Dr. Scholl's exercise sandals, idle for more than a decade, are back in stride.
The humble slide with patented contour beechwood insole, raised toe grip and adjustable leather strap began as a $2.99 drugstore staple displayed next to the bunion pads and callous remover.Now Dr. Scholl's sandals border on chic. They've been seen on Cindy Crawford, Ricki Lake and Cybill Shepherd. They've been noted in the summer issues of Mademoiselle, Marie Claire, Entertainment Weekly, Seventeen, Sassy and YM magazines.
Today, at about $25 a pair, they're trotting out of stores coast to coast, from Nordstrom to Urban Outfitters, Famous Footwear and scores of hip boutiques. They are available in the original colors of navy, white, red and tan, and an added starter, black.
The shoe traces its steps back to 1956 when Dr. Scholl's, an American foot care and footwear company, began marketing in Europe a wooden-soled "exercise sandal" created by Chicago physician William M. Scholl. The raised wooden toe grip purported to tone the calves.
By the early '60s, the sandal was selling well in health-conscious Germany but hadn't caught on else-where. So Dr. Scholl's targeted swingin' London, pairing them with the mod styles on Carnaby Street. They made their U.S. debut in 1968, and by 1972 they had sold a million pairs. But by the mid-80s, they were played out.
Now, they are part of the renaissance of 1970s clothing. First to return were the chunky platforms, clogs and Birkenstocks. Then Hush Puppies, and now Dr. Scholl's.
The sandals are marketed by Brown Shoe Co. of St. Louis, which took over the license in 1992. The style is unchanged, but be on the lookout for new colors and fabrications next spring.
"We will have yellow, lime, tangerine, and black and white patent, and we're testing other colors," Lisa Hanly, brand manager, says. "And we're adding styles to the line, such as updated strap looks."
Dr. Scholl's have traveled miles from the corner drugstore to up-scale shops.
Camella Ehlke, owner of 555-Soul in New York City, a store she describes as a contemporary urban boutique, says Dr. Scholl's are a good old staple that happens to be stylish.
"I'm selling a pair every other day," she says. "What's so amazing about them is they can be worn with anything. They're just basic, like a baseball cap."