PROTEUS™ and Vionic Shoes Partner to Host Santa Monica Beach Clean Up

The inaugural beachfront initiative aims to encourage consumers and brands to commit to a more sustainable future

LOS ANGELES, June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PROTEUS™, the world's most advanced underwater research station, and Vionic Shoes announce the first of their beach cleanup initiatives to foster global awareness of the ocean and climate change through local communities as Vionic launches the Proteus collection of sustainable footwear. Despite being the primary catalyst for improving the health of humanity, the surface of the ocean alone is polluted with almost 600 million pounds of plastic from beaches and other areas. Creating a more sustainable future starts on the local level and beach cleanup efforts are crucial first steps in creating a better future for the Earth.

Proteus Ocean Group Ltd. founder and executive board member, and grandson of acclaimed explorer Jacques Cousteau, Fabien Cousteau, will be in attendance to support the companies' missions to educate and activate the public. The event will also feature an educational session led by Fabien Cousteau and Vionic exploring sustainability practices for individuals and the immediate need for conservation efforts to protect the ocean and mitigate climate change.

"The ocean is humanity's life support system and the solution to many of the world's climate change problems. Our partnership with Vionic aims to create more ways for people to get involved in conservation efforts," commented Cousteau. "We're thrilled to co-host the first of many beach cleanup initiatives meant to help local communities understand the small, yet impactful, steps they can take to combat climate change, starting with our oceans."

"Vionic is proud to partner with Fabien Cousteau, and support the Proteus vision of aligning human wellness with ocean wellness. Our sustainable collaboration collection with Proteus underscores the need to make sustainable product choices that ultimately impact the health of our planet," said Vionic GM, Angela S. Caltagirone.

PROTEUS™ and Vionic's partnership is built around a shared mission to connect people to stories and experiences that inspire change and action. To accomplish this, the two companies have developed consumer education campaigns and outreach campaigns and launched a 'sea-inspired' capsule collection featuring Vionic's eco-conscious Beach sneakers.

PROTEUS™ is the world's most advanced underwater station, built to enable research seeking to address the most pressing issues the Earth faces. PROTEUS™ will be a catalyst to improve the health of humanity and the Ocean upon which all life relies. The multipurpose marine platform will feature an onsite observatory, state-of-the-art research lab and habitat to facilitate life and work at depth. Accessible to academia, government, private industry, media, and tourists, PROTEUS™ will also be essential to education and the advancement of marine research and development to drive disruptive scientific breakthroughs across areas including medicine, genetics, and sustainable energy and food cultivation. For additional information visit https://www.proteusoceangroup.com/.

Vionic designs its Three-Zone Comfort technology into every shoe it makes, resulting in unparalleled stability, ultimate arch support, and cushioning. As pioneers in foot health with a global team of experts behind the brand, Vionic brings a fresh perspective to fashionable, supportive footwear. Featuring a wide range of silhouettes, premium materials, and thoughtful design for women and men, Vionic offers the style you want with the comfort you crave across a vast selection of active, casual & dress options, sandals, and slippers. Press features for Vionic include the cover of O, The Oprah Magazine, as well as coverage in InStyle, Women's Health, Buzzfeed, Refinery29, Men's Health, Travel + Leisure, People, and on The Today Show. For additional information about Vionic footwear, visit www.vionicshoes.com.

Caleres (NYSE: CAL) is the home of today's most coveted footwear brands and represents a diverse portfolio spanning all of life's styles and experiences. Every shoe tells a story and Caleres has the perfect fit for every one of them. Our collections have been developed and acquired to meet the evolving needs of today's assorted and growing global audiences, with consumer insights driving every aspect of the innovation, design, and craft that go into our distinctly positioned brands, including Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Naturalizer, Allen Edmonds, Vionic, Dr. Scholl's Shoes, and more. The Caleres story is most simply defined by the company's mission: Inspire people to feel great…feet first.

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SOURCE Vionic