Modern and beautiful shoes with BÄR principles!
Experience the interview live on YouTube or read the full transcript here. The interview focuses on the design and functionality of BÄR shoes. They stand for pure comfort and flexibility.
INTERVIEW BETWEEN DR. CLAUDIA SCHULZ AND CHRISTOF BÄR:
Dr. Claudia Schulz: BÄR is known for durability, safety, and also for a particular shoe style. This is naturally rooted in the anatomy and shape of the shoes. There are the famous originals that you can recognize at a glance, but how does BÄR deal with fashion trends, for example? Do you take such things into account as well, or do you say: no, we only make a particular type of shoe? I think a lot has developed in this area, too. A woman today who wants comfort and perhaps needs a certain degree of orthopedic support because of physical issues still does not want an old-fashioned shoe, to put it rather disparagingly. She wants a modern shoe. How does BÄR deal with this issue or with these topics?
Christof Bär: As you rightly said, our origins lie in offering feet at every age what they need. That has always been our main task. The development of our customers, particularly in relation to current trends—which is naturally more apparent in women’s shoes than in men’s shoes—is as follows: They do not want to dress like their grandmother, but they do want to walk comfortably. We consistently pursue the goal of giving the foot the very best. Selling the most beautiful shoe on the market is not an easy task. When working with a last designed to suit the natural shape of the foot, you first have to create something that reflects the current spirit of the times.
Dr. Claudia Schulz: Pumps are not particularly in demand at the moment anyway; sportier shoes, sneaker styles of all kinds, are more popular—which should actually work in your favor.
Christof Bär: That’s right, you can see that. I mean, competition has also increased as a result, because we can no longer operate alone in this niche. We have naturally also developed shoes in these areas that meet those expectations. The sneaker look is important here. For us, the key question is always: how much Toe freedom do we give the shoe? That is the fundamental theme, and it works very well here—or, as we said earlier, with sustainable materials too, such as the SEAQUAL yarn used here, which is even water-repellent. Lightness is always an issue, but it is always in conflict with what the foot requires anatomically, because something lightweight is not always as stable as necessary, so we have to pay close attention to whether the right support is provided. Here, we work with materials and combinations of materials that also contribute to the product’s quality. For example, we have a TPU/PU connection here or a latex sole. It is not only excellent from a sustainability perspective; it is also very much in keeping with current trends. Functionally, it allows us to say that there is hardly a softer material than a latex sole, which cushions the foot and provides optimum comfort in the thinnest possible space. Alongside this, we have the high standard of incorporating fashion trends, of course. Our goal is to translate something onto a wide last using a simple design that looks good, is wearable, and reflects current trends—and this works through the materials, the material structures, the colors, or details such as colorful soles or laces that reflect current trends. We also work with small themes and accessories, such as the little hearts here. We make the zipper visible and use high-quality sliders. In this way, we offer something that provides 100% comfort while still being wearable with trendy looks.
Dr. Claudia Schulz: When it comes to trendy styles, especially the many wide-leg trousers, a shoe with a little more volume is actually a perfect match, because otherwise the shoe might disappear beneath those wide trousers. What I particularly liked was the shoe with the crepe sole that you showed me earlier. I think that with shoes that are very clean and very high-quality, it is naturally also important to use high-quality material with a truly uniform grain structure. To me, this falls somewhat under the fashion trend of “quiet luxury,” and these are very modern shoes in my view. Naturally, the entire sneaker segment will continue as well, but I think you can clearly see a further development, including in the models you have just shown. BÄR has certainly not stood still; instead, it observes fashion trends without wanting to be a trendsetter. The aim is to meet the expectations of this customer while still giving the shoes a modern, contemporary touch. I think that is exactly what has been achieved very well.
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