Like every model we create from scratch, Ibi took blood, sweat and tears before we got the result we wanted 🤯.
Its name comes from a small town in a valley in Alicante surrounded by mountains 🏞️. And that's no coincidence: Ibi adapts to any terrain!
Behind the scenes at Feroz we don't follow trends much; instead we pay attention to the comments Feroz families leave us so we can develop new things that make sense 🧐. Needs that stay burned into our minds until we manage to solve them. ❤️🔥
For a long time we had wanted to develop a shoe that fits the lifestyle we Feroz mums and dads share: long days where work, personal life and juggling it all intertwine, filling the days with activity and movement 🚴♀️👩⚕️🚗, and where versatility is essential.
As good shoemakers, we take everything to our feet 👣 and translate it into shoes. Which model would best keep up with that pace? Without a doubt, Onil Rocker, which stands up to the wear and tear of our most daring little ones. That had to be the starting point: a sporty sole that is light, flexible and stable and can handle a thousand daily battles.
We were thinking of the nurse mums, postwomen, waitresses… all those jobs that involve many hours on your feet or on the move, which need protection, durability, breathability and elegance, while respecting the natural shape of the foot. After a lot of thought, Ibi was the result: an elegant, simple model 👞 for work, with a reinforced rubber toe cap, hard-wearing materials with good thermal balance and an elastic closure with hook-and-loop fastening.
After testing them ourselves, the acid test remained: testing by Feroz mums. We invited a postwoman, two nurses, a waitress, an office worker and a greengrocer to try them for a few days. The feedback was very good… but it's better if they tell you themselves.
Today we're sharing the "A day with Ibi" experience of Bea, a hospital nurse, who tried Ibi in dusty pink in size 38.
When you took them out of the box, was it love at first sight? How did they make you feel?
I loved the colour (I have the dusty pink ones) because I had the impression they were paler. I also find them really "nice" to touch, because of the neoprene.
Did you find them comfortable once you had them on?
My foot felt very comfortable, held but not squeezed. On the first day a seam bothered me a little on my little toe, but it never actually rubbed (I was wearing a thin sock and wore them for more than 17 hours straight 🤪). I gave them a day's rest and, when I put them on again, I didn't notice it any more.
Did you find them easy to put on and take off?
They have an amazing opening so you can slip your foot in easily. I have narrow feet and my foot didn't move around inside. I loved that the hook-and-loop fastening is on the tongue too. Putting them on is very easy: your foot goes in easily and you just have to adjust the fastening.
Tell us about your day with Ibi. 🤗
I put them on at 10 in the morning, spent time at home and running errands, drove for 2 hours and worked 17 hours, doing more than 11,000 steps around the hospital ward. That was more than 24 hours in a row with them on, and I only took them off to change. I've worn them like that twice more and I get the feeling they adapt to my foot more each time.
How did they feel when you were getting around?
The first time I had the feeling they gripped the ground better than other shoes; I walked over wet floors at the hospital and they didn't slip. They're very flexible and soft: when driving, with my foot flexed on the accelerator, they didn't dig in anywhere.
Tell us about your superpowers. 🦸♀️ What do you do?
I'm a nurse on the internal medicine ward of a hospital. I spend a lot of time on my feet walking the corridors and in contact with fluids, so our shoes have to give stability, hold the foot well so we can run if needed, be waterproof and easy to clean. On top of that, Ibi is pretty 😍.
Did they get dirty? Could you clean them easily?
The toe got dirty, but the colour hides stains really well. A drop of something fell on the neoprene area, I wiped it with a baby wipe and they were perfect. I didn't expect the fabric to clean so easily.
How did they regulate the temperature of your feet?
I've worn them with a thin cotton sock and, after a few hours, I notice my feet sweat, although without feeling hot.
What would you improve about Ibi for your job?
They've felt comfortable despite me being on my feet for a long time, and I was surprised how easy they are to clean (essential for healthcare workers). I'd like my feet to sweat a tiny bit less, but the advantages of wearing them win by a mile.
Did they suit your free time?
I've run errands around the village, been to the park with its dirt and stones, run after a little girl on a bike… but I also went out to dinner in them. They adapt to any terrain and, thanks to their look, to lots of styles.
In short, what would you highlight about your experience with Ibi?
How comfortable my feet felt, the support without feeling any pressure, how easy they are to clean, and that they're gorgeous.
Several mums tried Ibi; we'll be sharing their stories on social media soon.
📣 Ibi is available in adult, kids' and baby sizes. We tell you all about it in the Newsletter.
