Footwear Plus Shoesday Tuesdays: Aetrex Delivers Solutions

Aetrex’s developments in technology, comfort and wellness are adding new depths to the brand’s portfolio this spring. The company is partnering with GTX Corp, a developer of people-finding devices, to incorporate the company’s patented GPS technology in the new Apex Ambulator GPS shoe. Larry Schwartz, CEO of Aetrex Worldwide, says the therapeutic shoe with an embedded mini GPS tracking device will provide caregivers the means to help easily find those afflicted with Alzheimer’s.

How it works: When a senior with Alzheimer’s wanders off more than a pre-set distance, their caregiver will immediately receive a geo-fence alert on their smartphone and computer with a direct link to a Google map plotting the wearer’s location.

The GPS shoe will be available on a limited basis starting this fall at a few select assisted-living facilities. A larger rollout is planned for next year. The shoe will retail between $200 and $300.

Aetrex is also gearing up to bow a series of rocker bottom wellness shoes called Bodyworks. “Aetrex customers want the ultimate footwear for health and wellness,” Schwartz says, adding it’s the right time to introduce the line because the shoes have specific technical differences from others on the market. The system’s double rocker sole transfers pressure and stress away from feet toward areas of the body that benefit from stimulation and help tone the lower body, encourage healthy midfoot walking and promote proper body alignment. The line includes four groups for women: sporty lace-ups, sporty and casual Mary Janes, and classic white walking shoes. Athletic lace-ups, brown casuals and walking shoes with Velcro closures are offered for men.

Additionally, Aetrex’s new Essence heel collection delivers comfort and fashion side by side. “We’re providing retailers with a line that provides extraordinary comfort and support without compromising the highest fashion standards,” Schwartz explains. The collection blends stylish T-straps, multi-band designs and sophisticated cross-strap sandals—all with a buckle closure and crafted from luxurious combinations of soft tumbled leather and stretch fabric—with Aetrex’s core comfort features. Each shoe has a 2 1/4-inch heel, is constructed with a built-in Lunco shaped footbed and features generous cushioning. “You’ll feel like you’re in your favorite pair of sneakers,” Schwartz assures.

Stella McCartney and Proenza Schouler turned up the voltage of their spring shows with jolts of electric blue. The saturated hue (perhaps a final relic from last year’s ’80s revival?) translates to footwear with the same intensity. Glossy patents, fine mesh and bold straps freshen up the look for a new season.

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