What is up at the O2?

Up at The O2 is an unforgettable expedition across the roof of the world’s most popular entertainment venue. The 90 minute experience gives you spectacular 360 degree views of London with knowledgeable guides who are keen to point out key landmarks and interesting facts. Climbing the O2 combines an exciting outdoors challenge with breathtaking views of London as you have never seen it before. From the viewing platform, 52m above ground level, you will be able to see the Olympic Park, Thames Barrier, The Shard, Greenwich and Canary Wharf, before descending back to base.

Why ECCO shoes for such an awesome climb?

Climbing the roof of the O2 obviously requires footwear built to keep guests stable and comfortable so that they can focus on their experience- and this is where ECCO shoes come in. Everyone who climbs the O2 is loaned a pair of ECCO shoes to give them comfort and confidence with an amazing grip, even when the O2 roof is wet. The shoes are lightweight, flexible and supportive, which makes them the perfect companion for your thrilling climb.

Our Experience – More than a Roof Top Walk

Arriving by DLR, we first caught a glimpse of the walkway over the O2 dome.  To get an idea of the scale of the building we then took the Emirates airline ski bubble across the Thames. Despite the wind causing a rocking motion Harry and I had a 10 seater bubble to ourselves and got a view of the whole area. To the east we could see the Kent countryside, and to the west an Eifel tour-like mast at Crystal Palace.

We were taken up the O2 by Steve, Cat and Jenny from the ECCO UK sales team. The guides and team at up the O2 were friendly and knowledgeable and would undoubtedly cope in a crisis. It was a truly memorable experience which started with building the adrenaline levels during the safety video. A serious message in light hearted British humour.  Then time to get prepared, pulling on flying suits over warm clothing. It was 14 degrees but the wind was cold at the top. Then all strapped in with safety harnesses with an amazing slide and lock mechanism for the horizontal safety wire. Then a familiar experience of changing into ECCO shoes, – what more can I say, proof about why I am passionate about ECCO.

Harry wore Biom golf hybrid from his own collection and I was loaned ECCO Sayan II shoes. The ECCO wedged boots chosen for their comfort and style when visiting London were clearly not suitable for the challenge ahead.

The walk was more about technique than strenuous exercise and it lived up to all expectations, plus the view was more than worth the climb. I loved seeing such a spectacular view of London, particularly the only lighthouse on the Thames at Trinity. Lots of time for photo moments on the viewing platform. I highly recommend it next time you’re in London.

Win a luxury ECCO iPad Case*

This competition is now closed and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone that shared their lovely stories, poems and pictures with us! We highly recommend having a read of everyone’s fantastic entries.

Here at ECCO Oxford we thought that February would be a great time to have a competition! Our inspiration came from two things, 1) everyone could use a little treat after those January blues, and 2) February is the month of Valentine’s Day and it’s made us keen to share some ECCO love.

Therefore, our competition theme is ‘Best Loved ECCO’.

We want to hear all about your love for ECCO! Send us  your pictures, quotes or stories about how you have loved anything and everything ECCO.

Do you have a dog that knows it’s time for a walk when you put on your ECCO’s? Are you a groom who wore them to your wedding? Do you have a lifelong love with one particular pair of our shoes? Have you come to rely on the comfort of ECCO’s after having trouble with your feet?

Whatever your story we would love you to share it!

Throughout the month of February we are asking you to submit your pictures, quotes and stories about your ‘Best Loved ECCO’s’- and the winner, with the most imaginative or heart-warming entry, chosen at the end of the month-will win a high quality, embossed leather, valentine red iPad case worth £74.99!

You can either leave a comment on the blog post below (it won’t appear automatically, it may take 24 hours as we reserve the right to monitor content), on our Facebook and Twitter pages and in store. Please note, if you submit via Facebook or Twitter, your entry will be re-posted on the blog with your user name, and our contact email in the ‘email’ field. Don’t worry, if you win we will contact via your chosen channel and get a contact address for you

To get you started here is an entry from a lady named Eleanor climbing a volcano in Lanzarote wearing her ECCO boots! Eleanor told us that because she has mobility problems and difficulties with her balance, the grip and support her ECCO’s give are essential.

