Designing Marie

MARIE, the third shoe developed in the TFR collection, is a slingback. A classic, feminine silhouette, there are so many directions you can go with variations on straps, hardware, heel height and other design details as many designers have done since the style’s introduction in the 1940s. But the core design features of a covered toe and open heel have remained consistent. The visual effect of smaller-looking foot and longer legs, coupled with its day-to-night versatility, keeps this silhouette as a wardrobe stable. It’s a great choice when pumps feel too formal and sandals too informal. 

Designing the Marie

It turns out this was the most technical shoe to design. By nature, a slingback has an open back which means we needed to find a way to integrate the insole in a discrete manner. We designed a “lip” around the back of the shoe, essentially creating a cup for the insole to rest inside.

Next came the strap design. The heel strap needed to fit comfortably while keeping the shoe securely on the foot. We opted for elastic wrapped in leather to keep the aesthetic while allowing for flexibility of fit. The strap across the toe not only visually balances the heel strap, it provides extra coverage over the bunion for a functional, flattering look.

For the finishing details, our design team of experts in form, function and manufacturing decided on these design elements for Marie:

• A horizontal strap across the toe with folded edges for a clean look
• Angled heel strap with folded edges and covered elastic for flexible fit
• Memory foam pads on the inside of the heel strap for comfort and secure fit
• Wide toe box keeps toes from crowding
• Toe shape with the right balance of square and round for a sleek look that elongates the leg
• 20mm exterior leather stacked heel, although the actual height with the insole is 40mm

Prototyping and Wear-Testing

Even though the Marie uses the same last, sole and insole as the other two shoes in the collection, it took five rounds of prototyping to make sure we got three key things right:

1. The open back had to conceal the insole, making it look integrated with the shoe on the inside.
2. There’s nothing worse than a slingback strap that doesn’t stay up. We prototyped different strap angles and lengths to find a comfortable, secure fit.
3. A potential pitfall when designing an open shoe, it can make the foot look unflatteringly wide. We tweaked the pattern and placement of the straps to ensure a flattering fit.

When it comes to wear-testing, I have two non-negotiable tests. First, if I had to literally run in the shoe, could I do it without the shoe falling off? And second, the shoe has to fit securely and not flop around on my foot, making flapping noises (you shouldn’t hear me coming before you see me…) Wear-testing feedback says we nailed it!

Colorways and Material Selection

This style has such great versatility and range of wear. Our color choices were intentional in adding to that versatility for day to night, weekday to weekend. We also wanted to have a little fun with this one with metallic finishes.

The five colorways of Marie:

• Nero: a matte black
• Caramel: a beautiful brown with orange hues
• Foam: a blend of grey and blue, a signature TFR color
• Midnight Metallic: dark navy with a subtle metallic finish
• Champagne Metallic: bright and bubbly champagne with a hint of pink in metallic finish

Naming the Shoe

The final step in the process was giving the shoe a name worthy of its design and functionality. All TFR shoes are named after trailblazing women who broke through barriers, giving the rest of a path to follow and allowing us to see ourselves in places we might have thought impossible. The Marie is a technical shoe so we named her after the scientist, Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel prize in physics.

 

SHOP MARIE