Journey behind the scenes of our campaign shoot on the magical Portuguese island, where we encourage you to “Feel More” this summer
Summer is here which means one thing: adventure beckons. Longer, lighter days, sunshine, eating al fresco, holidays, long weekends…there’s a lot to feel good about in the summer months. Summer is feel-good in its very nature.
This summer season, we want to take that feel-good, bottle it, and then take it up a level: to ‘feel more’. As well as being a time for fun and relaxation, we see summer as a gateway to something new. It’s a time to try something new, to take a different direction and embrace change, or embark on a new challenge. It’s the perfect time because you already feel good. So why not feel more?
That’s there we come in. Well Vivobarefoot, three awe-inspiring athletes and an island paradise that frankly we didn’t want to leave. We wanted to start the summer as we mean to go on - with an adventure to kick-start a whole new feeling of reconnection.
“The whole philosophy of Vivobarefoot is to make shoes that allow your feet to do their natural thing – to move and feel”, says Design Director Asher Clark.
“The ultra-thin soles of every Vivo shoe allow you to reconnect your feet with your brains and ultimately the world around you. From the concrete city streets to oceans and mountains, we have your feet covered because the truth is that is all they need.”
Why Madeira for this sensory adventure?
“The island of Madeira is pretty unique and frankly an amazing place with lots of different bio-climates…from amazing cloud covered mountains, rocky technical trails, lush forests and rocky beaches that all sit at the top of a massive shield volcano rising 6km from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean.”
How could you not feel more in an environment like that? This is the spirit we want to capture and inspire for this summer’s adventures - take a trip, and a leap forward whilst you’re at it.
“For the majority of our existence us humans have lived in rhythm and deeply connected to nature and our environment, and Madeira offered and a one-stop shop to get out of the city, come together as a creative team and a group of athletes and go and experience this! We took two incredible Vivobarefoot ambassadors, a team GB athlete and ten hero shoes that are designed for different environments for a sensorial charged test drive into their natural habitat.”
MEET THE TALENT
Vivobarefoot Co-Founder and Design Director Asher Clark talks us through the talent bringing barefoot living to Madeira.
TIM SHIEFF
Free-running World Champion, Ninja Warrior and ‘Last Man Standing’
“Tim a shining example of a young passionate movement specialist and a very skilful mover and can do some seriously super bonkers moves that are simply inspiring, and make you want to go out and move in nature!”
JESSICA HUNTER
Olympic Team GB 100m Hurdles Athlete
“Put simply, she is a hunter! One of the most dedicated and focused people I’ve met, she is a sports model and professional athlete. On a mission to be the ultimate athlete and version of herself, on and off the track, for us she is movement at the highest level and a potential future podium in the 2020 Olympics. We met and were super inspired by her. We were excited to take her off the track, out of the city and deep into nature in our shoes. It was amazing to work with her and spend five days seeing her do what she does best, but in a totally different environment. It was cool and she is very cool!”
JENNIFER ASP
Vivobarefoot elite athlete and trail runner
“Jennifer has been part of the Vivobarefoot family ever since we started developing the Primus Trail series. ‘Mountain nature woman’ probably best describes her! An elite trail runner that got plagued with injury before she transitioned to barefoot. The ultimate barefoot badass of the mountains - as long as there is Jennifer there is Vivo! We want to be like her.”
Finally, why should we all get out and think with our feet this summer?
Millions of years in the making, 26 bones, 33 joints and hundreds of muscles, your feet are a perfect bit bits if kit. Seems a shame to not to use them. The human foot is a biomechanical masterpiece. When left to its own devices, it can cope with everything from walking and running to jumping and dancing.
But by cramming it into a modern shoe, you negate its natural function and perhaps more importantly, that thick cushy sole your used to gets in the way of the thousands of nerve endings in your feet that allow you to feel the ground in all of sensory detail – this is a vital foot brain connection so you can move with skill but it also feels good, feels stimulating, your feet and our shoes are designed to feel.
Don’t take our word for it kick off your sneakers with all that fancy underfoot technology and listen to what your feet have to say – they just might tell you something!
