Clarks Kids Comes to North America
As someone with what I like to call “old lady feet,” I have to be very careful about the shoes I wear. They need to fit my orthotics in them, be well made and extremely comfortable. No big heels, no tiny toes, no Payless. I’m the same way with my children’s feet - only the best for those cute little tootsies.
Clarks is one of my favourite brands for my own feet and so I was very excited to hear this great news: Clarks USA is now carrying shoes for kids! (Well, they’re coming this month, so they’re not even on the website yet for me to link to.)
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Clarks, here’s some info from their press release:
Clarks kids is modeled after the same principles of other Clarks brands, comfort and quality, and the commitment to keeping kids’ feet healthy, happy and looking good.
“Our goal for introducing Clarks kids in the U.S. market is to offer our customers a choice in premium children’s footwear,”
“As with all our shoes, we invest significant time in research and development to make sure we deliver the best possible fit and the highest quality materials.”
Clarks kids are specially designed to fit the unique characteristics of kids’ feet. Research shows that the right fit is critical to promoting healthy bone development and that an improper fit can cause irreparable damage to kids’ feet. From the product development stage to the point-of-sale at Clarks’ store, Clarks kids’ upholds the promise of comfort and fit. During the early stages of production, Clarks road tests each style of shoe with school-age children in the U.K. At the store, all Clarks store associates go through rigorous training and are not approved to fit kids until they have witnessed 50 fittings, a system that creates a staff of Expert Trained Fitters.
Available in a full range of width fittings and whole and half sizes, Clarks kids take baby from diapers to Kindergarten and are designed to fit kids as they grow from ages 0-5. Clarks kids’ “First Shoes” collection includes crawlers, cruisers and walkers made to nurture and protect tiny feet as they move through the key stages of foot development, while Clarks kids’ toddler and pre-school shoes are designed to ensure children have confidence as they begin to run and play. All Clarks kids feature built-in growing room and additional padding for comfort to the foot. In addition, Clarks offers parents a “Growing Feet Record” to keep track of their child’s foot growth and regular fit checks are encouraged to ensure a perfect fit, season after season. Soft, supple leathers, fun colors and charming embellishments make Clarks kids an attractive option for the pint-sized trendsetter while ensuring little feet are protected every step of the way.
Clarks kids is also pleased to offer CICA by Clarks. A European athletic footwear brand “built for action”, CICA by Clarks feature the same performance benefits as other athletic footwear collections like supergrip soles and underfoot cushioning while being the only athletic footwear line specifically designed to fit the shape of kids’ feet.
Clarks kids collection is priced an average of $45 and is available exclusively at Clarks’ retail stores in major markets across the country.
We have the children of two T.O.P. reviewers testing out Clarks Kids footwear and here’s what they have to say:
Sarah says: My son received his sample of the Jungle Rock FST shoe in stone coloured leather (pictured at right, left side of image) last week and he immediately asked me to put them on and take him bike riding - his very favorite outdoor hobby. Because bike riding for him consists of pushing along on a tricycle until he picks up speed and then dragging his feet behind him, it wasn’t long before he had scuffed the toes up but I think it makes these shoes look even cuter. Little boys are supposed to be rough on their stuff! In his own style of language, Miles tells me these shoes are very comfortable. If you must know, this means he wanted to nap in them and, even after he had biked in them, I let him. It was too cute to resist! They’re very easy to get on and off with the great design of the velcro and though they’re runners they’re stylish enough to wear with many types of outfits. When he outgrows (or wrecks) this pair I’ll definitely pay the $45 to get him the next size up. It’s worth it to know your kid is wearing quality footwear while he looks good!
Emily says: My daughter Anie received a sample of the Spring Sparkle shoe in white leather (pictured above right). She has very small feet and walked early so we were able to test these as walkers even in a size three and I must say that they’re probably the most adorable pair of shoes she has. For a shoe addicted mother like me, that’s saying something! They’re obviously comfortable because she has worn them every day all day for a week, in the house and out, and they’re easy to get on and off. Granted we haven’t had them long enough to put them through the ringer as kids are bound to do, but they look great after a week of hard wear and tomorrow we’re off to the zoo. Other than being covered in poop and other zoo-related goo, I’m confident that these Clarks Kids shoes will stand up to a full day of walking and playing. These retail for $35 and would be well worth the price. Next time I head to the Clarks store in my neighborhood, I’ll be bringing Anie to choose another pair in her next size!
So? A complete hit with both kid reviewers and both moms think they’re worth the price.
Watch your local Clarks store for the arrival of Clarks Kids this month!
