually 12%. But remember, those bubbles get the alcohol into our system faster! For wines with lower alcohol, we must look to Europe; English wines, for example, are nearly all around 11%. Whites are usually lower in alcohol, and the Germans are the champions, with many Rieslings coming in well below 10%. I’ve chosen wines from Majestic, the first by renowned producer Loosen Bros, their “Dr. L” 2010 is just 8.5% alcohol. Honey on the nose: on the palate, a near perfect balance of orchard fruit. Off-dry, it’s lively, with a bit of a tingle on the tongue, and just £7.49 a bottle. From the picturesque Loire in France comes my next, with an 11% content, La Grille Vouvray 2010 Paul Buisse comes in at £7.99. Water-clear in the glass, the wine gives off aromas of citrus. Sweet fruit notes of peach and green apple follow in the mouth, refreshingly balanced by dry notes. Well chilled, the perfect summer aperitif. Italy provides a red, a Chianti Casale di Valle 2010 at, the bottle says, a surprising low 12% (£7.99). In the glass a deep ruby red. On the nose, red cherry flavours, continuing to the palate, held in a medium body which makes for a refreshing red on a warm day.
COMPETITIO N
10
Win two bottles of each of the wi nes featured if yours is the first correct answer random ly selected from our post bag - see back pa ge for entry deta ils. Q. Name a shoe in the latest Ho tte r catalogue avai lable in Pale Aq ua.
All bagged up! In the last edition we asked you to tell us what’s the most unusual and useful item in your handbag and we were amazed with the items you couldn’t live without. The most unusual thing I carry in my bag is a spare slip-in clerical collar. You never know when you might need it (I’m a Methodist Minister!). Marty Presdee, Lincolnshire Mini tape measure (from a cracker last Christmas), thought it would come in handy but it hasn’t left the bag yet. I’m still awaiting that crucial measuring moment! Christina Moloney, Essex I have been carrying a small stone with a hole in it in my bag for 30 years, my son gave it to me when he was 15 years old as a good luck charm for my first flight abroad. He is now 45 and I always put it in whichever bag I am using. Pauline Hutchins via email
New handbag Shangha i
I never go anywhere without my trusty screwdriver! I’ve used it to start a car, divide cheese into portions, mend spectacles, build a coffee table and open a bottle of wine. Sue via email
Our
Robin F isher
fans review Our latest men’s collection is our biggest and best ever yet! And to show you how comfy, stylish and versatile they really are we asked facebook fan Robin Fisher to become the first Facebook guest reviewer. Robin tried bestselling style Energise, here’s what he thought….
Energise
Our delightful leather shopper Shanghai is your perfect companion for a day perusing the shops or a weekend getaway. With plenty of space for your every essential – and a little bit of space for those impulsive buys – stylish, roomy Shanghai is this season’s Hotter musthave handbag. View the full Hotter handbag collection in an array of co-ordinating colours at www.hotter.com
“Wearing these shoes is a pleasure. They fitted perfectly, and, as with all Hotters, there is no need to ‘wear them in’ like you have to with other brands. Walking in Energise makes you feel like you have an excellent, stylish, comfortable and extremely well made shoe underfoot which is very reassuring”, said Robin, a caretaker from Surrey. “And of course being made in England is the icing on the cake!” For the next edition we’ll pick another guest reviewer from our Facebook page, so Find us on come and say hello and it facebook could be you! FIND OUR FULL COLLECTION AT WWW.HOTTER.COM
11
Readers’ letters An Ode To Hotter Shoes
Beside the sea Candice went to the seaside The sea looked a bit cold She climbed up the cliffs Feeling rather bold The rocks were sharp and bumpy They rather took their toll goods But as usual, Hotter came up with the way the all fort com and ess Softn What a really smashing day Jenny Norman, Devon
The ‘ahhh’ factor For some years my husband has had a pair of exquisitely comfortable shoes. He said that the first time he put them on his feet said “ahhhh”. “Why don’t they make shoes like that for women”? I lamented. Then your Leanne shoes arrived in the mail. I put my feet into them and my feet said “ahhhh”. I’ve worn them every day since! I’m so excited by how happy my feet are that I am ordering three more pairs of your shoes. My feet have never been happier.
Deborah Hunsinger, Princeton, USA
Long, long ago with feet aching and sore A Hotter catalogue came through the door. We’ve been together now For many a year Hotter shoes and me. Tramping up the hillside Going shopping, or out for tea. We’ve seen the up’s and down’s Life brings And been there for each other. And as you already know For comfort there is no other (Hotter shoes that is) Oh dear what can I say Another new catalogue has come my way With beautiful colours and styles galo re What will I choose to add to my store ? (nineteen pairs and counting) Something in red To hide under the bed I will do it with speed In case I turn into a centipede (the explanation I have given my husb and on why I need so many pairs of shoes). Jenni Clifton, Kent
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 Monday 14th May– winners’ details will be printed in our online Comfort Club at www.hotter.com or contact the Editor for a full list.