Two California Brands Collaborated on Comfy & Cute Sandals Made the Old-Fashioned Way

Footwear News
By Jennie Bell / October 2, 2017

Already thinking about your winter getaways? Two California beachwear brands are thinking about it, too.

Southern California sandal brand Beek has just unveiled its first co-branded product line, a collaboration with luxury swim label Vitamin A.

The two companies worked together on a capsule footwear collection for resort ’18 that consists of three styles: the Seabird, a classic thong; the Bluebird, a toe-ring sandal with ankle straps; and the Mockingbird, a classic slide. They are priced at $139 to $159.

In a statement, Beek designers Birgit Klett and Kenna Florie said, “We couldn’t possibly be more excited and proud to be partnered with such an amazing iconic brand [as Vitamin A].”

Each sandal in the Beek x Vitamin A collection is offered in two different colorways and (as with all Beek products) they are made the old-fashioned way in Guadalajara, Mexico. That means that the components of the sole are hand pressed, the leathers are all hand dyed and each nail is pounded in by hand. In case you hadn’t guessed, they are indeed handmade.

Another unique feature of the Beek sandals is that they are built with a molded arch support. According to the brand, this process takes 48 hours to complete and it took seven rounds of changes to perfect.

Klett and Florie launched their sandal brand in 2015 and told FN soon after about the vision behind the label: “We couldn’t find leather sandals that were made in a more thoughtful and slow way, as opposed to mass-produced. We wanted styles that are simple and beautifully made,” said Klett.

The Beek x Vitamin A collection launched this week at a few select retailers, including the Canyon Beachwear chain, Diane’s in Southern California, Ophelia Swimwear in Florida, Orlando Bathing Suit and South Beach Inc.

The line will roll out to more retail doors on Nov. 1.

How the Once-Reviled Crocs Are Making a Fashion Comeback

Footwear News
By Veronika Bondarenko / September 19, 2017

A decade after they peaked in popularity, Crocs are once again hitting the runways — and the shelves.

The famous clog, which has been the subject of both praise and ridicule, reached its peak when it sold 50 million pairs and brought in $850 million in sales in 2007. But since then, the brand, which has made a name by playing up its functionality and perceived ugliness, has struggled with years of sinking sales, and plans to close more than 158 stores in the coming year.

Earlier this week, British designer Christopher Kane sent rhinestone-encrusted Crocs down the runway at London Fashion Week in a collaboration with the brand. Vogue also recently named the Croc as one of its 2017 shoe trends.

“Crocs is starting to turn itself around, even in these very difficult times,” Steven Marotta, an analyst for CL King & Associates, told the Post. “This is a company that has successfully gone back to the basics.”

Analysts interviewed by the newspaper said that Croc resurgence comes from years of the company taking steps to reinvent its branding — moves including closing stores that have not brought in substantial sales, cutting certain sandal and boot styles, and focusing more on the classic foam clog with a single strap and round breathing holes at the front.

Since its launch in 2002, the style has been eagerly taken up by artists and chefs (famed chef Mario Batali is known for his love of the shoe) for its practicality and ease of cleaning. Throughout Crocs’ lifespan, fashion has sometimes played up their inelegant practicality. Every once in a while, luxury fashion designers turn to the shoe’s exaggerated clunkiness as part of their style.

“Crocs are arguably the most comfortable shoe, I love that they are slightly awkward and might be perceived by some as ‘ugly,'” Kane said in a press statement about his collection. “They have a very naive and childlike shape, which I especially like when they look extra clunky on the foot.”

The original style, which sells for $35 and is also the one most frequently featured in magazines, brings in approximately half of the company’s sales.

“The classic clog has re-emerged as our hero,” Terence Reilly, chief marketing officer of Crocs, told the Post. “Certainly in 2017, there’s been a resurgence.”

Nike Is Letting People Make Custom Sneakers in Less Than an Hour

Footwear News
By Riley Jones / September 6, 2017

The NIKEiD platform is able to churn out customized sneakers at an impressive rate — delivery dates range from three to six weeks, depending on the model — but the brand’s new Makers’ Experience studio is closing that gap dramatically.

In a Tuesday press release, Nike detailed its Makers’ Experience at Nike By You Studio, which is located at 45 Grand St. in New York City’s Soho district. According to Nike, the studio combines digital design with traditional footwear making, resulting in customized shoes that are produced from start to finish in less than 90 minutes.

As if that weren’t impressive enough on its own, Nike VP of Innovation Special Projects Mark Smith took to Instagram to clarify that the actual wait time is less than an hour.

“[Athletes] love products that tell their story, so we wanted to combine that idea with a new process of live design and manufacturing that allows our guests to come into the space, work collaboratively with us and leave with a special product in less time than ever before,” Smith said in the press release.

The Nike Makers’ Experience currently offers one-of-a-kind takes on a brand-new silhouette made specifically for the studio, the Presto X. The shoe will be offered in traditional Air Presto fashion, as well as an updated slip-on iteration. According to Nike, both options are equally suited to make the most out of its new customization technology through dynamic object tracking.

“The Nike Makers’ Experience is a fast, fun, interactive, one-of-a-kind design experience,” Smith said. “It takes most people longer to come up with their idea than it does for us to make it.”

For now, only a lucky few will be able to attend the Makers’ Experience, as the event is open on an invite-only basis to Nike friends and family and select Nike+ members.