Earth Inc’s Kalsø Earth® Shoes “Groove” Into Spring 2012

Original wellness shoe further “un-earths” its roots while still honoring past

WALTHAM, MA July 2011 – What began in Fall / Winter 2011 with the re-vitalization of the original 1970’s Kalsø Earth® Shoe logo for all Earth, Inc. “negative heel” product, is now extending in both spirit and intention to Spring / Summer 2012. The dynamic Spring / Summer line of Kalsø Earth Shoes features a respectful nod to its much-heralded past, and is newly infused with stylish updates and a fresh design aesthetic to create a very current, wellness lifestyle-based casual product assortment.

The Kalsø Earth Shoe story is one that goes back more than 40 years. It dates to the brainchild of a young Danish yoga instructor, Anne Kalsø, who envisioned that wellness – much like that experienced during the daily practice of yoga – could be perpetuated and extended into a day-to-day existence. In an attempt to animate this inspired vision, she set out to design the ‘original wellness shoe’, a shoe that simulated walking barefoot on the beach with a slight “negative heel” design to naturally re-distribute body weight. By the early 1970’s, the concept of her shoe had seized the imagination of an entire youth movement, and became simply known as the Kalsø Earth Shoe. In recognition of its fashion icon status, the original Kalsø shoe is now memorialized in New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Leveraging the Earth, Inc. design team’s sensibility in the areas of both design and production, the new Spring / Summer 2012 Kalsø Earth Shoe line features authentic, playful styles that are fun-spirited while throwing a subtle nod to the 1970’s. Several casual trends in the footwear marketplace have been integrated into the design of the Spring / Summer 2012 Kalsø Earth Shoe line, highlighted by cut-out sandal booties, tribal-inspired gladiators and rattan-wrapped sandals. Several athleisure styles also incorporate bold color detailing and accents to add a sense of freshness and pop to the collection.

Gary Champion, President, states, “It’s difficult to imagine a line that offers a greater opportunity for design creativity than Kalsø Earth Shoes. Consumers who care about living healthily and taking care of their bodies naturally exude a carefree spirit and energy. We set out to celebrate that energy, and the wellness attributes associated with Anne Kalsø’s ‘negative heel’ design, in a very light, casual and fun way. What our Spring / Summer 2012 collection represents is an exciting and approachable assortment that heritage Kalsø wearers will relish, and consumers who may be new to the Kalsø concept will find pleasingly different.”

Spring / Summer Kalsø Earth Shoes will be previewed in July / August 2011 to retailers at the FFaNY, WSA, Platform and Atlanta Shoe Market trade shows. With MSRPs ranging from $69 to $159 USD, the new collection will start shipping in December 2011. Noteworthy new styles in the line include:

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About Earth, Inc. and Earth^® Footwear*

* Earth® is a brand of Earth, Inc. based in Waltham, Massachusetts (USA). For more information about the Earth, Inc. brand portfolio, please visit earthbrands.com. All media inquiries may be directed to Katie Kangas at 781.547.4417 or katie.kangas@earthbrands.com.