Hello there,
I am Daniella, founder, designer and CEO.
Born and raised in South Africa, I never in my wildest African dreams thought that I would end up in New
York City designing my own shoe collection and running a direct-to-consumer shoe business.
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I want women to expect beautiful design and comfort from their shoes without compromise. I want women to have a brand that they know they can go to and trust that their shoes have been designed for REAL everyday life and not just the moments we see glamorized in movies and on Instagram.
I approach every design with the intent to create something that's beautiful, proportional, flattering, and fit-tested for comfort. For example, sourcing thicker heels, adding extra cushion to insoles, and choosing the softest and highest quality materials. I personally try and fit each pair to test the exact pitch or steepness of a heel for better weight distribution. Every pair is made to be worn all day... every pair FUNCTIONAL.
Our shoes aren’t seasonal.
They are made to last. It isn’t worth the investment if you can’t wear a pair all day, and if it won’t last you season after season. Our small batch production ensures that we don't over produce, which is better for our environment and minimizes the waste that ends up in our landfills.My designs are feminine, bold and intended for you to feel beautiful when you wear them as they accentuate and celebrate the beautiful curves, and lines of our feet and legs. The secret sauce is that we couple this with an unflinching dedication to versatility and comfort.
I made the choice early on to grow our business by selling directly to you primarily, because it enables us to keep our prices down by up to 50% for a product that is made exactly the same way that other luxury shoe brands make their shoes.
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...worn by the likes of celebrities like Hayley Kiyoko and influencers such as Mary Leest, who boasts 1 million
followers on Instagram.
And don’t let the heel height scare you; hidden inside is memory foam, so you’ll feel like you’re walking on clouds.
When labeling a pair of boots as “amazing,” certain requirements must be met: flattering shape, season-less color, and unique details... Daniella Shevel is worthy of that label.
These shoes are like the timeless leather jacket in your closet, an investment that will actually last!
Why shoes?
My parents, 3 younger siblings, and I immigrated from South Africa right before I started college in America. I graduated from USC with a business degree which felt like the right career move at the time despite the fact that in my heart I wanted to design shoes. I moved to New York and worked for 7 years on the business development & digital marketing teams for companies including Shopbop, ShopStyle, and rag&bone. At 28, I found myself stuck in a cycle of doing what looked good from the outside—a stable and well-paying job—but on the inside, I was miserable.
I was yearning to make a bigger impact in an authentic way and I honestly couldn’t get shoes off of my mind.
Something interesting had also happened while I was working long hours in the corporate fashion world. I had become very frustrated with the shoe industry. My feet were constantly hurting, and I felt female shoe designers were under-represented. I’m pretty short, and I enjoy wearing heels both day and night. I was constantly trying to find shoes that I wanted to wear without needing to carry an extra ‘flat’ pair to change into in the bathroom or on the subway.
I left my corporate fashion job, packed my bags, took my design sketches, and went to Italy visiting one shoe factory after another.
Every meeting would end in a “NO” from the factory. I couldn’t meet the order minimums, and the factories didn’t want to take the risk with a new, inexperienced designer. On top of this, I had to find a factory that would meet the high level of quality and craftsmanship that I knew I needed. Out of desperation, I sought advice from people in the footwear industry, and even those professionals told me not to waste my time or the money.
I felt intimidated and embarrassed, but my gut said don’t give up. I just need one “YES”.
After months of trying without a formal shoe design background, I finally got a ‘YES’ from an Italian factory, and soon I had my own shoe prototypes in hand. They were far from perfect, but suddenly my dream was becoming a reality as I held those first prototypes in my hands. I knew at this point I could make Daniella Shevel a reality.
It is possible…
I like to give some context and background on getting to this point because I know when I was starting out that if I had read a story like this that it would’ve meant so much to know that you can shape your journey, and that if you’re willing to put in the work and not give up that you can manifest what you think is impossible. As cliché as it sounds, it’s true.
My favorite moments are when women try on our shoes for the first time and are shocked by how comfortable they are AND how beautiful they look on their feet.
That’s when I know we are on the right track. We are so much more than our shoes, but if we walk in more comfort, we can do more throughout our days and get the most out of what we are pursuing. We are redefining what beauty and comfort feel like.
With that said, I am always here to answer your questions and chat. Please feel free to get in touch anytime - I love hearing from you!
