11 minute read
Into the Light
Patent leather flatform tennie by Bos. & Co.
Sweet and soft pastels evoke sporty chic serenity.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY TREVETT MCCANDLISS • STYLING BY NANCY CAMPBELL
Twisted X tweed deck sneakers with ecoTWX recycled uppers. Opposite: Suede retro tennies by K-Swiss.
Left to right: Leather jogger with suede patches by Gola; Birkenstock canvas slip-on; mesh/leather trainer by Geox. Opposite: Naot leather sneakers with side zippers for easy on/of wear.
Taos skate-inspired lace-up. Opposite: suede/mesh walker with trail-friendly outsole by Earth.
Suede flatforms with laser cut details by All Black. Opposite: Avre stretch-knit slip-on joggers.
Fashion editor: Ann Loynd Burton; model: Kate Demianova/Supreme Management; hair and makeup: Shane Monden/Next Artists.
Aetrex Worldwide, a leader in foot scanning technology, orthotics and comfort and wellness footwear, has launched Albert 3DFit, a sleek and modern 3D foot scanner created to revolutionize the retail industry by making 3D fit technology available to stores of all sizes at a fraction of the cost of competitors.
Magic: Aug. 9-11 Outdoor Retailer: Aug. 10-12 The Atlanta Shoe Market: Aug. 14-16 Aetrex.com
IR Show: Jul. 27-28 The Atlanta Shoe Market: Aug. 14-16 Chicago Shoe Show: Aug. 18-19 Dallas Market: Aug. 24-27 Sole Commerce/Coterie: Sept. 19-21 Bosandco.com
Made in Italy, this Bos. & Co. slide features a molded and lightweight cork/latex footbed with a soft woven metallic upper providing easy fit and comfort.
The Atlanta Shoe Market: Aug. 14-16 BSTA: Sept. 12-13 Quoddy.com
For over 25 years, Quoddy has specialized in designing, developing and commercializing premium products. Our core focus is handsewn footwear Made in the U.S.A., building sustainable products and delivering on the highest level quality. Quoddy constantly strives to build consumer loyalty by forming a strong bond between the brand, the product and our consumer’s needs creating a Consumer Centric business environment.
Rooted in comfort, Twisted X offers versatile collections across lifestyle, work, western and outdoor categories. As a leader in innovative and sustainable footwear, we pride ourselves on pushing the boundaries of design and comfort to produce high-quality and cutting-edge styles that help protect our planet. Twistedx.com
Floafers is modernizing the foam footwear space with a collection of floating loafers—fun, family-friendly styles that are instant wardrobe essentials. Fashionable and comfortable, Floafers feature enhanced arch support and massage pods, while keeping feet safely on the ground with slip-resistant outsoles. Crafted of antimicrobial EVA, they clean up easily with soap and water. Floafers: they take you everywhere. Magic: Aug. 9-11
Floafers.com
Chooka makes footwear for the urban women at the crossroads where fashion, versatility and quality meet. Like this faux shearling-lined summer sandal in popular tie-dye pastels print. Looks good and feels good, these sandals are comfortable to wear all day.
Magic: Aug. 9-11 The Atlanta Shoe Market: Aug. 14-16 Washingtonshoe.com
Magic: Aug. 9-11 The Atlanta Shoe Market: Aug. 14-16 Washingtonshoe.com
Known for bringing the smiles and whimsical prints, Western Chief has new play shoes for summer. Water-resistant and lightweight shoes for kids with all the colors and prints they love. Similar options for women and men available to kick around in all summer.
Fly London’s mantra of “unique & uncompromising” expresses its comittment to unique styling and uncompromising quality. Made in Portugal, the leather Deca wedge sneaker features a removable orthotic insole on a lightweight PU wedge outsole.
At Naot, we are passionate about creating a better world by making people feel comfortable. Crafted by hand through the combined efforts of people from different cultures and backgrounds, Naot shoes are ethically made using sustainable methods with materials of the highest quality. Fine Italian leathers combined with our signature cork insoles, make for an unparalleled combination of quality, fashion and comfort.
IR Show: Jul. 27-28 The Atlanta Shoe Market: Aug. 14-16 Chicago Shoe Show: Aug. 18-19 Dallas Market: Aug. 24-27 Sole Commerce/Coterie: Sept. 19-21 Flylondon.com
The Atlanta Shoe Market, room 105: Aug. 14-16 Dallas Market: Aug. 24-27 Naot.com
Soft shoes is what Softino’s is all about. Made in Portugal, this easy-on sneaker features an elalstic vamp, a removeable orthotic footbed and a unique colored sole for soft, stylish and lightweight wear.
