Well, even though the groundhog saw his face and we have nine more days of winter (or whatever), we’re inching toward spring and you know what that means – time to shoot the BEARPAW Spring 2012 line! We knew we had to find the perfect spot to capture BEARPAW’s open, homegrown spring style of sandals, moccasins, flip-flops, slippers, boots, and clogs, and when we visited Lake Skinner in Temecula, CA, we knew we had found it.The lake’s crystal blue water and wide open spaces were a great backdrop to showcase BEARPAW’s spring flip-flop – the Lilly. No need to be afraid to show your feet in these – available in many colors and styles (including a low platform!), everyone is going to look and feel great in THE flip-flop for 2012.

While BEARPAW is shakin’ things up this spring, the brand knows that BEARPAW boots and shoes are a year-round must. It wouldn’t be a BEARPAW collection without some reinterpretation of the classics, and when the winds of winter give way to the breezes of spring, the feisty printed Ivy is going to be front and center.

For something more adventurous, the Alexis should more than do the trick, and the Bailee sheepskin-lined loafer is to die for in a decidedly “spring-y” mint green.

Knit boots are also a BEARPAW staple, and we have one with rosette detailing for spring 2012, the Annalisa.

Shooting throughout Temecula, we felt the easy, adventurous spirit of BEARPAW all around us. Here, the early hours are spent waterside, or on a wine tour, and as the sun goes down it’s the boots-and-short skirt look, enjoying a beer and a stogie at the popular Zarka Cigar Lounge. I wish I could spent the rest of my life like this, but as I get back to my daily grind, I realized I’m psyched just to be able keep my BEARPAWs on wherever I go!

In the end, wherever you are – at home or on a trip – it’s about being yourself, being natural, and living life comfortably this spring. Shop the Lilly, Alexis, Bailee, Annalisa and more at BEARPAWshoes.com.

Tessah Schoenrock is a writer living in Los Angeles. She loves movies, hot toddies, and SPRING!

Jamie Anderson

Professional snowboarder Jamie Anderson knows all about good footwear and gold medals — and it shines in her recent win at the Winter X Games in Aspen. We took some time to speak with the champion slopestyle rider about her passion for the sport and, of course, her love for all things BEARPAW. The only American to enter Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle at Winter X Games, Jamie won her third gold medal in Aspen on January 27 (she also took top honors in 2007 and 2008, won a Silver in 2010 and a Bronze in 2011). “I worked hard all summer and fall,” Jamie said. “I live in lake Tahoe and I am just an active kind of girl. I love to mountain bike, hike, paddle board, swim, practice yoga and run. I also like to eat local organic foods and drink plenty of water to stay healthy and fit.”

Despite the freshly fallen snow, which made riding difficult during the 2012 X Games, Jamie was able to land two successful runs, scoring an impressive 95.33 in the Women’s Snowboard Slopestyle event. Clearly, she wasn’t fazed by the less-than-perfect snow conditions!

“I just tried to put myself in a mellow, relaxed state of mind. [I tried to] just have fun snowboarding and do my best,” Jamie said about mentally preparing herself for the event.

Although training for competitions comes first and foremost, Jamie has maintained an unchanged outlook on snowboarding and still believes that having a good time on the mountain is the most important thing to remember.

“I have the same mentality from the first season I started snowboarding over 10 years ago,” she said.

Jamie describes her snowboarding style as being “laid back and relaxed,” a style that complements her fashion sense. For instance, she loves to wear her skinny jeans and Billabong street jacket with her BEARPAW Kelci boots because they’re “fashionable, functional and great in the snow.” She also counts the Mikala II boots among her favorites.

Since the BEARPAW culture is big on travel and the outdoor/active lifestyle, we asked Jamie to tell us about her favorite places to travel. Though she has mentioned her love for Thailand before, she also told us that she enjoys traveling to Europe.

“I love the mountains, the culture, the food. It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said. “Switzerland is one of my favorite countries. My BEARPAW boots always keep me cozy in those cold villages!”

For this incredibly talented athlete, BEARPAW boots bring relaxation. On a non-stop schedule comprised of traveling, training and competing in different events, Jamie spends the most soothing part of her down time taking hot bubble baths and wearing her cozy BEARPAW sheepskin slippers. She also loves going to the beach, fishing, dancing, longboarding, wake surfing, and playing the ukulele.