*Terms and Conditions Apply. All entrants must have a delivery address in the UK to send their prize to.

“I knew instinctively that it was the very hardness of life in the desert which drew me back there – it was the same pull which takes men back to the polar ice, to high mountains, and to the sea.” – Wilfred Thesiger

Inspired by great explorer Wilfred Thesiger’s adventure through the Empty Quarter Desert 60 years ago, explorers Leon McCarron and Alistair Humphries recently retraced their hero’s route. They trekked through 1000 miles of desert, 30 miles a day for 5 weeks hauling a large cart containing equipment, food and water. The Empty Quarter is the largest sand desert in the world, covering 250,000 square miles and containing ranges of dunes 100 miles long and 1,000ft high. At noon, the temperature of the surface of the sand reaches 80C.

Leon and Alistair’s journey was to create a short documentary film about Wilfred Thesiger, their own expedition, and the “underlying motivations that see men seeking adventure in exactly the same way, generation after generation”. “Dragging a heavy cart through sand in 40°C heat is tiring,” said McCarron, “so everything had to be exceedingly minimalist”, including his shoes. McCarron put his faith in two pairs of ECCO shoes, the BIOM hike and BIOM trail, to see him through this extreme test of endurance and will.

Here is what Leon had to say about the performance of both the BIOM Hike and the BIOM Trail;

“The boots, as predicted, fared fantastically well. I ended up wearing the Biom Hike boots for the majority. They were resistant to everything the desert could throw at them – gravel, sand, rocks – very, very durable. They kept the grains of sand out very well, which was a real bonus. Aside from that they were comfortable and reasonably cool, considering the temperature was above 40C. Overall, I think I prefer them even to the boots I took to China! I would heartily recommend them to anyone and everyone for hiking – long or short distance.”

“I usually wore the Biom Trail for the last hour of each day, to give my feet a bit of a change and a rest. Occasionally, about once a week, I would wear them for a full day. They too, were extremely comfortable, and increasingly more so with time. They were also exceedingly resistant to the desert terrain. They were slightly less forgiving when my feet were bruised, but that is to be expected as they have less cushioning. Overall, they are capable of doing extremely long distances as well. Since returning I’ve taken them on a couple of 5 or 6 mile trail runs to test them for that, and inevitably, they work perfectly.”

Leon chose the shoes from ECCO’s BIOM collection because of their unique attention to the natural motions of the foot. The BIOM Hike has an impenetrable Gore-tex® lining which is designed to keep your feet dry and cool in wet conditions. Leon found this lining incredibly useful as a barrier against sand. The BIOM Trail’s flexible, lightweight but durable design ensured Leon could walk with comfort and ease, whilst the Yak Nubuck created a breathable and cool condition during his adventure.

McCarron said that by roughly retracing the route of Thesiger’s 1947 crossing, they were “seeking some of the same escape, fulfilment, joy and ascetic misery he was searching for in the largest sand desert on Earth”. Although it was tiring work, “it was certainly rewarding, and gave us access to some of the most beautiful and desolate landscapes I’ve ever seen. I cannot imagine a better use of two months of my life”.

See a sneak preview of the documentary here

Managing Directors Harry and Hilary Fletcher opened the first ECCO franchise in the UK and have been selling ECCO shoes for over 25 years in the heart of Oxford. I recently met with Harry to discuss the history of his ECCO shop and mail order business, as well as plans for expansion in the future.

Could you please start by telling me how your business began?

I’ve always had a particular interest in the business of buying and selling. I developed a passion for working for myself 25 years ago when I had a shoe store of which ECCO was one of our suppliers. We formed a very close alliance with ECCO and found it very flattering when they approached us to open the first franchise in the UK.

Why did you decide to sell shoes?

