Sorel aims for inclusivity with Zappos Adaptive line
Portland-headquartered footwear brand Sorel, owned by Columbia Sportswear, recently celebrated the launch of three styles specifically modified for Zappos Adaptive, a division of Amazon-owned Zappos geared towards more accessible products.
Sorel and Zappos Adaptive worked collaboratively to enhance the perceived inclusivity of the three boot silhouettes (the Explorer II Joan Dual Zip, Emelie II Chelsea Heel Zip and Explorer Boot Dual Zip), they said, engineering “each design element” to achieve “the ultimate balance of function and style”.
These “inclusive” features include dual zippers and enlarged pull loops (intended to make the on-off process easier), plus unspecified adaptations to closures, stitching, lace length, collar height and more. Each design tweak was tested by individuals with disabilities.
Sorel’s president, Mark Nenow, described how his brand’s work alongside Zappos Adaptive inspired it “to empower and embolden even more unstoppable individuals through function-first design, because Sorel is for everyone.” He also stressed how, in his view, the partnership was closely tied to “the future of fashion”.
On behalf of Zappos Adaptive, the firm’s business development manager, Dana Zumbo, said that the e-commerce platform was humbled to partner with Sorel on bringing the latter's first inclusivity-minded footwear line to market.
Explaining their joint process, Ms Zumbo added: “With both brands’ passion for meeting customer needs, we seamlessly aligned throughout the process, which involved sharing feedback from Zappos Adaptive customers’ most requested features and working directly with the disabled community to ensure the most universal fit and wear possible.”
Sorel Adaptive’s Explorer II Joan Dual Zip boot. Image via Zappos.
