Naturalizer® Invites Consumers to Help Make Others Feel Good With 'Friends of Naturalizer' Contest

ST. LOUIS, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Naturalizer®, a brand of Brown Shoe Company, Inc., (NYSE: BWS) (www.brownshoe.com)  will donate $1 for every handbag or shoe purchase made in a Naturalizer store, on Naturalizer.com or Naturalizer.ca from April 7-11, 2011 — up to $20,000 – to a deserving charity as part of the brand's bi-annual "Friends of Naturalizer" program.  The charity will be selected by consumer votes.

Launched in 2009, the "Friends of Naturalizer" program takes place each spring and fall as part of the brand's mission to help women feel good by fusing fashion, comfort and the activities that make them happy.  Shoppers in the U.S. and Canada are asked to vote at www.naturalizer.com and www.naturalizer.ca, respectively, for which of three philanthropic organizations will receive the donation.  There is no purchase necessary to vote.

Beginning today, consumers can vote for one of the three participating charities — Boys & Girls Club, WaterCan, World Wildlife Fund — each of which represents an aspect of Naturalizer's "Feel Good" mission for women:  Be Well, Play Well, Live Well.

"Feel Good. Be Well."

WaterCan is a leading international development charity dedicated to fighting global poverty by helping the world's poorest people gain access to clean water, basic sanitation and hygiene education. Its vision is simple: Clean Water for All! Since 1987, WaterCan's programs have reached more than 1.2 million children, women and men in the world's poorest regions, breaking the cycle of poverty and disease and increasing opportunities for health, education, gender equality, and economic growth. Its partnerships with local communities in East Africa integrate water supply, sanitation and hygiene education activities, emphasize community ownership of planning and management, emphasize self-help and community participation that benefit and involve women.

"Feel Good. Play Well."

The mission of Boys & Girls Club is to enable all young people to reach their full potential as caring, productive and responsible citizens.  Its core beliefs are that a Boys & Girls Club provides a safe place to learn and grow, ongoing relationships with caring adult professionals, life-enhancing programs, character development experiences, hope and opportunity.  By providing a safe environment, Boys & Girls Club hopes to help the increasing number of children who are at home with no adult care or supervision and are finding their own recreation and companionship in the streets.

"Feel Good. Live Well."

World Wildlife Fund is the world's leading conservation organization, working in 100 countries for fifty years. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, halt the degradation of the environment and combat climate change.  From the Amazon to the Arctic, WWF is building a future where human needs are met in harmony with nature. WWF's experts are active at every level – from field work to government - conserving the largest tropical rain forests, the most diverse coral reefs, and the world's most endangered species.

"Watching our customers support such wonderful organizations over the past three 'Friends of Naturalizer' campaigns has been incredible.  We are touched by our customers' giving natures, and we look forward to furthering the mission of one of these charities, all of which commit themselves to improving our world," said Naturalizer Marketing Director Yolonda Curtin.

Over the past two years, Naturalizer has donated more than $60,000 to participating charities. Previous winners include WaterCan and ShelterBox.

For more information on Naturalizer, visit www.Naturalizer.com, www.Naturalizer.ca or www.facebook.com/Naturalizer.

WaterCan is a registered trademark of WaterCan/EauVive. WWF-US is a registered trademark of World Wildlife Fund. WWF-Canada is a registered trademark of World Wide Fund for Nature (also known as World Wildlife Fund).

About Naturalizer

Launched in 1927 as one of the first comfort-driven fashion footwear brands, Naturalizer strives each season to deliver just the right blend of style and comfort for the busy lifestyle of today's woman. Learn more by visiting www.naturalizer.com, and become a fan on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Naturalizer.

About Brown Shoe Company, Inc.

Brown Shoe is a $2.5 billion global footwear company. Brown Shoe's Retail division operates Famous Footwear, a leading family branded footwear destination with over 1,100 stores nationwide and e-commerce site FamousFootwear.com, approximately 260 specialty retail stores in the U.S., Canada, and China primarily under the Naturalizer brand name, and footwear e-tailer shoes.com. Through its wholesale divisions, Brown Shoe designs and markets leading fashion and athletic footwear brands including Naturalizer, Dr. Scholl's, LifeStride, Sam Edelman, Franco Sarto, Via Spiga, Vera Wang Lavender, Etienne Aigner, Avia, ryka, And 1, and Buster Brown. Brown Shoe press releases are available on the Company's website at www.brownshoe.com.

SOURCE Brown Shoe Company, Inc.