Since 1963 ECCO has been discovering successful new shoe concepts. The motto “The Foot Comes First” has always directed their projects – the foot is always the starting point for a new shoe project. It has always been clear to them that comfort is about empowering the foot, not constraining it. Recently, they took this philosophy to a new level with the BIOM Project. BIOM was developed in the internal product development and design centre in Tønder/Bredebro, Denmark. They matched their 45 years of studying the human foot with research from top experts in the biomechanics of walking and human motion. The goal was to develop a new direction for ECCO walking shoes. Their research showed that excessive emphasis on cushioning and motion-control is not only ineffective but also counterproductive. The development of the shoe took about 3 years, from the initial first concept to the launch. ECCO is convinced that the foot must be allowed its natural movement. Because walking is the most natural movement for human beings, the construction of the BIOM walking shoe emphasizes the human foot allowing it to move the way nature intended it to. No excessive support, no exaggerated cushioning, no movement control - nothing but “natural motion.” The natural motion philosophy focuses on enabling the foot to move and flex with proper torsion by providing support with a highly flexible, anatomically shaped construction. Foot and lower leg muscles will be trained effectively and become stronger over time. In essence, our entire structure – our bones, tendons and muscles – have been “tuned” by nature for walking. But the most impressive aspect of the body’s adaptation may be what happens in the feet, each of which contains 26 bones, 32 muscles and tendons and 107 ligaments. In actual fact, the foot is a natural shock absorber. By flattening the arch and rolling inward, it absorbs the force of impact. By supporting this natural, pronating motion, BIOM Walk enables your feet to get stronger just as nature designed them to do. It feels good. But even more importantly, it’s a better way to walk. BIOM Walk embodies the leading edge of human movement technology. The use of direct injection construction, anatomical flex grooves and anatomically placed impact zones result in a world-class performance shoe for the most active walkers. Yet, all the things that make BIOM so effective for intense walking also make it extremely comfortable and healthy as an everyday shoe. It was designed to exhibit the kind of street-smart style that lets you look as good as the shoe makes you feel! The BIOM collection is exclusively available from King and ECCO Shoe Shops in Valletta 21224804, San Gwann 21378433, Baystreet 23720010 and Tower Shoes, Sliema 21333777. www.ecco-shoes.com.mt.