Case Study

Naturalizer

Restoring value to a faded icon.

Program
Industry
Footwear & Accessories
Stage
Midmarket

When Naturalizer debuted in 1927, it pioneered a then differentiating concept: shoes designed specifically for women. The brand quickly captured the imagination of a generation, be...

When Naturalizer debuted in 1927, it pioneered a then differentiating concept: shoes designed specifically for women. The brand quickly captured the imagination of a generation, becoming the preferred choice for college students, travelers, and working women during World War II. Yet as it approached its centennial, it was clear Naturalizer had lost its way. Its designs had grown clinical and orthopedic, its customer base had aged to an average of 61 years, and its retail presence had diminished significantly.

Faced with reviving this historic brand, Naturalizer's parent company turned to COLLINS for a transformation strategy. Rather than chase ephemeral fashion trends, we sought to build an enduring foundation and create a compelling brand universe.

Our market research revealed a promising demographic we called 'Confident Explorers' – 17.7 million young, style-conscious consumers who valued the intersection of fashion, functionality, and authenticity. While this group spent $5 billion annually on footwear, they dismissed Naturalizer as antiquated. We realized the path forward wasn't through specialized comfort shoes, but through sophisticated, adaptable footwear that complemented their vibrant lifestyles.

To connect with these consumers, we did what many fashion houses do: adopt a muse. We found Naturalizer’s muse in Claire McCardell. In the mid-20th century, McCardell transformed women's ready-to-wear fashion by creating the distinctive "American Look" – a style that embraced practicality and understated elegance over the rigid formality of European haute couture. Her vision celebrated functionality, comfort, and accessibility while maintaining sophisticated modernity – principles that perfectly mirrored Naturalizer's own golden era. We posed a simple yet powerful question: "How would Claire McCardell reimagine Naturalizer today?" This became our north star for rebuilding the brand.

The transformation encompassed every aspect of the Naturalizer experience: we modernized product design to align with contemporary fashion, refreshed the brand identity, galvanized the organization, reimagined retail spaces, and launched new advertising campaigns that spoke to a new generation of women

Naturalizer’s transformation drove a dramatic shift in both perception and performance. The average customer age dropped from 61 to just 26, as the brand reconnected with a new generation of consumers. Within six months of relaunch, sales grew by 17%—a number that climbed to over 60% within two years. Retailers took notice: Naturalizer re-entered 12 major stores that had previously dropped them. The brand also climbed into the top 15 women’s footwear brands nationally and earned cultural relevance with editorial features in PopSugar, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29, and Vogue.

COLLINS
Nick AceGabe BenzurFlora ChanAdrienne ChalfantClay KippenChris KonyaLeland MaschmeyerCourtney Shares
Photography
Mari Juliano
Talent
Giannina OtetoVera Bulder
Styling
Lisa NguyenLouise GrantHarry James Hanson

Augments

Augments are add-on components or properties that enhance a design system’s performance. They introduce new capabilities, expand functionality and improve how the system works across contexts.

Augments

Augments are add-on components or properties that enhance a design system’s performance. They introduce new capabilities, expand functionality and improve how the system works across contexts.

Memory Marker

A designed visual or experiential cue that anchors the brand in memory. This signature detail amplifies brand salience and mental availability, driving distinctiveness that supports market growth.

Language Bridge

A logic of function that translates identity components built for marketing communications into elements engineered for retail and brand environments.

Archive Revival

Archive Revival brings a brand’s greatest hits—and hidden gems—back into circulation. It mines the past for the codes, visuals and ideas that once made the brand matter, then reissues them with new relevance and cultural sharpness. By remixing original assets into fresh expressions, the brand stays rooted while evolving, building desire through recognition and reinvention.

Impact

26

Drop in Averge Customer Age

The average customer age dropped from 61 to just 26, as the brand reconnected with a new generation of consumers.

17%

Revenue Growth in 6 Months

Sales increased by 17% within six months of the relaunch, signaling immediate traction and renewed consumer demand.

60%

Growth 2 Years After Launch

Revenue grew over 60% within two years of relaunch, marking a successful long-term brand turnaround.

12

Expanded Store Distribution

Naturalizer re-entered 12 major retailers that had previously dropped the brand, signaling renewed relevance and retail confidence.

15

Women’s Footwear Brands Ranking

The brand climbed into the top 15 women’s footwear brands nationally and earned cultural relevance with editorial features in PopSugar, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and Vogue.