While many of luxury footwear’s most storied brands are helmed by men, today’s most innovative and modern brands are being built by women, for women. A look at how Aeyde, Christen, Jude and Paris Texas are leading the transformation.
Aeyde
Founded: 2015, Berlin
Everyday cool-girl staples, from kitten heels and flats to boots and mary janes, with accessible luxury pricing.
Inspiration: “For fall, we explored the idea of continuity — the traditions, rituals and human skills that endure over time while continuing to evolve,” says founder and creative director Luisa Dames. “It’s about preserving what has value while always moving forward. For me, that’s also very much how we think about Aeyde — building on what we know, refining it and finding new ways to make it relevant for today.”
Major celebrity moment: “My personal ‘pinch me’ moment was Madonna wearing our satin flats to her 66th birthday and, more recently, Michelle Obama in our Ella sandals.”
Jude
Founded: 2024, Paris
Modern minimalism, fashion-forward classics and a real focus on wearability.
Inspiration: “It’s all about the Jude woman, her sexiness and relentless energy, an expression of feeling like herself without any need to try for others. Shoes that are easy on her mind, that feel kind of obviously hers. And always something subversive, something counter to expectations. Forever rebellious.”
Celebrity fans: Hailey Bieber, Naomi Watts, Gemma Chan, Mikey Madison, Tracee Ellis-Ross.
Christen
Founded: 2024, Paris
Styles that balance allure and ease, with a focus on structure, lines and details, down to the packaging.
Inspiration: “Every day, I see so many little [details]. I tend to scan my environment, look at people and find inspiration in nature. For example, I cook and I always look at the vegetables — they have such beautiful colors,” said founder and creative director Nina Christen, who also serves as design director of shoes at Dior. “My process is a sort of composition of random things that I put together and reassemble them. And then they transform. What always catches my attention is the color of the sky. I have these huge windows in my studio, and I look at the sky every day — and it’s different every day. That’s always inspiring.”
Major celebrity moment: “When Rihanna wore the Mono strap sandal for a stroll with her kids.”
Paris Texas
Founded: 2015, Milan
Parisian elegance meets Texas boldness, from bestselling mules to statement boots with a twist.
Inspiration: “Paris Texas’ dualistic soul is stretched to its furthest edge for this collection, where sophistication sharpens into attitude, sensuality hardens into intent and two uncompromising identities collide, forging a vision of bold femininity guided by untamed instinct,” said founder and creative director Annamaria Brivio.
Major celebrity moment: “One of the most iconic was undoubtedly Beyoncé wearing our custom-made boots during her tour, both in Houston — a location that is particularly meaningful and important to us — and in Washington, D.C.”