U P C L O S E AT H L E T I C
Ollie Gray Debuts Maternity Sneaker A style that meets the changing needs of pregnant and postpartum women. IT’S WELL-DOCUMENTED that feet can swell over the course of a day. But that pales in comparison to the size fluctuations bought on by pregnancy and postpartum. Thus, the need for a shoe that can flex, mold and accommodate such changes with proper comfort and support—so says Kate and Bryce Rech, cofounders of maternity wear maker Ollie Gray. But as novices to the shoe biz, the husband-and-wife team brought in the services of renowned sneaker designer, Jeff Henderson (Nike cred), and his New York-based creative agency AndThem, to turn their design vision into reality. “We always dreamed of a maternity shoe, but we started small with Jeff ’s team by bringing them in on some print and art design projects for other products,” Kate Rech says. “With two-plus years of work completed, we finally pitched the idea of a maternity footwear line and, lucky for us, he loved it and jumped all in.” Dubbed the OG, the sneaker (SRP: $135 and available in whole and half sizes 6-11) is an all-purpose design that Rech says focuses on genuine comfort features that she believes so many sneakers today fail to address. “There’s such a high focus on the look that comfort becomes an afterthought—cue Gucci, Saint Laurent and LV,” she says. In contrast, the OG is all about comfort, starting with the outsole. Think: not squishy. “Moms need support for the changes their bodies are going through during and after pregnancy, and the foot doesn’t react well to an overly cushioned sole,” she explains. “It wants a strong, supportive sole, and Vibram is one of the most trusted sole manufacturers in the world.” Rech says the OG sole provides extra support, comfort and stability throughout the foot and arch as the body changes and weight fluctuates during pregnancy and postpartum. Next up: a knit upper designed to adapt and mold to changing foot sizes. “Our focus group participants all mentioned one common complaint, aside from their feet hurting: that they couldn’t fit into many of their shoes due to weight gain and swollen feet,” Rech says. “So we designed an upper with stretch and give that can expand and contract
Kate Rech, cofounder, Ollie Gray, makers of the OG maternity sneaker
to mirror the changes the foot goes through during this time.” In addition, an elastic lateral and medial lacing system provides better flexibility, support and comfort, while the tightening pull tab is longer for easier reach and enables wearers to slip the
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shoes on and off with ease. Rech adds that the knit material is also lightweight and breathable, which suits all-day wear from the home to the doctor’s office to the gym and errands in between. Last but not least, Rech says great attention has been paid to style. “We created a sneaker that could be worn with leggings, a maxi dress or a favorite pair of mom jeans,” she says, noting that the three colorways (rose, cream and black) are designed to blend into wardrobes seamlessly. “This is not a shoe only for pregnant women; the OG is a sneaker for Moms, period,” Rech adds, again paying homage to the design credibility of Henderson. “Jeff has designed shoes for Nike, Under Armour, Converse, Allbirds, KOIO and Everlane. I’m six years removed from having a baby and I am wearing my OG sneakers every day!” Beyond all these reasons, Rech believes the time has come for a maternity-specific sneaker. “Moms deserve better,” she says, adding that with more than five years of customer feedback and consumer insight, Ollie Gray has a proven track record on introducing what is missing in this space. “We could have slow churned and focused on common product line extensions like tank tops, camis and sleep bras, but that doesn’t fit into our brand DNA,” Rech says. “We want to change the way consumers view maternity, which is not to sell the same drab, nonconforming pieces our competitors seem to focus on.” On the note, Rech says look for new shoe styles soon. “We have two more styles currently in design, as well as colorway extensions for the OG,” she says. “Our design team would kill us if we spilled the beans, but we recognize the working mom needs options, and who doesn’t love an around the house shoe?” Rech believes that the market demand is there for a maternity shoe category, noting the approximately four million new moms in the U.S. annually. “We’ve had pregnant moms test the OG and the feedback has given us the confidence to go all in on footwear,” she says. “We’re high on the idea of maternity footwear being a staple category.” —Greg Dutter
