SHOES NEWS

Hello Stiletto Shoe Club Newsletter

August 2007

SOLE ENVIE: MEET SHOE DESIGNER MONIKA DESAI

Ever wonder how someone becomes a shoe designer?

Next month's Shoe Party at 75 Chestnut in Boston

(coinciding with Boston Fashion Week) will feature a

fashion show by hot new Boston shoe designer, Monika

Desai whose label is called Sole Envie. Shoe Club

member and reporter for the Lawrence Eagle Tribune,

Rosemary Ford, interviewed Monika for the scoop on

her upcoming collection and details on how she turned

her shoe passion (and pain!) into her own footwear

business.

How close are you to launching Sole Envie? Sole Envie is about six to nine months away from launch.

Some styles will be available for sale through custom orders in the meantime.

Tell me about your personal shoe collection -- how many, what's in it, and why? You’d think

otherwise, but sadly, my shoe collection resembles my shoe size, which is, in a word, small. I wear size

4.5, which makes it extremely difficult to find shoes - designer or ordinary. That’s actually the reason I

decided to start my own footwear company. I have never once gone shoe shopping and been able

to pick and choose a pair of shoes that I liked. I've always been limited to whatever was available in

my size. I finally got so frustrated last year that I decided to have a pair of custom shoes made for

myself. I enjoyed the experience of choosing the style, color, and leather so much that I decided this

would be a great concept to incorporate into a shoe company. I'm hoping that one day I can look

back and be thankful there was a reason for all the shoe frustrations I've faced.

As for my personal shoe collection, I wear a lot of platforms because I'm petite and they give me

some height without torturing my feet. I've been designing shoes for myself lately where the upper

wraps under the platform to minimize the clunky look a platform sometimes causes. I don't own any

designer shoes since they don't come in my size, but if they did, my collection would be very eclectic.

I like everything from bold and quirky patterns and colors to very elegant and sensual designs. I look

for shoes that are sophisticated, unique, and feminine that highlight my ankles… (continued on page 2)

SHOE CLUB GETS FAMOUS

The Shoe Club has received some amazing press recently. A film crew and reporter from NBC’s

TODAY Show attended our August 14 th event at Cordani in Wakefield, MA and we’re expecting the

segment to air on Tuesday, September 4 th sometime between 8 and 11 am. Be sure to watch for it.

The Atlanta Journal Constitution ran an extensive story on the Shoe Club on the front page of its Living

section on August 28 th which led to Atlanta Shoe Club leader, Amanda Viciana, being invited as a

special guest on Star 94 FM the following day. All this publicity has generated an avalanche of new

sign ups and the Shoe Club now has over 1,000 members across four locations.

Welcome new members. We look forward to seeing you at an upcoming event!

(Sole Envie… continued from page 1)

and elongate my legs. I tend to lean towards complex designs that feature intricate cutwork or

straps, and that are composed of a mixture of different textures or colors such as metallics, embossed

leather or patterned fabrics. I really like vintage inspired designs from the 30's and 40's that have a

glamorous appeal. Above all, though, the shoes have to be comfortable. There is nothing worse

than having your feet kill you while you're at a party or out shopping. My goal is to design shoes that

are both stylish and comfortable.

What sort of inspiration do the NYC garment district stores provide and why? I'm like a kid in a candy

store when I'm in the garment district. With stores specializing in everything from leather and lace to

ribbons and buttons, stores overflow with just about any color, texture, and pattern you can imagine.

Some of the stores are neatly organized with spool after

spool of ribbons anchored on the wall, while others you

literally have to burrow through to find that perfect

Some of Desai’s

something that will turn your shoe from ordinary to

delicious designs

extraordinary.

There's this one little leather store that I go to that is jam

packed with thousands of beautiful skins all stacked

haphazardly from floor to ceiling. It's so stuffed that you

can barely walk through the aisle. The owner just hands

Monika Desai

you a stool. You really have to dig, but I always find

something really special there.

I usually have specific designs in mind before I head into

the city, but once I start shopping I get so inspired that by

the end of the day I've come up with 20 brand new

designs. The hardest part is deciding on what to get.

How do you choose between exquisite beaded trims,

gorgeous silk brocades, and fabulous metallic leathers

(not to mention all the crystals, flowers and other

accessories) you can imagine? So many options...so little

time.

With Sole Envie, I hope that women will be able to experience this same kind of inspiration I feel when

walking through the garment district. I hope to inspire that by allowing them to choose from hundreds

of different options to create that perfect pair of shoes.

What's the most important thing you've learned about shoes through your shoe-making journey that

you wish everyone knew? I never realized how complex and labor intensive shoemaking is. I started

taking shoemaking classes in January and I have yet to finish my first pair of shoes! I've since moved

onto other shoes but that first pair of shoes is still waiting to be finished. There is so much to making a

pair of shoes, from finding a last (an anatomical representation of a person's foot that most shoes are

built on), to making a pattern, sewing, cutting, and gluing, that it can take a few days to a few weeks

(or months in my case!) to finish a pair if you're making them in a non-factory setting. Once you've

made your own shoes from scratch, you really gain an appreciation for all that goes into a pair of

shoes. A handmade shoe is really like a work of art.

The other thing that I've learned is that the shoemaking industry in the US is almost extinct. The state

of Massachusetts used to be the center for shoemaking in the 19th and early 20 th century and now

there are virtually no factories remaining. Everything has gone overseas to Asia. Not only is that a

shame, but it makes it really hard for smaller designers to find the components needed to make a pair

of shoes. And if you're a small footwear company trying to get started, it's a challenge to find a

factory overseas that is willing to produce shoes in small quantities.

(continued on page 3)

2

(Sole Envie… continued from page 2)

Are there any rules we should follow about shoes? Such as tall women shouldn't wear platforms or

women with chubby legs shouldn't wear ankle straps.

Rules, schmules. My philosophy is if it looks good, wear it! I've always believed that women should

wear what they feel fabulous in and not worry about rules. The great thing about shoes is that they

are democratic in that no matter what shape and size your are, the right pair of shoes can make you

feel beautiful, confident, and sexy. I don't think women should limit themselves from wearing a

specific type of shoe because they're afraid of looking too tall, too petite, too thin, or too chubby.

Instead they should look at the proportions and design of the individual shoe and see how it

enhances their legs and compliments their outfit.

For example, if a woman is worried about her legs looking chubby in an ankle strap, perhaps she

should look at where the ankle strap hits her leg. Sometimes, if the ankle strap is positioned too high

above the ankle, it can cut off the line of her leg especially if she's wearing a skirt that is lower than

mid-thigh. Wearing a thin strap or a strap that is close to her skin tone will help keep that long lean

line going.

Sole Envie's web site is

www.SoleEnvie.com