Hi Pedsters! I’m fresh off The Atlanta Shoe Market, and besides being exhausted from all the travel, I’m excited to give you a quick summary of The Haps in the industry.

First, (like always nowadays) Covid. Some of you may recall I was in Paris and Milan in March of 2020, when Covid first appeared on stage. Suffice it to say, it scared the bejeezus out of us shoe show travelers. And that’s still at play today. The Atlanta Shoe Market was busy, but not like the days of old. Covid has changed our ways in the show world too, with many buyers opting for online displays and remote ordering (ain’t the internet great?). That said, there was a good crowd; almost back to pre-pandemic levels. But, oohhhh the shoes!

If you’re a loyal Pedster, you’ll know we LOVE color! And Atlanta didn’t disappoint. New designs and designers are loading up on spicy feasts for your eyes, in the way of metallic leathers, multi-toned beauties, and also custom printed leather.

Another fun and funky style buzzing about the show was braided and woven leathers. Many designers are stepping out with their styles, and are embracing contour and texture by using super unique leathers. We have no idea where they get these gorgeous materials, but we definitely say “Yes, Please!” to the incredibly unique treatments we’re seeing.

That’s all for now. As you might remember, many shows are on hold, so we don’t know when the next one will be. But you can be sure we’ll let you know what we see. Just as soon as we see it!

-Dayna

Staying connected is so much easier than it used to be, Ped fans! Remember the days before email and smartphones, when the big deal was peel-and-stick postage stamps? Ancient history! These days whether you like to Tweet, Pin, share your status, browse through photos, or simply send an email (or perhaps all of the above, you tech-savvy sisters), it’s a cinch to socialize, and Ped is ready to hobnob and chitchat!

Below are just a few of the ways you can keep abreast of all things Ped—including flash sales and weekly specials— so you won’t miss a stylish step!

1. Facebook

Lots of you have “liked” Ped on Facebook, but there’s a secret you may not know: Even when you “like” a page, it doesn’t mean it will show up in your Newsfeed. Crazy, huh? (Facebook even picks which of your friends’ posts you get to see based on how you’ve interacted!)

What to do? Here’s what: Both “Like” and “Follow” Ped. (See the image below for which boxes to click). Next hover your cursor over the “Liked” box  and make sure  “Get Notifications” is checked. That way even if a Ped post doesn’t appear in your Newsfeed, you’ll still be notified when there’s something fresh to see on the Ped page! Never miss a Sweet Treat again!

2. Pinterest

Whenever we need a break or a jump start for creativity, we like getting lost among the lovely images on Pinterest. It’s another place where we announce specials and update the weekly Sweet Treat, so if Pinterest is your preferred Internet distraction, come follow us!

3. Twitter

If you like to keep your networking short and sweet (only 14o characters, ma’am), we also Tweet on Twitter @PedShoes. Follow us, and little blasts of Ped goodness will come your way.

4. Instagram

We’re a little late to the picture party, but we’ve finally arrived on Instagram! Want to see more of Ella, Lulu, the world around Ped HQ, and Dayna’s travels? Then follow the photos at “pedshoes”:

5. tumblr.

We enjoy tumbling with tumblr because people post and re-post such fascinating things, plus the layout is big and beautiful! It’s yet another hub where you can follow Ped to find out what’s new!

6. Google+

Are you a renegade and firmly believe G+ will still be the next big thing? Well, Ped Shoes is also on the outpost and ready to be added to your circles:

Know of another site where we should park Ped, so you can come and visit? Let us know! We’ve also recently added links to Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Email to all of Ped’s pages and posts, so you can share and share alike! So many ways to be social these days! (Now, who’s making the cocktails?)

Ped fans, I recently returned from my biannual pilgrimage to New York, Paris, and Milan to attend the shoe shows and catch up with old friends! It’s always a blast to combine shopping for Ped with sightseeing and people-watching—I learn so much from simply walking around these fashion-rich cities!

While I was in New York, my dear friend Kimmy became the most beautiful 50-year-old on the planet! It was fantastic to be able to celebrate with her and several of our longtime friends (including Nicole, who worked for Ped back in its Seattle days).

A collage of the big fun we had at  Kimmy’s birthday party!

Then I was off to Paris!

At the Parisian shoe show, the emphasis was on oiled and brushed leathers, and the big colors were red, grey, navy, forest, and mocha. Metallics were also still running strong, so you can expect a lot of sparkle next fall and winter! As for styles, the must-haves were ankle boots yet again, but they’ve become both sexier and more practical. One of my favorite trends was unusual color combinations—the Chie Mihara designs, in particular, really packed a punch, so get ready!

Of course, we can never get enough of Cydwoq:

So much beauty to look forward to! (By the way, the lovely gal with Rafi and me up top is Margaret, the proprietor of Traipse, a fantastic shoe store in Chicago.)

After hours, it was fun to talk shop over dinner with friends in the biz!

People I’m always happy to see: (l-r) Rafi from Cydwoq, Claudia from Trippen, Louise and Hailey from Gravity Pope, and Michael from Trippen.

After my brief sojourn in France, I flew to Italy for the Milan Micam show, which is one of the biggest shoe shows in Italy.

Booth after beautiful booth of shoes at the Milan Micam show!

While in Milan, Ped’s Fiorentini + Baker representative, Eliza, invited me to her home for a meal! One word: DELICIOUS!

This was just the beginning of our dinner. How come the tomatoes and burrata are so amazing in Italy?

After working two weeks straight without a day off, I finally took some time for myself. Milan is a wonderful place to roam around!

Various sights from my day of Milan meandering.

Then it was back on the plane to fly to home sweet home, Ped HQ!