Despite her hectic schedule, Jamie also makes a point of giving back to the community. She sponsored two local kinds in the Tahoe area by surprising them on Christmas Eve with brand new gear. She also works with breast cancer associations such as Keep A Breast and B4BC.

You can stay connected with Jamie on Facebook and Twitter @Jme_Anderson.

Now…tell us where you love to wear your BEARPAW boots!

Sabrina Park is a writer living and shopping in Los Angeles.

Will Forte

The Surrogate, Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Sleepwalk with Me are just a few of the films that won awards and generated buzz, as BEARPAWstyle spent the week chilling in snowy Park City, Utah (“chilling,” get it? HA!) at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

Our team was keeping VIPs warm in BEARPAWs at the Fender Music Lodge: we’ve always had our share of celebrity BEARPAW fans, and I dare say we picked up a few more this week! Emily Blunt, Peter Jackson, Tim & Eric, Elijah Wood, Richard Gere, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Bosworth, Danny Glover, and more visited us at the Lodge.  Here, Simon Rawley-Wells offers an overview of this amazing week!

We had a chance to chat with Will Forte (SNL, MacGruber), Sarah Wright (Celeste and Jesse Forever), Lynn Shelton (director of Your Sister’s Sister), Ice T (who was as smooth as ever) and wife Coco (gorgeous as ever), Vincent Spano (House M.D., Alive), Kevin Sorbo (Legendary, Alongside Night), and Louis Lombardi (from the upcoming Battleship movie), among others. It seems like everyone loves BEARPAW right now – the Siren and McKinley boots were a huge draw for celebrities this year.

Out on Main Street, we had the chance to connect with regular folks who were in Park City to attend the festival (and party, of course):

• We had a great time picking out possible celebrity love-child look-alikes to appear in upcoming BEARPAWtv videos;
• Hersh from Raging Artists in Los Angeles performed his signature killer standup comedy in an impromptu show outside the Egyptian Theater;
• and on Saturday night we did it big on Flanagan’s (also on Main St.) where singer-songwriter Tyrone Wells (Where We Meet) performed for an enthusiastic crowd (don’t forget to watch our interview with him on BEARPAWStyle as well!)

Our week at Sundance was a great one – Park City is a perfect match for our playful and casual outdoor mountain culture. I mean, what better place to get warm and cozy in your sheepskin boots, than in an actual rustic ski lodge at an iconic film festival? It seems like I’m not the only one who feels this way, because we spotted a ton – and I mean A TON – of BEARPAW styles trolling the powder-covered streets. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go shake the snow off my boots and nap off two days worth of hot toddies. I’m not as young as I used to be!

Tessah Schoenrock is a writer living in Los Angeles. She loves movies, hot toddies, and Ice T on Law and Order: SVU.

BEARPAW loves to get involved with the community, especially when it comes to charitable causes. It’s a year-round endeavor, but I wanted to call attention to a very special Lady Foot Locker holiday boot giveaway the brand participated in (alongside collaborator Karina Smirnoff) to distribute free BEARPAW boots to needy women. How cool is it for a large company like LFL to get involved with a charitable group Women in Need to host an event that produces immediate, direct results in the form of a straight-up practical and stylish gift to over 1,000 women in need across the five boroughs of New York? Women in Need is a nonprofit organization based in New York that offers a wide slate of programs and services for women and whatever issues may be holding them back (domestic abuse, substance abuse, transition, etc). WIN serves over 2500 women on a daily basis, and values the community the same way as Lady Foot Locker and our very own BEARPAW, who is LFL’s lead partner in the boot business right now.

The event, which took place this past December at the Lady Foot Locker flagship store on 34th Street in NYC, wouldn’t have happened without the help and awareness of Bonnie Stone, president of WIN, and Lauren Bristow, VP of Brand Marketing for Lady Foot Locker. Lauren, who has been VP at LFL for 13 years, was kind enough to sit down with me recently to reflect on this incredible event!

Tessah Schoenrock: How did Lady Foot Locker get involved with Women in Need?

Lauren Bristow: Lady Foot Locker had never worked with WIN professionally, but several of my co-workers have worked for the organization independently, and everyone had such wonderful things to say about them. We really felt that working with Women in Need was a perfect match for us. They really value their connection to the community, which is important for those of us in marketing to think about over the holiday season. It is not only important on a marketing level, however – it is important for us to build a relationship with our consumers by showing them we care about more than just the people who buy our products.

