It’s the end of an era in Burnaby for a global shoe giant.
Naturalizer, which first went into business in 1927, has closed its store in the city’s largest shopping centre, Metropolis at Metrotown amid sluggish sales partially blamed on COVID-19.
More than 130 Naturalizer stores in the United States and Canada are being closed as parent company Caleres Inc. adopts a digital sales strategy for the shoe chain.
The company also closed its store at Brentwood mall in North Burnaby and follows other local store closures, including the H&M clothing store in Lougheed Town Centre, which closes forever on May 16.
Calares says a large percentage of Naturalizer's sales already originate online, a trend in consumer shopping habits that has accelerated during the COVD-19 pandemic.
For the nine months ended Oct. 1, 2020, Caleres revenue fell to US$1.55 billion from US$2.22 billion a year earlier. Its nine-month loss of US$362.1 million compared with a US$62.4-million profit.
Naturalizer recently announced it is expanding its True Colors collection with a wide selection of on-trend and versatile styles in a range of natural hues, embracing and celebrating individuality.
Originally making its debut in Spring 2019, the True Colors collection now features a spectrum of 10 neutral shades ranging from Barely Cremé to Mahogany. Naturalizer utilized its consumer insights and feedback, taking each shade’s undertones into consideration during the design process. The highly anticipated collection builds on the brand’s ongoing mission to make products to fit every woman’s unique lifestyle.
“At Naturalizer, standing for women has always been our thing so creating a collection that celebrates all women and the unique skin tone was meaningful to us,” said Angelique Joseph Vice President – Design, Global Naturalizer – in a news release. “Nude is a not a one-shade-fits-all-color, so it was important that we think differently and create an inclusive spectrum of neutral tones that recognizes the diversity in all women. This collection is a celebration of who we are when we are honestly ourselves and is designed to inspire every woman to live her true colors. No apologies.”
Caleres also owns a number of other brands including Sam Edelman, Vionic, Dr. Scholls and Famous Footwear.
- With files from the Canadian Press
