Stylishly comfortable

Comfort shoes, or those with thick soles, round toes, and short heels, have long been popular with middle-aged women or those who work long hours on their feet. These shoes are loved for one thing and one thing only: they’re comfortable to wear. But would you slip them on for a fancy event or a formal gathering? Never in a fashionista’s wildest dreams. 

When it comes to footwear, you have to choose between style and comfort; they usually never come together, and when they do, the result looks like a silly attempt to be on-trend or comfort is compromised in the name of style.

Since its inception in 1927, comfort shoe brand Naturalizer has worked hard to deliver footwear choices that are as comfortable as they are stylish. But for the longest time, its biggest consumer has only been women aged 40 and up. 

“When you say Naturalizer, those who are familiar with the brand are the grandmothers and the mothers; women who are in their 40s to 60s,” Retail Specialist, Inc. merchandising manager Pam Abanilla told Manila Standard in an interview. RSI is the local distributor of Naturalizer in the Philippines. 

Hence to appeal to the younger market, Naturalizer reimagined the brand by offering new styles, new colors, and new textures along with the “classics” that kept the label relevant. 

Picking up from where it left in spring 2017, during which the brand introduced its sneakers line, Naturalizer launched new colors and textures for its sneakers and flat shoes. Its sneakers come in trendy colors like rose gold, peony pink, dark sapphire, and tiramisu, along with the classic black and white. They also come in a variety of materials, such as rich leather and soft suede. 

Metallic is a huge part in Naturalizer’s spring/summer 2018 collection, as it is incorporated in its clogs, flats, strappy heels, kitten heel pumps, and open-toed wedges. The bestselling pumps and sandals also come in new colors and textures as well as added embellishments. 

More women in their 20s to 30s or those career women and young mothers are now engaging with the brand, thanks to its latest releases and the growing trend towards comfortable apparel. 

Naturalizer makes sure to maintain its patented N5 comfort elements, which are extra cushioning, breathable lining, balanced heel-to-toe, flexible soles, and lightweight material, while integrating new elements—this is how the brand is able to appeal to this generation’s consumers while sticking to its promise of comfort. 

Abanilla, who wears Naturalizer as she goes about her 9-to-5, attests to the comfort of the brand. “I wear my Naturalizer sneakers the whole day, I walk a lot, I commute a lot—and there’s no pain,” she shared. 

She even related how the brand’s shoes saved her feet from strain when she was in Hong Kong, and walked more than 19,000 steps in a one day.

But of course, comfort aside, the brand is proud to have launched styles that women can proudly wear at any place, in any occasion. 

“It’s not something that you’re embarrassed to wear because they’re not nice, because they’re just comfy. It’s comfortable and stylish,” emphasized Abanilla. 

In celebration of its 90th anniversary, Naturalizer invites everyone to trade in any old but wearable pair of ladies’ leather shoes for a Naturalizer gift certificate worth P2,000. Donated pairs will go to Revelation City Community Foundation. Promo runs until March 15. 

Naturalizer boutiques are located at Glorietta 4, Shangri-La Plaza, SM Megamall, Ayala Malls The 30th, TriNoma, Alabang Town Center, Mall of Asia, Ayala Cebu, and Abreeza Davao.