Dr. Scholl’s will soon be making more house calls.
The footwear brand, owned by St. Louis-based Caleres Inc., is teaming up with licensing partner Elan Polo International to launch its first children’s collection. Emphasizing comfortable, fashion-casual looks for school and play, the 40-style offering will debut in stores next summer, in time for the back-to-school season.
“This was a great opportunity to partner with Elan Polo to expand the Dr. Scholl’s [footwear] offering to an important consumer base,” said Jay Schmidt, president of Caleres’ Brand Portfolio. “Elan Polo has always demonstrated its ability to apply its expertise in children’s footwear, and we know they will bring the spirit of our brand to life.”
Added Keith Duplain, Dr. Scholl’s SVP and GM: “We have a lot of moms and dads who wear our shoes, and they have been asking for options for their kids. We want to tap into that consumer interest.”
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Priced from about $25 to $35, the kids’ collection includes looks for both boys and girls, in toddler, youth and tween sizes. Styles include sneakers, oxfords, boots and Mary Janes. All of the shoes will feature Dr. Scholl’s signature memory foam insoles for all-day comfort.
“With Dr. Scholl’s proprietary comfort technology, parents can be assured they are getting comfortable shoes that their kids will love to wear,” noted Alan Cahill, CEO of Elan Polo.
The collection, which will be unveiled to retailers at this week’s FFANY show in New York, will be sold online at Drschollsshoes.com, as well as at family-focused retailers nationwide.
