Naturalizer takes fall trends to the tropics
MANILA, Philippines - We snicker at that girl, that girl who dares to ride the train in a camel-colored leather pencil skirt, that leather skirt we wish we bought, that leather skirt we wish we had the guts to wear, on the train, no less. For those of us who follow fashion, two seasons just isn’t enough. Fall is especially exciting for cool weather-deprived Manila and September usually signals the start of leather weather, but how can we when it’s 33-degrees out? As Erika Szychowski, global marketing head of Brown Shoe Company, Inc., makers of Naturalizer, put it, “No matter where you are, you still want to feel relevant. You need to find a way to incorporate trends into your wardrobe and still look elegant.” As New York Fashion Week offers the world a glimpse of upcoming spring trends on the runway, we’re catching up on fall fashion, ready to wear trends our way and shoes are the easiest way to turn a classic outfit into an on-trend look.
Last Sept. 4, Naturalizer held an exclusive sneak peek of their fall/winter collection, which will be available in October. Naturalizer’s Szychowski shared fall trends around the world. The gist: we are entering a season of menswear-inspired looks tailored pants and jackets, textures and patterns that include tweed, Houndstooth, plaid, tartan, croc and snake-embossed details. And the brand, which was the first brand to create shoes from the last on an actual woman’s foot (prior to 1927, before Naturalizer was established, shoes for women were created on the last of the male foot), translates the menswear trend into footwear for its fall collection.
Behold the stacked heel, texture-blocking,
and the almond toe
Color blocking has been around for many seasons, and its latest derivative is a more muted, fall-appropriate application of the trend, which is the use of different materials in the same hue to highlight differences in texture (think patent leather blocked with suede, as seen in Naturalizer’s Haberton in modern gray). The stiletto heel, a holiday party mainstay and perhaps the cause of many an after-hour sidewalk stumble, is replaced with the stable stacked heel, a slimmer and more modest wedge, and flats. A personal favorite, the “smoking loafer” is given an update with wing-tip style perforations in a nice, deep russet. “The smoking loafer can be worn with tailored pants and a fitted blazer, or for a more casual look, with bold-colored denim jeans,” said Szychowski. The classic almond toe is very now, and it’s back to balance the heavy stacked heel of this season’s pumps and booties with a more feminine front.
“Fall/winter trends have been something that we’ve always dabbled with here; we’ve learned from the markets around the world by listening to ‘her’ and ‘her’ needs all year round,” said Szychowski. “Naturalizer has been in the Philippines for 20 years and when it was first introduced, it was all about the heritage of an American brand. Over the last eight to 10 years, the brand has been more global. So now it’s a more customized product for your market,” she says, “In the beginning it was really about the summer season and trying to stretch that out, but now we’re hearing the demands of the market and ensuring that there are products of different styles on a year-round basis.”
Naturalizer is a brand that puts comfort first. Every shoe comes with N5 comfort flexible soles, breathable linings, extra cushioning, balanced heel-to-toe and lightweight material. Naturalizer has branches at Shangri-La Plaza, Glorietta 4, TriNoma, Alabang Town Center, Robinsons Place Manila, Robinsons Galleria, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, The Block, SM North Edsa, Gateway Mall, Araneta Center, Marquee Mall, Ayala Center Cebu, SM City Cebu, Abreeza Mall in Davao, SM City Davao and SM Cagayan de Oro.
