Where comfort and beauty first meet

The story of redefining high heels starts right where most women end their day: rubbing tired feet, silently wishing shoes were kinder. We’ve spent decades living with that unspoken rule that real style means sore toes and stiff smiles. But what if heels could do more than look good? That question nudges us awake each season, pushing us to hunt for something both practical and polished. We believe it’s not bold to want both comfort and elegance. It’s just overdue.

Our path: from Brooklyn shoe store to medical lab

Redefining high heels isn’t a phrase we toss out lightly, it’s the thread running through our founder’s own life. Dr. Joan Oloff didn’t just dream up a shoe line after brunch. She grew up stocking aisles and fitting shoes for real women in her father’s Brooklyn shop. Later, she saw the fallout in her podiatry clinic: bunions, blisters, and stories from women who’d had enough. Real feet. Real bodies. Not the plastic ones from department store windows. That mix of childhood nostalgia and clinical rigor is honestly what set us down this road. It’s personal, so we never take shortcuts.

The Arina Bootie: proof that style can feel good

Let’s get specific for a moment. If you haven’t slipped on the Arina Bootie, you’re missing a small revelation. It looks like the kind of ankle boot a New York editor would wear, sleek, not flashy, and quietly self-assured. We worked with Italian artisans on its kid suede, wrapping our patented comfort system inside, so the pressure practically melts away underfoot. No one outside will spot anything medical. But inside, there’s a little bit of science beneath your arch, almost like those old-fashioned orthotics but truly hidden. The effect? Your whole day opens up—more meetings, more walks to the market, and less minding your shoes. We built it intentionally for women who expect more from their heels but are tired of looking for it.

Blending science and classic shoe craft

Of course, a shoe is much more than its silhouette. Our take on redefining high heels required more than just slipping a cushion under the insole. We worked hand in hand with Italian and Brazilian makers whose families have been building shoes for longer than most of us have been wearing them. Our comfort technology isn’t layered in as an afterthought, it’s structurally part of the shoe, guiding how each Arina Bootie or ballet flat gets put together from the start. You don’t see the science because it sits deep inside the bones of the shoe, doing its job quietly. It reminds us of a great meal where you can’t pick out the special ingredient, but you know something is just right. If nostalgia had a feeling, it would be something like this: tradition on the surface, innovation at the core.

Shoes that let you say yes—on your own terms

For us, redefining high heels isn’t about just comfort. It’s about giving women their days back, the freedom to say yes to a rooftop lunch, to last-minute plans, or even just an extra block in the city. Every detail, every stitch is meant to help you stand tall and move with less hesitation. Some days it’s the Arina Bootie. Other days, you might swap into one of our simple flats—nothing fussy, just well-shaped and forgiving. There’s a little rebellion in shoes that are gentle but sharp. Maybe it’s not about changing everything overnight, but about raising the bar for what we get to expect from the things we wear.

Other Blog Posts You Might Like

If this topic resonated with you, here are a few more stories we think you’ll enjoy:

• Empowered by comfort our mission
• Most comfortable wedding shoes
• How to style a red heel