IR Show: Jul. 27-28 The Atlanta Shoe Market : Aug. 14-16 Chicago Shoe Show: Aug. 18-19 Dallas Market: Aug. 24-27 Sole Commerce/Coterie: Sept.19-21 Softinos.com
L’Artiste by Spring Step brings a smile to not only your face, but total stranger’s faces as well! Wearable works of art with hand-painted full grain leathers, antiqued embellishments, joyful color combinations and prints sure to enhance your already positive and optimistic demeanor. Happy attracts the same, and wearing any of the multi-faceted, Frenchinspired creations by L’Artiste by Spring Step will have your total aura aglow. Beautiful, all-day comfort footwear is our mantra, whether in a jeweled high heel or wrapped, hand-painted wedge. Prepare to be wowed and enjoy a celebration for your feet! Springstepshoes.com
IR Show: Jul. 27-28 Michigan Shoe Market: Aug. 8-9 Outdoor Retailer: Aug. 10-12 The Atlanta Shoe Market : Aug. 14-16 BSTA: Sept. 12-13 Propetusa.com
Comfort starts with fit. For over 35 years we have perfected our product line to offer diverse styles in those hard-to-find widths and sizes. Our men’s line is offered in 5 widths and up to size 18, while women’s have 6 widths and up to size 13. We are an industry leader in evolving comfort and wellness footwear into fashionable footwear.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Bella-Vita J Reneé
DESIGNERCHAT TARYN ROSE • ENRICO CUINI
THE RACE IS on! Taryn Rose has got the pedal to the metal of Enrico Cuini, a luxury label the doctor-turned-designer describes as “Ferraris on heels” thanks to its revolutionary ALIA (Active Life In Alignment) construction that not only makes five-inch heels comfortable but can be applied to all styles—even combat boots—for optimal support and alignment. Rose, whose namesake label was a $40-million entity at her departure in 2008, reentered the shoe fray in 2018 with longtime collaborator, Enrico Cuini, inventor of the new construction, because she believes it’s the next revolution in footwear.
“The ALIA technology is a true paradigm shift, not just an incremental improvement,” Rose affirms. “Most shoe companies are saying they have better cushioning for their horse and buggy, while we have introduced the automobile.”
Rose describes ALIA as the first support system that moves with the foot. “Think of it as a suspension bridge in your shoes,” she explains. “You get an active response to your movement to lift and realign your back to your most optimal position. This decreases pressure and fatigue while improving stability.” Rose, a former orthopedic surgeon, adds that the foot is built like a dome with tensegrity, a combination of tension and compression forces, and needs to be supported more like a high-rise building. “We were all working on the paradigm of the foot having only compression forces before,” she says, noting that the label’s trade secret nanotechnology resin is how the support is achieved. “ALIA is good not only for heels, it can also be beneficial for sneakers and flip-flops, which we are developing.”
Rose credits Cuini’s unique combination of architectural, industrial design and artistic skills for leading to the breakthrough construction. “He’s the heart and soul of the company,” she says. “He oversees the factory and production. It would not be possible without his presence.”
In addition to the design concept, Rose says Enrico Cuini represents a revolutionary approach to building a shoe company— starting with owning the factory in Italy and operating on a made-to-order model. “I wanted to architect a different business model,” she says. “We don’t design like other shoe companies. We release new styles when they are ready.”
So far so good, as Rose reports sales have grown each year. “The technology really does work, otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to grow 50 percent in a pandemic selling only heels,” she says, adding that the company is on track for a 100-percent increase this year. Further down the road, Rose envisions licensing ALIA to the military and work shoe industries, for starters. “Our military has the most advanced weaponry, but they are still running around in shoes with the same technology as 1900 with the exception of some fabric advancement,” she says. “We still have 15 more years on our utility patents, so I want to see ALIA become the technology platform for the shoe industry.”
What brought you back into the shoe business? I actually didn’t want to go back into shoes. I wanted to build a technology company. But I feel we’re a shoe technology company first and foremost. I also want to be a part of what I believe is the next revolution in shoes. I’ve always been an outlier in the industry and then everybody
Vagabond
All Black
HIP TO BE SQUARE
The geometric toe shape is the right angle in a range of sandal silhouettes.
copies me 10 years later. This time, it will be more difficult with our patents and also the complexity of what we do from fitting to manufacturing. When people discover the difficulty of executing that, they’ll find something else to copy.
How does Enrico Cuini’s design aesthetic differ
from Taryn Rose? Taryn Rose was like a Mercedes SUV: beautifully crafted with the best materials and all around utility and ease. Enrico Cuini shoes are like Ferraris: sexy, high-performance machines full of the latest high-tech materials, like carbon fiber and nanotechnology resins. We’re also doing 120mm- to 130mm-heels, which is twice as high as anything that was in Taryn Rose. Our technology allows us to reach new limits.
Who is the Enrico Cuini woman? She’s feminine and powerful with confidence. She’s typically a professional woman between 30 and 60 years old. She loves fashion but does not want to suffer for it. She loves luxury brands like Dior, Chanel, Hermes, Jimmy Choo and Louboutin. We also see a lot of women, after having a couple of kids, come to us saying it’s time to “reclaim that part of myself,” but their feet have changed after having children. They want to be comfortable in their heels.
What’s the theme of your Spring ’22 collection?
Overall, we go for evergreen styles and colors with a pop of seasonal color. For Spring ’22, we’ll see architectural origami details as well as white and neon pops since I think people will be very optimistic. We also have a large choice of inclusive nudes and always have metallics.
Some say dressy high heels aren’t part of the
pandemic-induced new normal…There will always be women who love wearing heels, because they do make you look taller and slimmer. We already see a big surge in weddings and parties for this summer, so there’s a big pent-up demand for heels. Women are also going back to offices and conferences, and they want heels to increase their stature against male co-workers. However, their feet have gotten spoiled, so they’re seeking a solution to love their heels again. I see an opportunity for us: women wearing heels without pain.
Who are some designers you admire? Alber Albaz was a genius. I have a dress from his hightech fabric line, AZ Factory, and absolutely love it. In shoes, we have great respect for Gianvito Rossi because of his technical execution and fit as well as elegant styling. I also love Bottega Veneta bags and what Daniel Lee has done reinterpreting the brand’s language in such a modern way.
What was the best piece of advice you ever
received? Unseen, untold, unsold. People buy not just a product but an entire experience, including the brand’s story.
What do you love most about designing shoes? I love to see women become their very best selves when their soles are elevated.
