June brought serious sunshine, with many of us either basking or wilting in temperatures climbing into the high 30s. With a rare red heat warning issued across parts of the UK and schools closing early to cope, it's safe to say the weather has been the main character this month.
Unsurprisingly, sandals stole the show here at HLS HQ. The lighter the better, with ultra minimal styles from Wildsoles, Bosky and Xero Huaraches, exceeding expectations and offering a more breathable way to enjoy outdoor pursuits.
In the Spotlight
Our conversations with Christina Funk, Head of Design at Xero Shoes, continued this month, giving you an ongoing behind-the-scenes look at how their shoes come to life. From early concepts to final design tweaks, it’s a closer look at the craft, care and innovation behind barefoot footwear. Watch the series on our Instagram.
Trend Watch
The ballet flat trainer hybrid is the shoe to be seen in this summer. The Sneakerina is a technical sports shoe with a feminine profile, the best of both worlds in one shoe. Go for Vivobarefoot's beautiful Motus Studio ballet shoe or the breathable knit of Xero's Cassie; either way, you'll be right on trend with these lighter than air fitness shoes.
Barefoot clogs and slides are officially having their moment. Think classic Birkenstock energy, reworked with softer, more flexible soles and a foot-shaped fit. El Naturalista and Mukishoes are leading the way with the Soca Clog and Horizon sandals.
Have Tikki, Will Travel
Tikki Soul proved to be the perfect partner on a recent trip to Morocco. Easy to pack and effortless to wear, they handle the shift from hot dusty days to cooler evenings without fuss. A genuinely useful holiday shoe, and one we will be reaching for again.
What's New at HLS
Mikk-Line brought out a whole menagerie of barefoot wellies to add to our Animal Themed Footwear collection that are perfect for camping trips, summer festivals, or just messing about in the water. Be Lenka launched their most high tech trainer yet, the Trailtech Shoe, and we made the case for Realfoot possibly the shoe with the widest toe box around!
Welcoming New Brands
We are thrilled to announce the arrival this month of two new brands: Rayve the sister brand to Angles, with a collection of friendly foot shaped shoes for kids, and Mukishoes who have impressed us with their fashion forward prints and cool sneaker shapes.
Collaborations
We celebrated Father's Day in our 'What Type of Dad are You?' feature, helping to elevate your dad's style. We enjoyed some really lovely collaborations with our Instagram friends, including wellness influencer and motherhood advocate Sara Malin @missmalinsara and nutritionist and homeschooler Charlee @twolittlewillows, bringing fresh inspiration and real life styling to our socials.
Just for Fun
Vivobarefoot added everyone's favourite sheep, Shaun the Sheep, to their Gobi range of barefoot toddler trainers, while Mikk-Line launched their Astronaut wellies, a must-have for any little space cadet.
And Finally...
From fresh sandals to bold prints and technical trail shoes, June has been all about getting outdoors and making the most of the sunshine.
Next up: July. With the school holidays approaching, we’ll be making space in our warehouse for lots of comfortable, well fitting school-compliant footwear, helping you get organised for September and tick school shoes off your list early.
More Help
We’ve created a space filled with advice to help you get the very best from your barefoot shoe shopping. From detailed sizing guides, resources and blogs, to tips on making the most of our delivery options, you’ll find it all in The Advice Hub.
If you’d like a little more tailored support, do get in touch. Our Customer Service team love talking all things barefoot and are always happy to help.
We hope you love your purchase, but if something isn’t quite right, we offer free returns. For full details, please see our Returns Policy.