I like to think of shoes as a ‘necessary evil’. They are an intriguing product because they are that classic combination of need and luxury.

What was it about ECCO Shoes that you found so appealing?

For me, it was the people who run ECCO that appealed to me just as much as the products. Their ethics, thoughts and goals were similar to my own and the people at ECCO made me feel very comfortable with the ECCO brand.

Why did you choose Oxford city centre to open your store?

Well it was lucky that years ago I already had a retail chain in Oxford city centre, and I still think it’s an ideal place to retail in. It’s a beautiful city which attracts tourism all year round, and our shop is located very near to two shopping centres, so there is a lot of appeal to our location.

How do you think ECCO competes in the industry, and what does it offer that its competitors don’t?

I think the reason that ECCO holds such a strong place in the shoe market is because of its special attention to comfort and fit. I am always impressed by the consistency of quality with ECCO’s products.

Many companies have struggled during the recession, but ECCO has managed to stand strong. Why do you think this is?

Even during the recession, ECCO have refused to compromise on the quality of leather. I think the recession was an easy time to reduce quality for quantity in order to reduce price. But ECCO continued to deliver high quality constructed shoes to maintain brand premium, which ultimately proved very successful.

What would you say has been your greatest achievement with ECCO Oxford?

It would have to be creating a great team that manages both sides of the business. I am very proud that we have an internet business that is rivaling the shop. We decided to move most of the mail order dispatch offsite, which allows more room for customer service within the retail shop.

How do you think the market has developed and changed since your business first began?

I think that contemporary customers are much more informed and demanding, and therefore exceptional customer service is expected.  Online knowledge of ECCO as brand means that we have very specific information requests, and we all work very hard on keeping our brand knowledge up to date.

What are your plans for future development?

My goal is to keep expanding our online business, which we are making steps towards with our new website. I hope that we are able to supply the customer with more information online and to reach a bigger audience. We hope to be the best informed ECCO team in country on availability of stock.

Do you have a favourite pair of ECCO shoes?

I am a big fan of the Birmingham group, they are the perfect fit for me and I can choose between boots, lace ups and slip ons.

Here at ECCO Oxford we were very pleased to hear about the success of local charity Aspire, who won the Guardian’s prestigious Charity of the year award 2012!

Aspire is a Charity that works very hard to help disadvantaged members of the community who are looking for, but struggling to find work. Where others might have see risk, ECCO Oxford saw potential and has been working with the charity for over a year. Members of Aspire have worked very closely with the team at our warehouse to help package catalogues and leaflets during our busy periods. We have found that working with them has been a very successful and positive experience and we look forward to working with them again in the future.

Aspire’s goal is to find full time employment for homeless people, offenders, addicts and those with mental health issues. Members of Aspire are given work placements in a variety of professions such as grounds maintenance and furniture repair, in order to teach them the necessary skills for employment as well as work experience. Aspire also helps with CV writing and interview tips, and it is their special attention to each individual’s needs that give them such impressive statistics;

‘In 2011 87% of trainees maintained their recovery from addiction, 94% did not re-offend. Aspire’s success rate moving trainees into employment is three times the UK Work Programme average’.

By finding work for those who would have otherwise ended up on benefits, Aspire saves the public purse over one million pounds annually.

For more information about Aspire follow their twitter account or take a look at their website

Here at ECCO Oxford we are very excited to tell you all about the two ankle boots that have caught the attention of the press! Our Navoi Eski ankle boot and out Sculptured 65 Charm ankle boot have been spotted all over  glossy magazines and fashion blogs this winter,  it’s time to see why these heeled ankle boots are the ‘must-haves’ of the season!

According to a survey done by ECCO, 63% of women would wear high heels for longer if they were more comfortable. No matter how many times we suffer burning soles and cramped toes, we always go back to our high heels craving that transformation of posture, legs and confidence. Named top 5 in the shoe-boots category for Prima magazine’s ‘best buys’ this winter, our low cut Sculptured 65 Charm boot is being praised as the ‘high-heel revolution’. Finally ladies, a comfortable high heel! Six Magazine also featured our Charm ankle boot calling it the ‘ultimate high heel’, and loving its range of winter colours.