In addition to lining up gorgeous new styles from all your Ped favorites, I discovered a wonderful new sock line while in Europe! Plus, look for the return of Vialis next fall! Such whirlwind traveling is exhausting, but I love finding things that I know will thrill you Ped fans. So stay tuned, there’s a lot to look forward to in the coming months!

Ped fans, you may recall that a few years ago I took a memorable trip with several family members to Southeast Asia. Since then, I’ve been dying to go back, and my niece’s recent high school graduation offered the perfect excuse—why not celebrate her milestone with another Asian adventure?

So, in late May, my sister, my niece, my husband, my father-in-law, and I boarded a Korean Airlines jet, and after a seemingly endless flight, we landed in Cambodia! We took a day to acclimate and then off we went to visit the famous Angkor Wat temple and surrounding area.

My husband and his dad ascended the three levels of the main temple (left) to reach “heaven,” while my niece and I played among the tree roots (upper right), and along with my sister, honed our stone-sculpture modeling skills (bottom right).

The heat was sweltering, but it didn’t keep us from enjoying the eye-opening temples—sometimes enveloped in roots—in the Cambodian countryside, as well as the ancient city of Angkor Tom!

On another day in Cambodia, we went to see the floating villages on the monsoon-swelled Tonle Sap lake.

We motored out through water muddied by the monsoon rains to discover a fully functioning village floating on empty oil barrels!

Then we were off to Chiang Mai, Thailand! My niece loves tigers, so our first stop was the Tiger Kingdom, a sanctuary helping the tiger population recover, after which we visited a Hmong village in the hills just west of the city.

My niece got her tiger fix (upper right) before we visited a friendly Hmong village, where I held possibly the cutest baby ever (left), and my sister “terrorized” some schoolchildren (center right). Then we went out for a wonderful bite at a riverside cafe (bottom right)!

Another day, we toured old Chiang Mai and visited the gorgeous Doi Suthep temple, which sits high on a mountain overlooking the city. Then we retired to our beautiful hotel, Baan Orapin, an oasis behind a gate on an otherwise gritty street, for a swim and a nap before hitting the night market for a nosh.

One of the stunning buildings at the mountaintop Doi Suthep temple (left), and our own slice of paradise, the salt pool at Baan Orapin (top right). Refreshed, my niece and I took on the streets of Chiang Mai in a tuktuk (center right) on our way to the night market, where we ate like ravenous demons (bottom right)!

Of course, no trip to Thailand would be complete without a visit to the Patara Elephant Farm to see my old pachyderm pal, Boonpuk! Riding the elephants was the highlight of my last trip to Southeast Asia, so I had to share the joy with my current traveling companions. They reveled in the experience as much as I did!

Mother and baby play in the water at the Patara Elephant Farm (left). My father-in-law leads his elephant by the ear (upper right) as we prepare to go to the river for a swim, which my niece loved (center right). What a bunch of happy elephant riders we were (bottom right)!

It was another fantastic trip to a part of the world I have come to adore, and it was especially fun to share it with even more of my family!

Greetings from Thailand from me and my old pal Boonpuk!

. . . or at least for next fall and winter! Ped fans, in March I again jumped across the pond to visit the European shoe shows in Milan and Paris. These are the trips where I place orders for next season’s goods, trying on and closely examining all the styles to make sure they’re up to Ped’s high standards for comfort and quality.

For Ped to carry a line, it has to persuade me of four things: 1) it’s made with an eye to social and environmental ethics; 2) the company prioritizes outstanding craftsmanship using the very best materials; 3) the designs are comfortable and easy to wear; and 4) the goods must have style for miles!!!

I work hard on these trips! But I also have a lot of fun! I love soaking up European culture and observing new trends. Come along for a vicarious ride!

When I landed in Milan, spring was in full swing, even though it was early March. The colors were so beautiful!

A Milanese flower vendor's stall on the way to the Fiorentini + Baker showroom! Gorgeous!

Flowers weren’t the only colorful spectacle—check out this dazzling display for Louis Vuitton:

What a creative use of arrows!

Fabulous shoes were everywhere! Even in the gourmet food section of La Rinascente!

Have your shoes and eat them, too! Chocolate shoes for 40 Euros.

Granted, not everyone in Milan was there for shoes. I saw these McDonald’s chefs on a photo shoot at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele (a must-visit indoor shopping arcade).

Pretty sure their meals weren't as happy as the ones I ate in Milan!

Speaking of food, on my day off I walked for five hours straight, visiting the famous Corso Como, and rewarded myself with gelato!

Pear and guava gelato! YUM!

Whenever I’m in Milan I make sure to light a candle for my much-missed father at Il Duomo.

Candles in Il Duomo.

Then it was off to Paris, where my morning “commute” is about as stress-free as it gets.

The beautiful Seine was glass-like on my walk to work.

At the show, Cydwoq had so many beautiful styles I had a difficult time choosing. I think you’ll be pleased, though!

A booth of swoon-worthy Cydwoq shoes and boots!

Wondering what looks are popular for next fall and winter? Well, the love affair with oxfords and menswear-influenced styles continues. Plus, booties are still big (the kind you wear on your feet!), worn unlaced and unbuckled in a casual European way. Vintage looks, as well as polka dots and stripes, are also on trend.

The big story, though, is a renewed emphasis on COLOR! Ruby red, mustard yellow, leaf green, royal blue—every saturated hue imaginable! I don’t want to give too much away, but here’s a little taste of what you have to look forward to!

After a long day, I had a delicious Lebanese dinner with Cydwoq’s Rafi and Trippen’s Michael. This was our view as we walked home:

Oooooh, sparkly!

Ped fans, I love my job!