Tessah: Wow, that’s really cool. Why did you choose an organization targeted toward women?

Lauren: Well, Lady Foot Locker is a brand targeted toward women, so it was really important to us to reach out this time of year to the female consumer because we know there are a lot of situations in which she is potentially under-served and under-appreciated. We also really wanted to keep a relationship and connection with WIN, who worked with us to create this incredible moment that produced direct results.

Tessah: It’s fantastic that you guys were able to keep this event streamlined without losing sight of what it was all about – getting those free boots in the hands of the women who need them! How did the December event come together?

Lauren: To create an event that would produce direct results, we wanted to make sure the boots we were giving away reached the the needy within 24 hours. At the store, I spoke to the crowd for a few minutes about Lady Foot Locker, our involvement, and why we felt the event was important. Then, Bonnie (President of WIN) spoke about her organization and the benefits of partnering with us at Lady Foot Locker. Karina [Smirnoff] was also on hand for the event and spoke to some key media partners at a private luncheon we had set up. Afterward, she, myself, Bonnie, and the rest of the ladies from Women in Need loaded up a van with approximately 1500 pairs of BEARPAWs, and they were driven directly to the WIN facility and distributed same-day!

Tessah: How did Karina get involved?

Lauren: Karina is originally from New York, so she really understands the need for groups like WIN. She came to show her support out of the goodness of her own heart!

Tessah: Gosh, she sure is sweet, isn’t she? And you, helping load all those boots into the van – aren’t you pregnant?

Lauren: Yes, I’m 8 months, but the work wasn’t very hard and I knew how important this event was – I didn’t want to just stand on the sidelines and watch. Part of what this is all about is showing that we care enough about our community to get involved, so I got involved!

Tessah: You go, girl! Is there anything you’d like to add?

Lauren: Part of our goal with this giveaway was to gain awareness for WIN, because we appreciate how much they do for our community. As a show of our continued support for their efforts, we will donate an additional pair of BEARPAW boots to WIN for every person who likes us on Facebook. It’s such a quick and easy thing to do, we felt this event wouldn’t be complete without it.

So there you have it – it’s quick, it’s easy, and we wouldn’t ask you to do it if it wasn’t important! So, BEARPAW peeps, make sure you “like” Lady Foot Locker on Facebook to help us keep spreadin’ that BEARPAW love! And here’s to more wonderful charitable work throughout 2012!

Tessah Schoenrock is a writer living in Los Angeles.

Photos Courtesy of Steven Katz

The new BEARPAW Men’s Collection is officially out, featuring four brand new styles for men alongside the two classics already offered, the Stowe and Dream boots.

This new collection has been a long time coming for BEARPAW, who has enjoyed great success in the women and children’s footwear market, and has had fans clamoring for a wider selection of styles for men. The Fall 2011 line retails for $110-$140, and features tumble leathers and oil-pressed suedes that set the collection apart from the women’s or children’s lines with more masculine textures. Celebs are already flipping out over the mens boots and moccasins – hmm, jealous of your girlfriends much, guys? Josh Sussman (below, r.) from FOX’s hit show Glee loves the brown leather McKinley boots. Vernon Davis (above, l.) of the San Francisco 49ers digs his Stowes, saying, “These are cool. Like an athlete’s dream!” Though his 49ers did not make it to the Super Bowl, Davis performed admirably in their playoff against the NY Giants (producing 101 yards and two touchdowns). Looks like actor/singers and tough guys love the comfort of sheepskin boots just as much as everyone else.

The Fall 2011 line is a solid introduction to men’s footwear for BEARPAW, with classic motorcycle-inspired leather detailing as well as the traditional comfortable cool the brand is known for in a variety of mocs and slip-ons. Fall 2012 will usher in an expanded collection, including a chukka boot, another slip-on style, and a redesigned Chelsea boot that riffs on this season’s “Larkin.”

After looking through the new collection for myself, I’m pretty sure most guys are going to have the same response to these boots as I did. Grant Harvey from The Secret Life of an American Teenager said it best while rockin’ his Mark boots: “These are sweet. Hell yeah. They’re dope.” Well put, Grant.

Tessah Schoenrock is a writer living in Los Angeles.

