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Nearly a year after the launch of its first shoe, Alo Yoga is making some changes to the inaugural model.
Starting on Monday, the shoe formerly known as the “Alo x 01 Classic” sneaker will now be referred to as the “Recovery Mode” sneaker. According to Danny Harris, co-founder and co-chief executive officer of Alo, the move to change the name came after reviewing customer feedback and the desire to highlight the shoe’s recovery features.
“The initial name of the sneaker was more of a way to mark that this was Alo’s first shoe to market that was a classic, everyday silhouette,” Harris told FN in an interview on Friday. “But what you didn’t get until you put on the shoe is the recovery component. So, rather than naming the shoe, as we did, with something that you visually got, we wanted a name that really spoke to what the shoe was about.”
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But while the name might have changed, the design did not. The unisex sneaker still features a cushioned comfort collar, high-rebound recovery foam insoles to support pressure points and flexible interior soles for arch support.
“I believe that our customers will react really well to this new evolution of the Recovery Mode,” Harris said. “The new name allows us to continue to tell our story that we’ve been telling for so long. It’s about being the best version of yourself, quieting your negative subconscious, amplifying your positive subconscious, setting intentions goal and so on. So, I think that the shoe is very much in line with our values.”
Harris added that the demand for the sneaker still exceeds supply and is expected to remain that way for “some time,” as Alo fans still seek to score the style. “We’ve never had a product where we’ve had such overwhelming positive reviews,” he noted.
New for spring are a slew of fresh colorways. Up until recently, Alo’s first sneaker was only available in white on white. Now, the Recovery Mode sneaker is also available in black and white, pink and white, gravel and white, and grey and white colorways. An additional navy and white colorway is also now available in stores and will launch online on April 15. The sneaker retails for $185.
As for when Alo may launch another shoe, Harris teased that the company has a new model in the works. “I would anticipate that we would launch another shoe before the end of the year,” Harris said. “But in the meantime, we are 100 percent committed to this recovery shoe. I believe this shoe will be in our line forever.”
Harris and is team are also full steam ahead on the company’s bullish store opening strategy. In May last year, the CEO told FN that he expects Alo to have 100 stores companywide by the end of 2024. “I believe we will be over 30 percent above that original goal by the end of this year,” Harris said. “It’s really exciting to both love what you do enjoy and to also see the positive impact that you have on people’s lives.”
