In January 1991 New Zealand based designers Chris and Colleen Bennett pioneered a new footwear category when they launched a range of original and innovative soft soled leather shoes for children under their brand, Bobux.
Chris created the original and distinctive original Bobux shoes for his oldest daughter Chloe when she was 9 months old.
Says Chris an Architect ”my daughter’s shoes had laces that kept on coming undone and falling off her feet. This was a source of constant frustration for my wife and I. We knew there had to be a better way.”
At the time the only alternatives were hard soled stiff shoes she didn't like putting on her feet and after some research came across a Danish study about the potential health benefits of flexible soft sole shoes for babies and toddlers.
I took some of her old shoes, replaced the laces with elastic and at the same time observed she loved wearing her cotton pre walkers with the soft pliable sole that flexed naturally as she took those first walking steps.
“Not very durable outside but by replacing the cotton uppers and soles with leather and suede and some clever design changes such as adding the original Bobux elastic ankle device, a new shoe category was born.
Being new parents we wanted to do the right thing for our child and to make sure the shoes we were putting on her feet would not only be comfortable but also healthy for her developing feet and made from the safest natural products we could find.
Mothers in the coffee groups soon fell in love with the cool funky shoes and before long we were making them for their children too. It was crazy and the response was so phenominal we could barely keep up with the demand."
One weekend Chris and Colleen set up a stall at the Victoria Park craft market in Auckland and within 2 hours had sold out their entire stock.
By this stage the public response was overwhelming and within 6 months the little soft leather shoes that stayed on were in full production and had taken over the basement garage of the family’s home.
Word soon began to spread and enquiries started flooding in from countries around the World.
Since Bobux first introduced the world to its ‘soft soled leather shoes that stay on’, many imitators have copied the original Bobux soft soled shoes with the elastic ankle design concept.
However says Chris "imitation is the ultimate form of flattery” and we will continue to innovate and outfit our customer's children from head to toe with the very best natural innovative products and design from New Zealand that we can offer."
Currently, Bobux products are sold in over 30 countries world-wide in Europe, USA, Canada, Japan, Asia, Eastern Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Says Chris "we are still very much the quintessential family owned business and all our staff, agents, distributors, retailers and customers form part of what is really one big extended bobux family.
Strong family values drive our business vision and philosophy. We want a world where for the sake of our children they have a future and an environment that is as pristine and as pure as we can preserve and hand on to them.
Bobux International Ltd head offices are located in Auckland New Zealand, the mystical land of the Long White Cloud and the home of Pukanini bears.
Bobux - born in New Zealand