From the days when Ped was a brick-and-mortar store in Seattle, we have always had the good fortune to have the most wonderful people on staff. None more so than the stylish Nicole Benuska, who now works as a fashion merchandiser in New York City (those are her Fiorentini + Baker boots in this Tale of the Sole from November). So, we were thrilled to the gills to discover her featured as a style icon in Footwear Plus Magazine! They celebrated how fabulous she looks rocking the distressed denim trend in her husband’s jeans. We couldn’t agree more!

We also love that Nicole’s chosen Fiorentini + Baker sandals as footwear for her look. Although we don’t have these gladiator sandals in stock currently (sorry, gals), we are expecting new F+B boots before the end of the month. So, stay tuned Ped fans!

Meanwhile, we can’t wait to see what Nicole wears next!

On Seinfeld, when Jerry said, “Hello, Newman,” he was usually gritting his teeth over running into his arch nemesis. Not us! When we say, “Hello, Neumann!” (pronounced “noy-man”) we’re jumping for joy because it means we’ve gotten in  another shipment from our New York friend, leather designer Jutta Neumann.

Originally from Germany, Jutta creates sandals and bags that truly(!!!) offer unparalleled beauty and craftsmanship. She hand selects her leathers and dyes them the most gorgeous, saturated colors before meticulously cutting and constructing her items using traditional methods. A hallmark of her sandals are their molded arches and tiny cobblers’ nails that, though barely visible, are evidence of Jutta’s dedication to her craft. Everything she makes is wonderful from the outset but improves with age and use, lasting for years and years and years. We also adore her clean-lined and elegant aesthetic—every detail is intelligently considered and contributes to the overall design. (Plus, we love her arched cat logo!)

See for yourself! Jutta’s classic Kim sandal represents the best qualities of the J.N. approach and has won fans the world over.

This ultra-comfortable design offers an ideal combination of minimalism and sophistication. This year, Ped has added bone and kelly green to our always-popular black and brown options.

Another Jutta Neumann sandal that’s won our hearts is Roger! 

This little lovely is perfect for Ped-sters who like the security of a back strap. A veritable lesson in good design, Roger is three well-planned straps on a mission of comfort and style.

Jutta’s bags are also the epitome of form and function. Case in point: the Oslo.

The proportions are perfect, and the lime green color is beyond juicy! Plus, although you can barely glimpse it under one strap in the pic, the lining is a fabulous violet suede (check out “views” at the Ped site)!!! Too cool!

And since we’re on the subject of purple, take a look at Jutta’s lovely Adana bag:

With this feminine-but-not-fussy bag on your shoulder, you’ll be like a walking urban beautification project! (Any city you visit should thank you.)

So, go ahead and say it with us, “Hello, Neumann!”

So, Ped fans, I’m two trips down, with one big European foray to go! Last weekend I was in New York City hunting for well-designed things you might enjoy, but I also made time to hang out with old friends. All work and no play is simply not the Ped way! And, honestly, good friends are what make the world go round. 

I thought you might like to see what happened when a bunch of great girlfriends got together for dinner in Brooklyn. It was freeeezzzziiiinnnngggg cold when Amy, Kimmy, Nicole, Becky and I, plus several more friends, made our way to Brooklyn’s Five Leaves, the restaurant backed by the late Heath Ledger.

Most of us are involved in retail: Amy owns Rock Paper Scissors and Scarpa in Charlottesville, Va; Kimmy works for Eileen Fisher, where I get most of my gorgeous sweaters that you see paired with Ped things at the Ped site; Nicole also works for Eileen Fisher and used to work for Ped when we had our store in Seattle, Wa.; and Becky owns Les Amis, my favorite Seattle boutique and the source for most of the clothes you see modeled with the shoes in Ped’s pics. So our conversation is always lively!!

That’s Becky (on the right) with me at Five Leaves. I’m not sure what was up with the camera, but maybe it simply captured the energy of the night! Because after dinner, things got a little crazy out on the street…

Kimmy (on the right), wearing her treasured Cydwoq Sin boots (which are on sale right now, incidentally), and I, in my favorite Fiorentini + Baker Emma boots, decided to kick of up our heels outside the restaurant. Amy called it our “Riverdance”! And none of us could stop laughing! Lunatics, yes, but lovely lunatics in our Ped boots!

There is nothing better on earth than hanging out (and cutting up) with good friends!!! I hope all you Ped heads have as much fun with your circle as I do with mine!

Hi Dayna,

Remember me, I’m the Eli boots that you shipped to NYC last week. I’ve been having the best time with Nicole. We went to Central Park this weekend to walk in the leaves, down to the cobblestone streets of Soho to shop and then to Moma to look at art- see my reflection in this Robert Morris piece. Today I even went to vote. Turns out I look great with an Obama shirt and jeans. 

Thanks for finding me a good home, Nicole just loves me.

xoxo,
Nicole’s F+B ‘Eli’ boot

Here we are spicing up the concrete.

And here we are making the art even artier at MOMA.