Rethinking what heels should feel like

The first thing we noticed when we started talking with real women about shoes was how often words like ache and regret came up in the conversation about heels. So when we began our journey into reengineered heels, we had one obsession: why should classic beauty on the outside mean discomfort on the inside? We grew up around shoes, our story traces its way back to a Brooklyn storefront, where generations before us sold carefully crafted pumps to women who just wanted to feel sharp without paying the price in pain. Dr. Joan Oloff herself watched her mother head to parties, only to kick off pinching heels moments after arriving. That personal frustration became the seed for everything we’ve built.

Why reengineered heels matter

Most high heels look lovely on the outside, shiny buckles, striking profiles, those special touches you catch in the corner of your eye. But our experience as podiatrists and shoe lovers showed us something few brands want to admit. Inside, traditional designs favor materials and construction that just don’t match the actual shape or needs of a woman’s foot. We didn’t want to cover discomfort with padding or new insoles. We wanted a structural change. That’s how our Cadence Redwood Nubuck came to life—a heel that is beautiful yet built around real support, forgoing old methods in favor of an approach that genuinely prioritizes health.

The anatomy of support

We spent years studying how feet move and where pressure sneaks in around the bones and tendons. With that knowledge, we started from scratch: new internal structure, custom arch support, and patent-pending technology to take the weight off the ball of the foot. Think of it as less of a cushion and more of a backbone for the shoe. Plenty of designers focus on appearances, but when we slipped on a pair of our own reengineered heels, something changed for us. We could stand straighter, move easier, even walk across town instead of reaching for flats. And there’s the surprise: these shoes don’t advertise their comfort because it’s hidden within the build, never detracting from the line or color.

Beauty and well-being together

Plenty of our friends asked if comfort meant giving up style. The answer was no, the real challenge was balancing subtle curves and proportions with science that no one else had dared to try. Take the Deborah 2.0 in Champagne Gold. It’s a heel meant for celebrations, catching light in all the right places, but its secret is an internal design built to let you sway, stroll, and even chase a cab in heels without a second thought. And not just for the big events. Our booties—like the ones in our bootie collection—offer the same approach for cooler days or office weeks, always blending style with science.

Empowering women with footwear

After years listening to stories from women, business travelers, mothers, dancers, artists—we realized something deeper: reengineered heels are not just about foot health. They are about freedom. Freedom to move how you want. Freedom to look the part in a boardroom or at Sunday brunch. For us, these shoes represent the idea that a woman’s ambition should never be limited by pain. We are still refining, learning, and listening. But we believe that by putting comfort at the heart of every design, we are making it possible for more women to wear what they love, for longer and with confidence.

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