Jessica Kirby (who nominated the Preston family, pictured), told us, “The holidays are about giving back, and delivering the BEARPAW gift package to the Preston family completely warmed my heart. This inspiring family is very special and seeing the joy on their faces was amazing. As predicted, Elizabeth ‘paid it forward’ and helped another struggling family with some of the gifts she received, so they could also have a Merry Christmas.” 

Melba Culpepper and all of our friends at the Boys & Girls Club of Hollywood were so excited about the Lucas family winning that they made this amazing video:

Tynnia and Kennif “couldn’t stop smiling,” relayed Melba: “They have been wearing joy on their faces since we saw them. It just makes us so proud to be a part of this BEARPAW holiday campaign.”

Daisy Conway was stunned when she heard her family won: “Renee (who nominated the Conway family) informed me of this incredible development and I am speechless! I can’t believe it is real and am simply very honored.  So… thank you, BEARPAW!!  How does a person say thank you for such an amazing thing?”

Misty Terrell nominated the Nyhus family. When she heard they had won, she sent us this note: “Since I’ve gotten off the phone with you, I can’t seem to wipe the permanent smile from my face! My heart is about to EXPLODE with joy. It’s just so wonderful to hear that BEARPAW recognizes families like the Nyhus family and everything they SACRIFICED for their vision of a better world.  THANK YOU BEARPAW!”

When Rebecca gave Joy Zwolak her gifts at IHOP, Joy was overwhelmed. “I can’t believe this happened for me,” she said.

Rebecca has shared these two short videos of Joy receiving her BEARPAW boots:

So many of you have asked us what the inspiration behind the Spread the Love, Share the Comfort campaign was, and Randy McKinley, VP of Marketing for BEARPAW said it best:

During the holidays….you really get that “joy” of giving. The smile that you can bring to someone’s face when you make them happy – it doesn’t have to be something extravagant…simple works. It’s just the fact that you can make someone happy by giving. As a company, our entire team looks for things we can do to help those that are less fortunate…we’re lucky, we’re in a good place. We’ve worked hard to get where we’re at…. but that’s not the case for everyone. People hit roadblocks…things that come up unexpectedly. Whether it’s getting laid off from a company you’ve worked for for years, or coming home from serving our country and not being able to find a job. It happens. We realize that and if we can do something to help out, it feels good.

Stay tuned, because Spread the Love, Share the Comfort is coming back this year starting during the Thanksgiving 2012 holiday and running through Christmas. All families deserve to have a great holiday season, and BEARPAW will lead the way. We have lots of love – and comfort – to give.

Like film? Like music? Love BEARPAW? Then you should check out singer/songwriter Natalie Gelman on Facebook! As part of her continued effort to give back and stay connected with the people who love her, Natalie is currently hosting an enter-to-win contest to give her fans a chance to win two exclusive VIP passes to the Fender Music Lodge at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, as well as a brand-new pair of BEARPAW boots to keep you warm in the picturesque-but-freezing Utah snow! All you need to do to enter is submit a :30-:60 second video to YouTube or Facebook of yourself singing your favorite Natalie Gelman song and post the link to her Facebook page. Make sure the title of your video includes “Natalie Gelman – BEARPAW Fender Lodge Contest.”The 22 year-old chanteuse has been quickly gaining recognition for her soulful acoustic tunes and the voice that propelled her through preparatory training at the prestigious Fiorelle H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and the Performing Arts (also known as the FAME school).

Gelman is truly committed to her art, and proved it with a daring 1500-mile music tour from Miami to New York City shortly after her graduation from Miami U. Oh, and did I mention she made the entire trip…on Rollerblades?? Yes, you read that right. Aside from an 8-mile run through a Virginian county that banned Rollerblading (um…no comment), Gelman made the entire trip on eight wheels, reaching tops speeds of 24 MPH, selling her self-titled debut album, and donating the proceeds to Children International. I don’t know about you guys, but this girl is making me want to seriously up my philanthropy game!

Post-Rollerblade tour, Gelman is performing live across the country and has been featured on the front page of the NY Times and receiving 4 out of 4 stars in The New York Post, who called her music “simply terrific.”

Hurry up and do your vocal exercises, because this contest ends at 12 p.m. MST on Friday, Jan 20, 2012! The winner will be announced and posted by 12 p.m. MST on Saturday, Jan 21. Ready? One..two..three..SING!

Tessah Schoenrock is a writer living in Los Angeles.

New executive brings decades of experience to successful overseas business

BEARPAW Footwear announced today the hiring of Richard Marten as the new Vice President of International Business Development for the company.

