Barefoot Vibram FiveFingers: Newest Craze
Posted on 21. Aug, 2010 by Anna Zimmerman in Lifestyle
The ever changing fashion world is full of innovative ideas that some ideas may seem so ahead of its time. After the famous clown-like bulbous Crocs, comes another fashion forward trend — the Vibram FiveFingers shoes– a glovelike footwear with separate pockets for each of those five little twinkies. It looks much more ridiculous and ugly than its predecessors but the market is not bothered. In fact, Vibram FiveFingers are the latest must haves for every certified shoe collector.
CNN reports that Shoe manufacturer now struggles to meet the market demand. The company has expanded from one factory to five this year and tripled the size of its Boston warehouse. The so light weight FiveFingers, which sell for $75 to $125, made its debut back in 2006 but has gotten the public attention just recently when runners at elite events such as the Boston Marathon had their toes stuff in it.
About 90% of Barefoot Vibram FiveFingers shoes are shipped to the American market. Last year, their sales jumped to $11 million compared to the paltry $430,000 in 2006. This year, Vibram company revenue soared to a mighty $50 million in their other running, training, climbing, hiking, and trekking shoe models alone.
But it seems that the iconoclast Vibram FiveFingers shoes are not only making waves in the west coast of the globe, it is also becoming a popular commodity in China, where counterfeit products are very rampant. And that is exactly the major problem the company is facing right now. Counterfeit FiveFingers are being sold in a cheaper price. The Vibram company is currently working with authorities to end these illegal channels and protect their brand.
With Vibram FiveFingers runner can have almost the same running experience as if they were touching the ground with their own naked feet– allowing runners to feel everything and have a better grasp of their surroundings. . It improves the both speed and style. Vibram FiveFingers is bare that it also allow air to circulate inside making the feet able to breathe.
The FiveFingers story started six years ago when Robert Fliri, a industrial designer and avid mountaineer approached Vibram company–an Italian company that has been making soles for high-end hiking boots for 75 years– with an idea. He proposed an ultra lightweight shoe, almost like a glove but for the foot. Fliri believe this would capture the exact experience of going barefoot while protecting the wearer from all the abraisions and dirt on the road. Moreover, Fliri believed that his ergonomic barefoot shoes would enhance the wearer’s range of motion, balance, and posture.
A scientific study in a national journal has indeed confirm the merits of the barefoot shoe’s structural excellence but Podiatrists are quick to warn buyers that the barefoot FiveFingers may not be for everyone. People who don’t usually run or have serious foot problems, diabetic or obese people should be more cautious in using them.
But despite these warnings, the Vibram FiveFingers are still selling like hotcakes. Everyone from street dwellers to globe trekkers is putting their toes into them. It has become a collecting hobby for men like women collecting the latest Jimmy Choos.