Shoes with a midwestern twist
When you think about Nebraska, you don’t think high fashion. In fact, it would take a lot of convincing to believe that in the late 1980s, Sigerson Morris, one of the most successful shoe companies in the world, got half of its start in a Nebraskan suburb (Morris is from England.)
Now, shoes and Sigerson Morris are synonymous. After meeting in a design class at Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, England native Miranda Morris and Nebraskan Kari Sigerson channeled their inner shoemaker and created Sigerson Morris in 1991. Since then, they’ve opened several boutiques across the country and around the world selling high fashion shoes of all types, from leather boots to suede flats.
At first glance, you might think that Sigerson Morris sticks to the simple color palette of blacks and grays. But a closer look reveals sharper contrast, featuring vivid reds and icey blues. One of the most memorable features of SM shoes is the use of embellishments—zippers, buckles, belts, studs, laces, straps and more. Each shoe looks hand-crafted to fit the most eclectic of personalities.
In 2004, Sigerson Morris created Belle, an edgier collection, comparable to other discounted designer lines. All of which have moderate prices that appeal to the younger, still maturing wardrobe.
Belle features an even wider array of embellishments. And though its Winter/Fall 2010 color wheel is abrupt, with only greys, blacks, reds and ivorys, the shoe styles are more fitting for a couture and more garish ensemble. A personal favorite in the Belle line is a studded white oxford. It embodies all the classical styling’s of the 1950s but with a nice, nuance addition of about 60 silver studs.
When it comes to shoes, the most important element of style is style.
