One of my favorite parts of this footwear journey is without a doubt, the incredible women I meet along the way!

Recently, we put together a photo shoot for our Spring 2016 Collection. This involved finding locations for the shoot, hiring a photographer, a hair & makeup artist, a fashion stylist, and of course, a model. I’ve had the opportunity to connect with a number of fashion models about footwear over the years, and one even confided in me that she would spend the 2 minutes backstage before a runway show meditating. She would repeat this mantra to herself, “It’s only 2 minutes. You can do it!” Was this stage fright she was fighting? Not at all. Rather, it was the knowledge that she would be enduring continuous pain as she walked the runway in her client's heels! Many models, in fact, have confided in me that they have endured years of painful feet as a result of the footwear they are required to wear for photo shoots and runway walks.

Funny how time changes things. Now here I am, the one hiring these models to share their talents as they showcase my shoes. Yes, I know how much more comfortable my shoes are than what models traditionally are asked to wear. Nevertheless, the reaction of our model Madison to my shoes was like a dream come true! As a dancer and model, Madison truly appreciates our #fashionwithfunction mantra. She can’t afford to be in pain, or it could affect her livelihood.

Madison’s love of my shoes was like an injection of vitamins to my soul. She was hired to simply do a job, she did not have to love the shoes, but she did!  As the photo shoot ran long, we were going to need to pay overtime but Madison quickly jumped in and asked to be paid in shoes instead!

I think some of her joy comes out in the photos that resulted from the shoot. Her strength and agility as a dancer became evident as she discovered how easily she could actually move with balance in my shoes.

Thank you, Madison! You inspire me to keep moving forward every day! You deserve to look AND feel beautiful!

xo

Joan