START-RITE PARTNERS WITH JOJO MAMAN BÉBÉ TO LAUNCH EXCLUSIVE RANGE

Start-Rite Shoes, Britain’s heritage children’s shoe brand and JoJo Maman Bébé, the specialist boutique maternity, baby and children’s retailer, announce a commercial partnership that sees Start-Rite Shoes expand its high street presence to over 400 stores and JoJo Maman Bébé offer a fitting experience instore.

The partnership includes an exclusive range of co-branded pre-walking, first steps shoes and boots that will also be available online and 40 JoJo Maman Bébé stores have been expertly trained by Start-Rite specialists in fitting shoes.

Perfect pals

The range, which has a friendship theme running through it, with classic Start-Rite styling and much-loved JoJo characters, includes styles called Friend, Buddy, Sidekick and Little Pal. Embroidered tractor, mouse, fox, hedgehog and penguin motifs adorn casually coloured leather and suede materials. For AW21, sizes range from small 3 to 9.5 offering multi-width fittings. Starting at £32.99 the shoes come in a co-branded recyclable cardboard box, beautifully illustrated with hand-drawn woodland creatures. 

Importance of fitted footwear

Start-Rite recently undertook research with 500 UK parents to understand misperceptions and lack of knowledge around the importance of fitted footwear for children as they start to walk. The research revealed only half (57 percent) of parents with toddlers are confident they know the size of their children’s feet, only one fifth (21 percent) prioritise foot health and only a third (34 percent) know a toddlers feet are growing at a rate of knots and should be measured every six weeks. 61 percent of parents with toddlers have found their children are wearing the wrong sized shoes and over half (53 percent) have felt guilty to find their toddler’s shoes have rubbed their feet sore. 

Speaking on behalf of the partnership, Hugo Adams, Start-Rite CEO said:

“This is an exciting development for Start-Rite, partnering with another much loved British high street brand. It is important that parents are able to access footwear advice and receive a professional fitting service on the high street. We’re proud to be extending this service to more parents via the JoJo Maman Bébé high street network.” 

Laura Tenison, JoJo Maman Bébé Founder and CEO commented:

“We are excited to be partnering with this heritage British brand and to be offering a gorgeous co-branded collection in 40 of our high street stores and via our website. Our teams are fully trained in measuring little feet and proud to be bringing this important service to our customers.”

To view the collection head into store, or check out https://www.startriteshoes.com/jojo-loves-start-rite or use #JoJoLovesStartRite on Instagram.

- ends-

For further information please contact:

For Start-Rite Shoes

+44 1295 369182

lar@vistapublicrelations.com

For JoJo Maman Bébé

+44 (0) 2076 226543

pr@jojomamanbebe.co.uk

Ends

Editors notes

About Start-Rite Shoes

A British family business for eight generations, Start-Rite Shoes has helped children explore in comfort and confidence for 229 years. Proudly specialist in little feet, every Start-Rite shoe is anchored in a deep understanding of the ways children live and move today.

With constant innovation at its core, the brand works with biomechanics experts to create shoes that not only support a child’s developmental needs but also their lifestyle needs.

Start-Rite shoes are designed to give children the freedom to go where they want, how they want.

About JoJo Maman Bébé

JoJo Maman Bébé was founded in 1993 by Laura Tenison MBE and has grown to become the UK’s leading mother and baby omni-channel boutique brand. Designing high quality, imaginative, practical clothing and products for pregnant women and families with young children, JoJo was launched from a shared office in London with the stock held in a shed belonging to Laura’s parents in Wales. The company has grown organically and now has over 80 stores as well as trading to 50 countries. Despite this phenomenal growth, JoJo continues to operate with small company values and places a huge emphasis on excellent quality, fantastic customer service, environmental sustainability and loyalty to all involved. JoJo is proud to be a certified B Corporation ensuring that the business is run as a force for good.