Written by Melanie Gath
When it comes to the right footwear. When we want to develop something new for the feet of little adventurers, allowing them to move through nature in a carefree, intuitive, and liberated way – that's when we seek support. That's when we bundle our expertise. Two years ago, we were able to launch our first Seacamp sandal together with KEEN. And this year, we are repeating this wonderful story.
I asked Franz, the founder of namuk, what he values most about the collaboration with KEEN. He says: “Since our own children have always loved their Seacamp sandals, it’s a dream come true to finally help design a version that fits perfectly with our collection. I value the opportunity to combine a product we personally trust with our own unique namuk design vision.”
Caitlin Gordon, Global Product Line Manager Kids at KEEN, told us: „KEEN and namuk share the same vibrant attitude: giving children the space to discover the outdoors, have fun, and simply be themselves. It’s particularly important to us to make their uniqueness visible and give them the freedom to playfully express their own personalities. That’s exactly why it was immediately clear to us: this collaboration is a perfect match.“
“Owl – big in Japan”
Franz says that even the first collaboration was a great success for both sides. He was particularly pleased to see that the jointly launched sandal even made it as far as Japan. With a grin on his face, he says: “Owl – big in Japan.” He explains: “Due to the great positive feedback, we decided together with KEEN to realize a second edition.”
In addition to Franz, I asked other people in the namuk team to describe the perfect Seacamp adventure in a maximum of five words. He himself says: “Sandwiches, creek adventures, grilling, collecting pebbles.” Gabriela, Team Lead Product, answers: “Hike trails, then lake dips!”
Mountain lakes and mulberries
I try to learn more from Gabriela about the product design, specifically the new choice of colors. I want to know: “If you had to explain the new colors to a child, what would you say?” Gabriela explains that these color variants are a tone-on-tone combination with the underground print known from namuk.
Regarding the specific colors, she says: “The ‘Ice Blue’ variant is a calm, gentle blue with real navy accents – inspired by fresh, clear water in mountain lakes. The ‘Mauve’ variant is not a typical bright pink, but rather an earthy, muted tone that reminds of mulberries and warm, natural colors.” Compared to the 2024 collection, they aimed to find an earthier mood with stronger contrasts. “The color world is a natural evolution, not a revolution,” says Gabriela.
“We move in our own world”
The story behind the claim also shows that this second edition is a continuation and further development of the first one. Lena, Marketing Lead at namuk, says: “The first launch was under the claim ‘Dance in your own world’ and showed how children intuitively turn their surroundings into their own space for movement. With ‘We move in our own world,’ we wanted to tell the story even more strongly from the children's perspective. Together with our Art Director Andreas Huber, we further developed the idea visually and in terms of content.”
Regarding the images, the location, and the background story, Andreas and Lena say they were taken in the Europaallee in Zurich. “For the second edition, we wanted to maintain urbanity and movement and expand it with water as a new dimension. Since the shoes are perfect for the transition from land to water, this element was quickly decided upon,” explains Andreas.
“I think the color is cool”
With its high density of fountains, Zurich was ideal for this shoot. “The Europaallee perfectly combines urban architecture, stairs, railings, and the fountain as a central element.” The way the children immediately used the space intuitively was incredibly beautiful. “They climbed up railings and slid down, ran through the fountain, turned it into a beach, and did handstands on the stairs.”
Fynn and Freya (both 8 years old) were part of the shoot themselves. While Fynn’s favorite memory is being able to run through the fountain, Freya especially remembers the feeling afterward: “When we ran through the fountain and were soaking wet afterwards.” When asked what they like most about KEEN shoes, they both agree: “That they are so airy,” says Fynn, adding that he thinks the colors are cool. Freya loves that you don’t have to tie them. For her, it’s clear these sandals are a must for every adventure – especially “when it’s raining and hot outside.”
Finally, we also asked Reni, People & Business Development at namuk and mom of two sons (aged 2 and 5): “What do you and your boys particularly value and like about KEEN shoes?” Her answer perfectly sums up what we hope for with this cooperation for little adventurers: “They are perfect for (almost) all small and large adventures. No chasing after the children to avoid wet shoes whenever a puddle is within reach. My kids wear them in everyday life at kindergarten or on the playground just as much as on the sandy beach, in the swimming pool (no slipping), in the forest, in the creek, in the city summer. They don't sweat like they do in sneakers (kids' feet are very sweaty) and wear socks when it's still a bit fresh. They have great grip, which lets the kids climb trees and provides enough support even on stony terrain.”
For the children, the shoes are so special because they are allowed and able to go anywhere in them. “No rules, just play.” Her perfect Seacamp adventure in 5 words: “From climbing rocks to mountain creeks.”
“Indestructible”
To conclude, the customer service team also wanted to say something: “There are no KEEN warranty cases. The shoes are so robust and practically indestructible."
“Indestructible” – that is a word that makes us as the namuk team, the KEEN team, and the parents happy. The fact that little adventurers can move wildly, freely, and for a practically endless time through village, city, and nature makes the children happy and, in the long run, definitely our planet as well.
