Tucked away in the lush Willamette Valley of Oregon, Softstar Shoes has been handcrafting barefoot-inspired footwear since 1985—all designed and made in the USA. This year, as the company celebrates 40 years of business, it is also marking another milestone: the acquisition of Sense of Motion (SOM) Footwear.
SOM has been making outdoor minimalist footwear in Montrose, Colorado, for over a decade. Led by its founder Olie Marchal and his closeknit team, SOM styles are known for their minimalist comfort and rugged durability that can take you from everyday endeavors to challenging terrain and high-intensity training.
After years of building a beloved brand, SOM founders Olie and Natalie have decided to embark on new adventures, focusing on their passions for endurance running and travel. As they pass the torch, the made-in-USA legacy of SOM will live on through Softstar.
“We’re proud to bring the SOM Footwear brand under the Softstar umbrella,” said Keita Beard, chief operations officer at Softstar. “This acquisition allows us to preserve what made SOM special while offering their designs to a wider audience through our platform. It’s a natural extension of our mission to support healthy footwear and ethical manufacturing”
Softstar has re-launched two of SOM’s popular styles: the Mesa (previously named the Briquette) and the Graciano. Like all of Softstar’s models, these casual minimalist sneakers feature a flexible build and zero-drop soles that encourage healthy foot function.
