About

Atelier Shoes, LLC was started in Denver, CO, by Kate Friedman, a thirty-something corporate lawyer who, after tough days in the office, rewarded herself with a new pair of shoes.  What started as a woe-is-me spending habit, turned into a vacation brainstorm, turned into a business plan and is now the most comprehensive design your own shoe business on the Web.  

After many months of researching, sketching, negotiating and revising, the first line of shoes came to life as seven different styles, all high heels, that could be customized to suit each woman’s individual style by selecting from 80 different materials for the exterior upper, interior upper, heel, sole, footbed and label.  The original website allowed women to see each style and the available materials, but the Online Design StudioTM was not capable of producing an image of the final designed shoe.  Beginning in January 2010, that all changed when the revised Online Design Studio was launched.  Now, women can design online, mix and match and see the final product from three different angles before ordering.  Also launched in January 2010, was Atelier Shoes line of flats and kitten heels.

In addition to the Online Design Studio, Atelier Shoes also hosts Girls’ Night In Shoe Parties in the Denver area and is currently expanding its Shoe Party Representative program, through which it contracts with representatives in different cities around the U.S., to bring the shoe-designing experience to women everywhere.  

Atelier Shoes also recently launched its “Design A Line” service through which it works with boutique owners and young designers to bring their ideas to life and to launch their own shoe lines.  Atelier Shoes assists in the design and manufacture process, as well as in brand management strategies for the new line.  In the future, Atelier Shoes may also launch a ready-made line of its own.

Despite the changes, those that have occurred and those that will occur in the future, Atelier Shoes’ vision remains the same: to allow women to make a statement with their shoes--be it bold, classy, sophisticated, fun or flirty—or, as we like to say: Design Your PedestalTM