Inside the TFR Atelier

A brief history of women’s shoes and how we, including you, are changing the future of footwear.

 

We’ve come a long way since the early days of high heels––and yet, not far enough. When we set out to make the world’s most stylish, supportive, and comfortable luxury shoe, we had very specific ideas of how to achieve that. First, we committed to give equal priority to form and function, and to never choose one over the other. Secondly, we promised to have an endless curiosity to always do better. That’s why we want you, the community, to be part of the design process. With your insight, we’re unstoppable. But before we go there, here’s a brief look into how we got here.

Designed by Women for Women

The design and manufacturing of most women’s shoes are grounded in a long history of, well, men. For centuries, the design and the last (the forms used to make shoes) have been predominantly done by and made for men. Even the majority of cobblers are men. Perhaps this is because heels were originally worn by men. As far back as the 10th century, Persian men wore heeled boots for stability and balance while riding a horse. They eventually made their way to Europe in the 16th century and were worn by men in court as a status symbol. Over the course of the next 200 years, men abandoned high heels for more sensible shoes with a lower heel, better for balance and walking. 

When women began wearing heels in the 17th century, the goal was to hide the foot beneath a long skirt as much as possible. The peeking toe of a pointed shoe suggested a small foot, an appealing marker of daintiness. And now, centuries later, our shoes haven’t materially changed in design or construction. The result? Toes jammed into pointy, narrow toe boxes contributing to foot deformities; shoes with no arch support causing pain throughout our entire lower bodies due to uneven weight distribution; rigid materials and flimsy construction that doesn’t provide support or flexibility. The list goes on. 

There’s a long line of tradition, expertise, and pride in the shoemaking process, which is partially why it hasn’t materially changed. Until now. Women have had enough. We’re demanding form and function in shoe designs. Enough with the ridiculous adage, “beauty is pain.” TFR is developed by women for women because we deserve a shoe that looks good, feels good, and matches our power and potential.

TFR’s Approach to Design

Form and function carry equal weight in our approach to design. The entire design team is grounded in three core principles:

1. Optimize Function. We took inspiration from Ferdinand Porsche who said, “If you analyze the function of an object, its form often becomes obvious.” In our case, the object is women’s feet and what’s obvious to us is designing a functional shoe that’s good for our health, instead of causing more harm, which is unfortunately what most shoes do to our feet and body. Our study starts with science, applying the expertise of our board-certified podiatrist to ensure our shoe was built on a foundation of biomechanics and ergonomics. From the selection of materials to the technology and construction techniques, every design element is optimized for movement, performance, and comfort.

2. Reduce Form to the Essentials. The key is in the edit, or as Coco Chanel famously said, “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” Our approach to elegant simplicity starts with the question, “Does this element serve a purpose?” If the answer is “no,” we simplify or eliminate it. That’s why we’re committed to sleek, chic, collectable designs that are timeless, seasonless, and ageless. 

3. Continuously Improve. Feedback is a gift. We are eager to receive it and act on the truths we find in those gifts. That means creating forums and channels to build a relationship with you, our customers, and gathering your feedback. Our brand is built on women helping women, so why not apply that to our design process? This inclusive approach helps make us all better.

Join Us: Welcome to the TFR Atelier

Everyone is welcome inside our design studio. Moreover, we want you to be an active participant in the design process. Perhaps you have feedback on your TFR shoes––something you’d like changed or improved upon in a future iteration? Maybe you love an element so much, you never want it to change?

“Inside the Atelier” is the forum where TFR customers can weigh in on designs. It’s exclusively available through the @tfr_shoes Instagram, where we’ll show you how our styles come to life from start to finish. Here you’ll also have the opportunity to answer questions and provide feedback on design elements. Together, we’ll keep innovating and improving on our products. The face of footwear is changing and it starts with you.

 

Follow TFR Shoes on Instagram to join us Inside the Atelier