Lawyer Turns Shoe Designer

by Katie Keene March 12th, 2012 at 9:39 AM

ShoesTV sat down with first-time designer Dee Keller to get the scoop on her gorgeous shoes. A former lawyer and stay-at-home mom, Keller ditched the courtroom for the showroom and is now taking on the fashion world. Keller's shoes hit stores this season and are already getting an impressive amount of attention.

Many of us fantasize about designing shoes, but Keller approached those fantasies practically. With no formal design background, she researched all she could online. She visited the Fashion Footwear Association of New York's New York Shoe Expo, and later met with several shoemakers and picked their brains about shoe construction.

Keller named this shoe after her oldest daughter, Brighton.

Keller fell in love with the legendary materials and artisinal skills of Italian cobblers and decided to manufacture her shoes in Italy. She makes sure the essential “3 c’s”—comfort, character, and cost—are embedded in every design.

In honor of her late mother and her niece, Keller calls this shoe "Audrey."

“All my shoes are named after someone…usually someone that inspired the shoe,” Keller said. Sometimes, after she sees the prototype she realizes the shoe fits someone’s style. All of her mens' shoes are named for male family members, including "Steven," which is named for her husband. Likewise, all the women in her family have at least one shoe named after them. In other family news, Keller's daughter, Brighton, markets the shoes on her blog "Brighton the Day."

The spring 2012 collection has received very positive feedback. “It’s thrilling when people are happy with something you’ve created,” Keller says. She often gets emails saying, “I’ve worn my shoes all day and they’re so comfortable!”