Posted by admin on June 16, 2009

Vivo Barefoot: The Shoes of My Dreams!

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A couple months ago I wrote a post about the Vivo Barefoot shoes from Terra Plana in which I interviewed the company’s president Galahad Clark about what he calls the “Barefoot Revolution.”  Basically this means going along with millions of years of evolution and not cramming your foot into a shoe that keeps you disconnected from the surfaces on which you’re walking.

Instead, Vivo Barefoot shoes have thin, flexible soles which allow the nerve endings in your feet to send the correct information to your brain helping you stay balanced.  This, in turn, relieves your spine, hips, and the rest of your body from stressful,unnatural postures that can lead to serious health issues.

It all sounds well and good; but the proof is in the pudding, right?  So Terra Plana kindly sent me a pair of their Vivo Barefoot Lucy shoes (pictured above)to try out and review. Since I am not the type to shy away from controversy, I decided to really put these shoes to the test.  I wore them for the first time on a day that I knew I would be on my feet for more than 12 hours.

I am pleased to report that they are (and I do not exaggerate) the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever had on my feet.  They are literally so comfortable, I don’t even remember I have them on even when I am standing or walking for hours at a time.  I’ve tested them several days for 12+ hours at a time and they only become more comfortable each time I put them on.

Granted, these are not haute couture shoes–but you don’t wear Miu Miu pumps to school, the park, or grocery shopping.  (Unless you’re a moron). That means you need something comfortable and cute to wear with your jeans and shorts as you’re running around. And for that, I highly recommend Vivo Barefoot.

One word of caution:  The sizes run a little small (Euro sizes), so consider buying one size up–especially if your feet are wide.

Many thanks to Galahad Clark, Sabra Ellingson and Claire de Boer of Terra Plana for their help.  AND!  As an incentive to try these fabulous shoes, Terra Plana has provided a discount code for 15% off all VivoBarefoot styles for men and women through June 30, 2009.  Simply use the discount code:  EVOLVEDFASHION at the check out!

I leave you with more images of Vivo Barefoot!

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Posted by The Q on February 12, 2009

Vive la Vivo Barefoot Revolution!


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“We shall not cease from exploration, and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” – T.S. Eliot

Galahad Clark knows shoes.  Perhaps you’ve heard of his family’s shoe company?  Clark’s has been making shoes in England since 1825 and has grown to become one of the most well-recognized and loved shoe companies in the world.  As the progeny of global a shoe empire Galahad Clark’s insistence on “going barefoot” might seem at best, rebellious.

But the reality is that Clark is now developing a new kind of shoe.  One that provides both protection and the benefits of walking around barefoot.  “You have more than 200,000 nerve endings in your feet,” he says emphatically, “sending necessary information to your mind that helps it maintain balance, agility, and spinal health.”

“There are an incredible number of Americans who have foot and back problems.  Yet when you go to cultures in Asia or Africa where shoes are not always worn, these problems are almost non-existent.  Far and away, the cultures that wear less shoes, have less foot and back problems.”

Armed with a team of scientists and researchers, Clark has made every effort to design the patented thin sole to optimize the six million years of evolutionary technology in the human body.  The line of mens’ and womens’ shoes are called Vivo Barefoot, and the movement Clark is touting is a “barefoot revolution”.  That is, wearing shoes that allow you to strengthen the muscles in your feet, improve your posture, and re-learn how to walk by letting you feel the surfaces you walk on.

“Wearing Vivo Barefoot shoes is like having your arm in a cast for many years and then suddenly taking it off.  There is a transition period where you have to adjust to the sensation.  But I’ve had professional and amateur athletes tell me that wearing the Vivo Barefoot shoes in everyday life has helped their performance in their respective sports.”

Vivo Barefoot is the latest line of shoes sold by Terra Plana, a shoe company that is passionate about making sustainable footwear.  That means that these shoes are not just good for your health–they are good for the planet.  Vivo Barefoot shoes use recycled mesh, eco-friendly linings, and vegetable tanned leathers.

The shoes are manufactured in China, but under the strictest ethical guidelines.  In fact, Clark speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and travels to China six times a year.  He spends time walking the floor of the factory and talking to the employees personally to assess the conditions.  He speaks of the line with a sense of pride and the genuine enthusiasm of someone who believes in the product he makes.

“It’s like getting reflexology all day long,” he laughs, “feeling is believing!”

Buy Terra Plana’s Vivo Barefooot shoes online at:  www.terraplana.com.  You can also read Galahad Clark’s blog and learn more about the ethical and sustainable policies of Terra Plana on their website.

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