The charm ankle boot comes in a dusted rose-brick colour, a deep blue denim, an autumn leaf amber, a stylish warm grey and our personal favourite the black nubuck. We are also very excited about the new season version of the shoe which comes with coloured soles! The new season black charm boot comes in black with a marazine sole (a dark blue inspired by a rare butterfly, heavily feature in ECCO’s shoes next season), and a coffee colour which comes with a beetroot purple heel.

Prima magazine was a big fan of our patent leather charm boot, as were fashion bloggers –pop champage, style bistro, networkedblogs.com and thelifestylereport.ca. They all agrees that the patent black was perfect to mix and match with your winter wardrobe.

Whatever the colour of your favourite winter coat, we have a charm ankle boot to match! Six magazine recommend wearing with wooly tights in contrast colour, or with leggings and sheer blouse.The charm ankle boot is not the only shoe in the ever-so-comfy sculptured range, see the full collection here.

If you are looking for a higher heel or a ‘statement shoe’ this winter then look no further than our Navoi ankle boot! Good housekeeping magazine featured a selection of winter coats that would contrast in all of the right ways with the beautiful aubergine of the Navoi boot. Like your favourite winter coat and your best handbag, it’s important to invest in good quality boots, and Good Housekeeping agree that the Navoi boot is a great ‘forever piece’ to have in your wardrobe. They are big fans of the Navoi’s concealed platform which they say adds comfort to the 8.5 cm heel! If you find the aubergine too much out of your comfort zone, ECCO also produce the shoe in a deep wintery black.

See our pinterest board for more articles of ECCO in the Press! http://pinterest.com/eccoshoesuk/ecco-in-the-press/

The world of golf is very open to change and innovation. There is always some new gear to get avid fans and critics talking. During the 2011 Masters though, a new trend was about to set but not many were completely ready for it…

Fred Couples raised many eyebrows when he was the first pro to wear casual, spikeless shoes on the course. Wearing the Golf Street, the shoe that started the revolution, many had to double-take and question what, why and how!

Two years on many companies have followed suit; Puma, FootJoy and Adidas, where recognised figures like Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia have opted to join the revolution and benefited as a result.

The great Robert Landers had the right idea back in 1995 by ‘playing in sneakers instead of golf shoes’.

Cynics may be hesitant to accept the advancements in fashion and design, but the step forward in technology is undeniable. All of the ECCO Street range is treated with the Hydromax technology to ensure supple yet durable water resistant leather for the lifetime of the shoe.

Many golfers want to be able to wear their golf shoes on and off the course, making life easier. The Classic Tour Hybrids make the ‘seamless transition from the boardroom to the car to the country club’ combining classic elegance with the patented ‘Street’ outsole.

Yet again, ECCO have revolutionized footwear, in this case, golf footwear! Spikeless Golf Street shoes may not be completely necessary but they are an efficient alternative and look set to stick around. We hope they’re here for a while!

Take a look at our range here

ECCO and Gore-tex have a very special treat for a customer and a guest of their choice to stay in the ICE HOTEL in Sweden!

The Jukkasjärvi ICE HOTEL is the first and largest ICE HOTEL in the world as well as being an ephemeral art project. See the Northern Lights and witness artists carve the Hotel from the ice of  the Torne River! The snow and warm weather are perfect conditions for snowmobiling and skiing!

All you need to do for the chance to win this trip of a lifetime is to try on a pair of Gore-tex shoes in our store in Oxford, which you will find at 20 New Inn Hall Street.

Gore-tex shoes are all 100% waterproof and guaranteed to keep you dry in rain or snow this winter! We have a wide selection ranging from formal shoes to snow boots.

AND you will also receive 25% off ANY pair of ECCO Shoes when you buy one pair from our Gore-tex range!

See our Gore-tex collection here!