Abstract: A shoe (1), in particular a sports shoe, comprising a vamp (2) and a sole (3), said vamp (2) presenting side portions (4, 5), a front portion (7), a rear portion (6) and a portion (8) arranged to lie on the front part of the foot of a user wearing the shoe (1), the sole (3) presenting a metatarsal front portion (10), an arched central portion (11), and a rear heel portion (12). At least one among said vamp (2) and said sole (3) presents a part comprising a very hard ceramic material able to confer on said part a high wear resistance and hence a long life. This material is ceramic.

Abstract: An adjustable arch support assembly having a position fixing member configured to be fixed to a shoe insole, the position fixing member having a plurality of retaining features positioned at different locations along the position fixing member. Also included is a movable arch support having a main body configured to support an arch region of a foot, and a coupling member provided on the main body and configured to couple the main body to the position fixing member. The coupling member has at least one engagement feature configured to engage different ones of the retaining features such that the movable arch support is fixed in different positions relative to the position fixing member based on the retaining feature engaged by the engagement feature.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product used for creating a custom footwear product. The method on which the system, and computer program product are based includes inputting in a retail store information about a characteristic of a consumer that relates to the consumer's foot, and receiving in the retail store a determination of a plurality of selected pre fabricated footwear components that have been selected based the information. Also included in the method is creating in the retail store a kit of prefabricated footwear components for the customer including the identified prefabricated footwear components to be assembled into the custom footwear product.

Abstract: A system for providing a shoe customized to a person includes a plurality of shoe cavity units each having an upper portion and a sole assembly coupled to the upper portion to form a shoe cavity configured to accommodate a foot. Also included is a plurality of interchangeable first shoe components each configured to be coupled to a shoe cavity unit and each configured to provide substantially the same first footwear function but having a different physical attribute based on differences among wearers, and a plurality of interchangeable second shoe components each configured to be coupled to a shoe cavity unit and each configured to provide substantially the same second footwear function but having a different physical attribute based on differences among wearers.

Abstract: A method for providing a custom shoe to a consumer, including identifying at least one characteristic about a consumer that is present within the retail store, the at least one characteristic relating to the consumer's foot. Also included is selecting a plurality of pre-fabricated footwear components based on the at least one characteristic, assembling the plurality of prefabricated footwear components into a custom shoe that is customized to the consumer, and presenting the custom shoe to the consumer before the customer leaves the retail store.

Abstract: An adaptable shoe includes an upper portion and a sole assembly connected to the upper portion to provide a shoe cavity. The sole assembly includes a first sole segment, a second sole segment positioned adjacent to and substantially coplanar with the first sole segment, and a deformable member connecting the first sole segment to the second sole segment to provide a substantially planar sole assembly that can be expanded in a width direction in order to adapt the size of the shoe in a width direction.