Native Founder On Sandal Expansion

Jun 25, 2012

Author: MIke P.

Native has been making name for itself over the past two years. The Vancouver based company that was shrugged off by many in its infancy has quickly risen to the top. They have expanded beyond their original shoe offering and for 2012 have added sandals to the line up. We sit down with Company founder Damian Van Zyll De Jong, to talk about the growing brand and their plans for world domination.

What is the state of Native right now?

When Native launched in the spring of 2010 we were in eight countries, now only two years later we are in over 40. Launching the brand globally from the beginning was a huge push but necessary because we were introducing a totally new product.
 
Why the decision to move into sandals?
Native has only scratched the surface of the design possibilities of lightweight lifestyle inspired footwear. Introducing sandals was a natural progression for our brand and just a small taste of what else we can do with EVA.

What styles have you introduced?
We introduced a classic unisex Flip Flop called The Paolo and a t-strap for the ladies named The Blanca. Both sandals feature our unique reflexology inspired foot beds we’ve deemed “Feet Peaks”.  Spring 12 was our first introduction into the market. The customer response so far has been really positive. The Native customer loves our new silhouettes that are colorful, stylish and they feel so great on the feet.

What are your expansion plans?
Native only has one way to grow and that’s bigger. We have a large global footprint now so it’s all about refining our product offering and spreading our brand story.
 
What do you provide to the sandal market that you feel was missing?
Native chose two classic styles that are some of the strongest silhouettes in the marketplace. We wanted to offer sandals that had a Native flare; something that was fresh, playful, lightweight and really comfortable.

 
Where does your sandal sit on the price scale?
Our customers will find that Native sandals offer superior quality and design for an affordable price.

Are you competing directly with the bigger sandal brands?
Yes.
 
What is your strategy for marketing the line in?
Spreading our ‘Keep it Lite’ culture through our product, campaigns, retail and online experiences.

What segment of the brand is experiencing the most growth?
We are happy to say that we are experiencing aggressive growth across the board, in all segments of the collection.

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