Vivobarefoot_s Galahad Clark: Driving forward the _barefoot_ movement

Galahad Clark doesn_t just craft shoes; he_s helping consumers take a step away from the footwear industry_s obsession with narrow_ rigid_ cushioned shoes by marrying regenerative materials with a "foot-first" design philosophy_ placing foot health at the heart of Vivobarefoot_ a B-Corp certified British minimalist footwear brand.

“The most advanced bit of technology to ever go into a shoe is the foot_ and modern footwear weakens and deforms the foot_” said Clark in an interview with FashionUnited at the Vivobarefoot showroom in London. “If your foot works less optimally and unnaturally_ then the rest of your body suffers_ because everything goes through the feet_ skeletal system_ muscles and tendons_ nervous system and basically_ modern shoes systematically undermine all of those bodily functions.

“With Vivobarefoot_ we literally allow the foot to work completely naturally_ with a system that helps build stable_ sensory_ strong foundations.”

As co-founder and chief executive_ Clark has helped position Vivobarefoot at the vanguard of the functional footwear movement_ transforming a niche ergonomic concept into a high-growth disruptor challenging the aesthetic and orthopaedic status quo of global footwear.

It is also a growing movement_ with Vivobarefoot reporting revenue of 91.4 million pounds in its latest 2024/2025 _Unfinished Business_ annual report_ up 5 percent from 87.2 million pounds. During the same period_ it also sold 1.2 million pairs of shoes_ up 12 percent_ as the brand continues to attract customers globally through its expanded product range_ especially female customers_ a growing category for the brand.

Europe_ including the UK_ grew by 6 percent to 42.6 million pounds for the 52 weeks ended June 28_ 2025_ while the rest of the world_ which includes most of the brand_s B2B business_ grew by 53 percent to 15.8 million pounds. However_ the US_ which has historically been the main contributor of growth for the brand_ declined by 10 percent to 33.1 million pounds_ driven by a combination of the wrong stock profile_ increasing price-led competition_ a weakened dollar_ and tariff-related customer uncertainty.

Clark added that the UK_ the brand_s home_ is still “performing strongly_” and included the opening of a new and bigger flagship London store on Neal Street in Covent Garden_ as well as its first in Bristol_ which included a dedicated space for ReVivo products_ from its re-sale_ repairs and refurbishment programme.

Overall_ in 2024/25_ Vivobarefoot_s owned retail grew 7 percent_ with its VivoBiome_ scan-to-print footwear initiative drawing in consumers to its retail stores. In London and Bristol_ the brand scanned 7_800 feet and produced 1_700 pairs of scan-to-print footwear. The brand also saw success with its ReVivo resale and repair platform_ with the service saving 63_000 pairs from landfill_ whilst generating 3.9 million pounds in turnover by selling 62_000 pairs of refurbished Vivobarefoots. ReVivo now accounts for up to 15 percent of the brand's sales.

“We believe Vivobarefoot can prove that commercial success and regenerative impact are not in conflict – they are co-dependent_” said Clark in the report. “Profit is the oxygen that allows purpose to breathe. Without it_ we can_t invest in regenerative materials or customer health journeys. Without purpose_ profit is hollow.”

Vivobarefoot CEO Galahad Clark discusses how he carved his own path outside the well-known Clarks family business

You are a seventh-generation shoemaker – what made you decide to rebel against traditional footwear design?

This was never a rebellion against shoemaking. Shoemaking is humanity_s original craft_ 'the' true homo faber (tool maker) tradition. We need shoes for thermal and puncture protection for our most feeling part of our body. We always have since we started running down Eland in the Kalahari. The question is not whether humans should make footwear_ but whether that craft is aligned with human nature or working against it.

