Since 1964, Vasque has been creating purpose-built trail boots after founder W.D. Sweasy traveled to Europe and witnessed firsthand the hiking craze.
Now, Vasque is furthering this six-decades-long commitment to mobilizing Americans outdoors and encouraging people to “log outside” with a new collection of everyday shoes, enter the Re:connect Collection.
Through the launch of the Re:connect Collection, the outdoor footwear company is evolving to meet the needs of its consumers through a more versatile product. The Re:connect Collection features two iterations of shoes, both built with lightweight and sustainable materials for maximized comfort and designed to go from “town to trail.”
The first part of the collection, called ‘Here’, launched this fall; and the ‘Now’ shoes will be released in Spring 2024. Director of Product Design at Vasque, Amy Peck, told Fairchild Studios that the goal is to entice new consumers and open up their consumer base to a wider demographic while appealing to those who already love and incorporate Vasque hiking shoes into their lifestyle.
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“Amid the pandemic, we saw a significant shift in how the general population thought about the outdoors,” Peck said. “This specific consumer is looking for a high-quality shoe that gives them the support and performance they need for their local parks and trails, but also could easily transition to walking their dog around the block – an everyday outdoor shoe.”
Utilizing Vasque’s expertise within the hiking shoe market, Peck said they were able to apply their fit and finish to a new category. The aggressive Xlite outsole and midsole of the Here shoe provide consumers with a substantial technical grip and support to mesh fitness and lifestyle together for an all-in-one shoe.
Created from an anatomical last, the Here shoe wraps around the foot to create a fit that allows for comfortable movement. Through enhanced micro multidirectional traction, the footwear is designed to easily change scenery — whether going for an urban trek or an after-work hike.
The design of the Here shoe has futuristic styling with a distinctive oversized rocker heel and a recycled polyester upper that is lightweight and breathable. While maintaining a refined look, the performance capabilities match that of a traditional light hiking shoe. The upcoming Now shoe has a wider outsole, thicker midsole and extended heel fit collar system, all of which provide an added degree of comfort and stability.
Peck explains that the idea behind the collection was to encapsulate a new product that simultaneously preserves the level of quality and craftsmanship the brand has maintained since the 1960s.
Another way the Re:connect Collection stands apart is through its sustainable material choices. Bio-based sugar cane is utilized for the midsoles, as it provides the quality and performance the company is known for. 100 percent of the upper mesh is recycled, 85 percent of the polyester webbing and lace is recycled and 60 percent of the content heel counter is recycled.
Furthermore, Peck noted that all aspects of sustainability such as recycled materials, bio-based materials and circularity are a fundamental part of the design process. Through this new product assortment that easily transitions from lifestyle to trails, Vasque’s shoes are helping ground its consumers in the present moment.
“The Re:connect collection is meant to inspire wearers to simply step outside,” Peck said. “We believe you don’t have to travel far to change your perspective. The Re:connect Collection isn’t meant to replace our classic styles, but rather open the aperture of our brand to an all-new consumer by addressing a need that we haven’t previously.