As part of BEARPAW Footwear’s plans for growth and expansion this year, Marten will lead the charge in expanding BEARPAW’s presence in foreign markets where the company does not currently have brand penetration. In addition to managing BEARPAW’s current global distribution network, Marten will work directly with the product development and marketing teams to develop a global strategy that allows BEARPAW’s partners to act on a local needs basis.

“I am extremely excited to be joining the team at BEARPAW,” said Marten. “The passion and enthusiasm is infectious and I’ve always been a big fan of the brand. I’m excited to get started as we take the business to the next level.”

Marten has over 20 years experience in the sporting goods and outdoor industries and over seven years experience in international product management. He was worked with national brands including: Reebok, And 1 Basketball and Columbia Sportswear. Marten has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration degree from the University of Wisconsin.

In addition to the thousands of retail locations currently carrying BEARPAW Footwear in the U.S., the company also has a presence in 17 countries across the globe including: Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Germany, Switzerland, Dubai, China, Australia and New Zealand.

“Rich will be an integral part of our team this year as we continue to build and expand the global BEARPAW brand,” said BEARPAW CEO Tom Romeo. “We are excited to have someone with the experience Rich has in the sporting goods and international business industry to be joining our family.”

About BEARPAW Footwear

Tom Romeo founded the BEARPAW brand in 2001 with the intention of redefining casual footwear by utilizing sheepskin, nature’s own technical fabric, to create comfortable and stylish shoes. BEARPAW Footwear is now seen as a lifestyle, one that reflects who you are and what’s important to you. It’s about sitting in front of a fireplace with friends in a winter cabin. It’s about that end of summer party at the edge of the lake. It’s about watching those last waves at your favorite beach spot before putting your board away for the winter. It’s about you and the lifestyle you lead.

Asylum PR
Laura Baumgartner
630-299-9616
lbaumgartner@asylumpr.com

* Reuters is not responsible for the content in this press release.

Mommies can’t get enough of BEARPAW, and according to their blogging habits, they love BEARPAW boots for their comfort and everyday wear-ability. That said, we’re sure it comes as no surprise that BEARPAW has been featured on the popular Momma Told Me blog.

Mommy blogs, which have been dominating the Internet, offer information to their readers on all things domestic. While household duties can be exhausting — and perhaps overwhelming for new moms trying to get into the groove of things — some super-mommies take the time out of their busy schedules to share their findings and knowledge with others. This is great news for anyone who loves !

Jenna from “Momma Told Me” provided a great review and excellent photographs of herself in her own Bison boots. She gave a shout out to the brand for its philanthropic efforts as well as its style and culture. Jenna concluded her blog post by saying, “If I could get away with wearing this with my jeans, I’d likely not take them off all Winter! I get plenty of comments on them out and about, and have found they are impressively versatile, even withstanding the tough traction shores of our local beaches. These are easily my new favorite shoes to ‘live’ in.”

View the full “Momma Told Me” post HERE. And check out the comments section – Jenna’s readers love their sheepskin boots and have their favorite styles!

The Bison boots are available for purchase on BEARPAWshoes.com.

And check out all of BEARPAW’s kids’ styles HERE!

Sabrina Park is a writer living and shopping in Los Angeles.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For Simon Rawley-Wells, the anticipation was of a more personal nature: it was a chance to come face to face with Mario, a meeting – according to Simon – that has been long in the making and one that is mutually desired by both parties. “Mario and I have admired each other from afar for years,” Simon said that day. “This is the perfect opportunity for two great talents to come together.” Simon had offered to cover the Extra TV shoot for BEARPAWtv, the brand’s YouTube channel. There were no plans announced for him to participate in the actual Extra interview; rather, brand rep Dana Noh had been tapped to field questions about the many styles favored by celebrities. According to Dana, preferred BEARPAW styles include the Boetis, Shako and Kola boots.

Isack Fadlon of SLAM, the marketing agency that coordinates such efforts for BEARPAW, was on hand to ensure a smooth shoot. “Simon is a wonderful and enigmatic presence,” Isack said on set, his eyes darting anxiously about the store prior to Simon’s arrival. “He tends to get a little overzealous and that requires management in situations like this.”

The BEARPAWtv video speaks for itself, and as Simon said upon viewing it, “Isack may appear to be unreasonably concerned at times…but he made some good adjustments.”