Seven generations into shoemaking_ I felt a responsibility not to reject the craft_ but to realign it. Even my ancestors in the nineteenth century were broadly on the right path_ creating 'anatomically correct' footwear_ away from the Victorian horse-riding hobnail boots of the time. They started making footwear in the 1800's that was simple_ functional_ responsive to the body and the terrain. Somewhere in the twentieth century_ as much of Western civilisation did_ we lost our way. We began designing against nature rather than with it. Shoes became over-engineered_ over-cushioned_ and increasingly disconnected from how the human body actually works. Clarks even did 'Air' before Nike!

Modern footwear often masks dysfunction rather than restoring function. It interferes where it should support. I wanted to bring shoemaking back into alignment with our natural design.

What was it about the barefoot movement that inspired you?

The barefoot movement resonates because it is grounded in evolutionary biology_ not ideology. The human foot is a sensory organ_ with around 200_000 nerve endings constantly feeding information to the brain.

When you cushion it_ stiffen it_ and constrain it_ you silence that signal. Balance dulls. Strength fades. Coordination suffers. Ultimately_ the connection is lost. Feeling the ground is how humans evolved to move_ navigate_ and adapt.

Can you tell us more about the 'Free Your Feet' movement?

_Free Your Feet_ is not anti-technology or anti-craft. It_s a cultural and philosophical statement about interference versus intelligence. Less interference. More awareness. More freedom. Strip things back_ and what_s left tends to work better.

You described the foot as a sensory organ. Why is it vital for our brains to "feel" the ground_ and what do we lose when we wear cushioned shoes?

This tension between fighting nature and aligning with it is one of the defining challenges of the twenty-first century. Big Shoe_ like much of modern industry_ has been locked in a battle against nature: more control_ more insulation_ more artificial correction. But it_s a battle that can_t be won. Rather like trying to artificially stop flooding (so topical in Somerset right now).

As we develop ever more powerful technologies_ including forms of artificial intelligence_ there_s an opportunity for a collective course correction. The deeper realisation is that humans are not separate from nature_ and that the most profound intelligence on the planet is ecosystem intelligence itself. Complex_ adaptive_ regenerative_ and deeply resilient.

At Vivobarefoot_ we use technology not to replace that intelligence_ but to reconnect people to it_ starting with their feet.

You speak about moving from "sustainability" to "regeneration." What does a regenerative business model look like at Vivobarefoot?

That thinking underpins our approach to regeneration. Sustainability is about doing less harm. Regeneration asks a more ambitious question: how do we actively restore and enhance life? For us_ that shows up in circular design_ natural and bio-based materials_ repair and resale through ReVivo_ and future manufacturing systems like VivoBiome that localise and personalise production. The goal isn_t just lighter footprints_ but positive ones.

Do you believe that footwear can be sustainable?

Can footwear ever be sustainable? Not in a linear system. But in a circular_ regenerative model_ designed for durability_ repair_ and eventual reintegration into natural systems_ it can get much closer.

How do you balance the commercial needs of the business with your mission to reconnect people with nature?

Balancing mission and commerce is simple in principle. The mission drives the product_ and the product must perform. If we create the healthiest_ most natural footwear in the world_ the business follows.

Vivobarefoot has also been adding more lifestyle and outdoor focus footwear collections – why the move into these areas?

Our move into lifestyle and outdoor reflects a simple truth: natural movement isn_t niche. It_s universal. Whether you_re hiking_ training_ commuting_ or travelling_ your feet still want to function as feet.

You recently signed an NFL ambassador - why the move into elite sport?

Elite sport reinforces that reality. Our partnership with NFL player Mack Hollins shows that natural movement scales all the way to the highest levels of performance. Strength really does start from the ground up.

What are your key markets? Where are you looking to expand?

The UK_ US_ and DACH remain our strongest markets_ but the opportunity is global. Anywhere people are rethinking health_ technology_ and how they want to live.

Ultimately_ this isn_t about shoes. It_s about remembering that humans are part of nature_ not separate from it_ and using craft and technology in service of that truth_ starting at ground level.