Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Sole concepts

I will admit it. I really like my job. Sure, it's retail, and yes, it's tiring. However somehow despite the burning shoulders, avoiding falling boxes, and some very (emphasis on very) difficult customers, there is something pretty personal and hands-on about selling shoes... and I'm loving it (smelly feet, gross bunyons, and flaky skin aside, of course)!

I interned for the corporate office of Clarks Companies, N.A. in the men's design department two summers ago (one of these days I'll post some of the things I worked on), but now I'm getting a whole new perspective on actually selling this famously comfortable footwear brand in their retail stores.

My recent employment is why I was so intrigued by the Design Continuum's (a popular Boston-based industrial design firm) Solay Running Shoe. Here's the scoop: it has a removable footbed insert which can be replaced after cushion has worn down. This concept particularly caught my eye because I have recently noticed in my own incredibly comfortable Avia running shoes that they are not as "cushy" as they once were!


The life of the shoe is extended because you can remove and replace the midsole of the shoe as it gets compressed and worn out. It also occurred to me that orthodic inserts could also be inserted for people suffering from foot problems, surgery, etc. Buying shoes for people with such conditions is pretty difficult, so if there were even greater options and flexibility, I can see this as a very practical product.
I'm no marathon-er, but I do know that as much as I love shoes, I hate finding new sneakers. All in all, I think it's a pretty brilliant idea, don't you?!

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