Design the Perfect Shoe
- Bianca deKock
- Jun 16, 2015
- 2 min read
This should really be a book title though.
It's every girl's Cinderella fantasy; finding a shoe that fits you so flawlessly that it feels as if it was made just for you. Australian shoe-design company Shoes of Prey is making that dream a reality for women all over the world, and I had the opportunity to fulfill this dream for myself quite recently.
I found out about this magical site last year, and amidst finals procrastination, I would design extravagant shoes with my account I'd set up, but never went through the final step of purchasing, partially because there are simply too many textile, pattern, and color options to choose from, let alone the actual structure of the shoe.
A few months ago, I received an email saying that they were teaming up with Nordstrom to establish shoe design studios at various locations, and it was just my luck that they were opening one at the San Francisco location. For the opening, they were holding a "shoe school"; a shoe design workshop for the new design studio coming to Nordstrom. It was there that I'd finalized my design.
For months I had been looking for the perfect heel that was a comfortable height, a good color that was fun yet neutral, soft leather, and a pointy-toe D'Orsay style that is trending at the moment. Of course, with such a specific wish list, that was hard to find, so what did I do? I had it made specifically for me. It was hard not to get caught up in the details, with a plethora of vibrant colors, and textiles like silk, and genuine fish skin and snakeskin. But I eventually decided on a maroon, pointy-toe D'Orsay mid heel. Before checking out, a prototype was shown, as I have pictured above. I got to try on a sample to make sure it fit exactly to my liking. So, I put in the order.
Along the process of the shoes being handmade to my liking, I received constant email updates as to which stage of the process they were at. Finally they shipped, and I was overjoyed when I came home to these beauties on my doorstep.They are neutral enough to go with any outfit, and still give a fun pop of color; adding to my polished, yet fashion forward aesthetic. I absolutely cannot wait until I design my next pair. Head to www.shoesofprey.com to design yours, or find out if the nearest Nordstrom to you has a design studio. You will not regret it.
Disclaimer: I am no way an affiliate or employee of Shoes of Prey or Nordstrom. I decided to write about my experience for the purpose of my blog, and for the enjoyment of having my own custom shoes!