ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Founded in 1927, contemporary footwear brand Naturalizer is emerging this spring with a strategic gameplan to proudly, but humbly, take its rightful place as one of women’s favorite footwear brands.
After many months of meticulous research, thoughtful planning and dynamic creative execution, Naturalizer is set to unveil a new brand platform in April: a positive, authentic and momentum-fueled narrative that is powered by many voices as a means to reintroduce itself as the brand that is still striving with each new day to make the best fitting, most effortlessly chic shoes for women.
“Our passion is our purpose; To bring women a better shoe,” said Diane Sullivan, Caleres Inc. CEO, President and Chairman. “In fact, we were actually the first to build a shoe on a woman’s last. Industry talk, I know, but that means our fit is just better. This initiative is about establishing our stance in the world and the category; making our presence known through our actions. As a brand that promises to make women a better shoe, and keeping that promise for nearly 100 years.”
The platform and its launch campaign, “Today We Will,” is not only the statement of the brand’s commitment to continuously make better shoes in support of women, but an invitation to women everywhere to be present, engage and declare their intentions to live their best lives and support each other. Beautifully shot images, moving video content and compelling quotes underscore this messaging. Marketing and media will be supported with the hashtag, #TodayWeWill_____ , with the blank line serving as a call to action to women everywhere.
“’Today We Will’ is the statement of our purpose and intention,” said Sullivan. “It is the mindset we share with a modern woman. It is about inclusion, inspiring confident actions that matter in our lives. For Naturalizer, it is our promise to make a better shoe for nearly 100 years.”
Naturalizer is welcoming public figures, industry professionals and their own employees to appear in the campaign over the course of the year. The launch campaign features five women, whom the company identified as sharing the brand’s values, talking about the power of living with intent and what is important to them, with each making their own “Today We Will” declarations: Model, activist and writer Cameron Russell; Mogul CEO & founder and best-selling author Tiffany Pham; Architectural photographer, stylist and founder of The New Southern™ Alyssa Rosenheck; Designer and creative entrepreneur TyLynn Nguyen; and model and entrepreneur Flaviana Matata, who is also the founder of The Flaviana Matata Foundation.
“How nice to be part of a campaign about making promises with each other,” said Russell. “It’s inspiring to work with a company passionate about celebrating that when we dream together as a community, incredible things happen. I have found that to be true in my own work and life, and have been the most hopeful, the most powerful and most fulfilled when I am taking action with my community.”
The investment in the platform and campaign come at a time when the collections are consistently striking the perfect balance, rich with shoes that will both excite and meet the practical needs of women today. The design aesthetic is driven by a timeless, but never predictable philosophy that is also driven by quality over quantity and the consumer’s new fewer, better mindset.
“Our legendary emphasis on fit and elegant simplicity launched a brand that became known as ‘the shoe with the beautiful fit’ and we remain true to our roots: creating beautiful, modern styles that feel exceptional inside and out,” said Angelique Joseph, VP of Design for Naturalizer.
“Today We Will” arrives on the heels of a busy first quarter for Naturalizer, during which time the brand launched a new collection of elevated footwear, 27EDIT, and opened two flagship stores in New York and Chicago featuring 27EDIT and a new range of leather goods alongside a selection of carefully curated products made by independent, women-owned business.
“’Today We Will’, our new collections, the recently opened flagship stores – all of these exciting firsts bring Naturalizer’s philosophy of ingenious elegant utility to life,” said Jay Schmidt, Division President of Caleres Brand Portfolio. “They present us with more opportunities to have meaningful conversations that drive deeper engagement with customers, including our fastest- growing consumer segments, Millennials and Gen Xers.”
About Naturalizer:
Our passion is our purpose. To bring women a better shoe. In fact, Naturalizer is the first to construct shoes to withstand the test of time. Our legendary emphasis on fit and elegant simplicity launched a brand that became known as “the shoe with the beautiful fit.” Since 1927, we’ve crafted beautiful and modern styles that look and feel exceptional, inside and out. www.naturalizer.com
About Caleres (NYSE: CAL)
Caleres is a diverse portfolio of global footwear brands. Our products are available virtually everywhere - in the over 1,200 retail stores we operate, in hundreds of major department and specialty stores, on our branded e-commerce sites, and on many additional third-party retail websites. Famous Footwear offers great casual and athletic brands for the entire family with convenient, curated, affordable collections. Sam Edelman keeps expressive women in step with the latest trends in a playful, whimsical way. Naturalizer shoes are beautiful from the inside out, with elegant simplicity and legendary fit re-imagined for today’s consumer. Allen Edmonds combines old world craft with new world technology to create luxe footwear for the discerning man who wants sophisticated, modern classics. Rounding out our family of brands are Vionic, Vince, Franco Sarto, Dr. Scholl’s Shoes, LifeStride, Via Spiga, Diane von Furstenberg, Blowfish Malibu, Bzees, Carlos by Carlos Santana, Circus by Sam Edelman, Fergie, and rykä. Combined, these brands make Caleres a company with both a legacy and a mission. Our legacy is our more than 140 years of craftsmanship and our passion for fit, while our mission is to continue to inspire people to feel good…feet first. Visit caleres.com to learn more about us.