Platform Celebrating Women Innovating for Women Launches with Inaugural Collaboration

Naturalizer, a lead Caleres (NYSE:CAL) brand and the fashion footwear brand that put women first, first by revolutionizing how women’s footwear is made, unveils the Gen N Project for spring 2024. Deepica Mutyala, founder & CEO of Live Tinted, is the inaugural partner in the collaboration series, which was born out of the belief that inclusivity and transparency can inspire a more comfortable future for all women.

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Deepica Mutyala, founder & CEO of Live Tinted, collaborated with Naturalizer on a capsule collection of footwear as part of Naturalizer's Gen N project. (Photo: Business Wire)

Naturalizer created the Gen N Project to advance the ideals of comfort for women through a series of partnerships with women and brands inspiring the future with their actions. It is a collective of women who share a common vision in the pursuit of design, content and cultural innovation, that champions the unstoppable power of women. Naturalizer’s partnership with Deepica kicks off this series in which the brand will be tapping global thought leaders who are each using their voice, platform and products to inspire a more inclusive world for women.

Deepica has dedicated her career and inclusive beauty brand, Live Tinted, to championing multicultural beauty and creating a platform that gives voice to underrepresented individuals. Her mission to change the beauty narrative, standing for equal representation, perfectly complements Naturalizer’s constant pursuit of innovating for inclusivity. Deepica strongly believes that transparency should color every action one takes, and she and Naturalizer have a shared ambition to normalize and advocate for inclusivity for every woman.

With this mission, Deepica selected Unicorn Island Fund to be the benefitting charity for the Naturalizer capsule. Deepica and Naturalizer are proud to support the work of Unicorn Island Fund to change how girls and women are seen, heard and valued.

Deepica states, “My intention is to lead by example, to show other brands they can do it too. I hope for a future where we no longer have to call out inclusivity or representation. That it can just exist.” She continues, “It’s been a dream of mine to do a fashion collaboration. Finding the right partner that embraces my vision, my message of inclusivity and representation. It felt clear to me that Naturalizer is aligned with the same values as Live Tinted and that is why I chose them.”

The collaboration’s limited-edition capsule named Illuminate will make its debut in March 2024. The easy-to-wear slide was designed with the busy lifestyle of today’s woman in mind. It is offered in two heel heights, true to Naturalizer’s iconic comfort and fit, and three transparent tints called 1, 2, and 3, mirroring the naming philosophy of Live Tinted’s concealer shades.

Angelique Joseph, senior vice president of design and development at Naturalizer, says, “Deepica brought meaningful intention to the partnership, challenging us to weave in the symbolism of transparency in some capacity in the shoe design. Illuminate was created using a new material for Naturalizer that allows your own skin color to be seen through the three semi-transparent tones of the shoes, allowing every woman to find the shade that celebrates her skin tone, making her feel seen.”

The Naturalizer x Deepica Mutyala campaign merges beauty with fashion. In a series of intimate portraits captured by Daymion Mardel with makeup done by Daniel Martin, Deepica, along with entrepreneur and journalist Lauren Chan, and body positivity activist Khrystyana, were asked to illuminate their true selves. The women are wearing Live Tinted makeup throughout the campaign.

The collaboration launches on March 20, 2024. The Illuminate will retail for $125 and be available at Naturalizer.com and Nordstrom.com.

Learn more about the Gen N Project here and follow @Naturalizer to see what comes next.

About Naturalizer:

Naturalizer put women first, first. A shoe designed to the contours of a woman’s foot didn’t exist, so we created it. The result? Comfort. It’s why we exist. Forever elegant styles with our beautiful fit in sizes 5M-12W and everything in between. Our legendary emphasis on fit revolutionizes how shoes are made every day. Our mission of inclusivity supports our vision to have every woman in our shoes.

About Deepica Mutyala:

Deepica Mutyala is the Founder & CEO of Live Tinted, renowned, South-Asian American beauty entrepreneur on a mission to champion multicultural beauty through brand/products, community, conversation, and awareness – working to create a beauty brand where everyone feels seen and changing the beauty industry to broaden what's considered beautiful with the power and voice of both her personal and Live Tinted platforms. Mutyala rose to the forefront of the beauty industry in 2015 when her YouTube video, depicting a beauty hack to cover dark undereye circles using red lipstick, went viral – now boasting over 10 million views. Since then, Mutyala has been recognized by some of today’s most prestigious publications for her achievements in the beauty space, including accolades such as her 2022 dedicated feature as a TIME Magazine Next Generation Leader. Today, Mutyala's brand is sold across channels including DTC, on LiveTinted.com, and at top beauty retailers Ulta Beauty nationwide– the first South-Asian brand in the prominent retailer—and in-store and online at Sephora Canada. Follow her journey to revolutionize beauty at @LiveTinted and @deepica.

About Unicorn Island Fund:

Unicorn Island Fund uses the power of storytelling to create a more just and inclusive world. Being assigned female at birth should not be a disappointment or disadvantage. Unfortunately, far too many girls around the world are prevented from realizing their full potential by dangerous attitudes and beliefs that define them as less capable, less valuable and less worthy of opportunities. Unicorn Island Fund is changing the culture around how girls and women are seen, treated and valued. To date, the Fund has helped more than 5,000 girls and women write new stories, expanding educational and financial opportunities and breaking cycles of poverty. www.unicornisland.com/fund @unicornisland

About Caleres

Caleres is a market-leading portfolio of global footwear brands that includes Famous Footwear, Sam Edelman, Allen Edmonds, Naturalizer and Vionic. Our products are available virtually everywhere – in the nearly 1,000 retail stores we operate, in hundreds of major department and specialty stores, on our branded e-commerce sites, and on many additional third-party retail websites. Combined, these brands make Caleres a company with both a legacy and a mission. Our legacy is our more than 140 years of craftsmanship and our passion for fit, while our mission is to continue to inspire people to feel great…feet first. Visit caleres.com to learn more.

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