Why?

High heels have always been my obsession. I still remember when I was 12 and my mom wouldn’t let me wear high heels because I was so tiny it would look weird like I was wearing a costume. I also remember when I was 2 and I got my first pair of high heels. I was so obsessed with them that I would wear them to kindergarten every day. Until the teacher called mom and told her I needed to wear my uniform and definitely not heels. At the end 'Santa had to come one night and hide those heels from me" so I stop wearing them. 

When I wear heels I feel sexy, powerful, capable of anything I challenge myself with. High heels make me feel strong and self-confident. Seductive, sophisticated, glamorous. Heels embrace the woman I am and the woman I feel inside. 

This sounds sweet, but... being a woman in high heels was never said to be easy... 

Society has changed a lot... women do not stay home anymore. We are now hustlers. It does not matter how old we are, if we are not going crazy managing 3 children, a full-time job, a husband, we are on a full-time job, trying to find that potential husband, and putting our life together. We are fighters, street warriors. And warriors need the proper armor, don’t they? 

Living in a big city, being ambitious and a social animal implies a lot of walking and standing around. That is our feet biggest nightmare. 

I have been wearing heels for the last 14 years so I know how frustrating it can be.

One day I was sitting on the train on my way to work. In front of me this girl was struggling trying to fit all her stuff in a big bag (it was the size of almost a carry-on). Laptop, food, umbrella... and a shoe bag where I could see I high heel poking out. I looked at her and thought.... poor you... you probably have to walk a couple of avenues in order to get to work carrying all that stuff. That bag looks heavy. 

And what if somebody wants to take you on  after work? Are you going to carry all that crap with you? Or you are going to leave it at work and come back after a few drinks and pick it up?I really don’t wanna be on your feet....So I looked at mine.... I was wearing considerably high heels...and I knew I was gonna get home late at night. That girl looked at my feet and gave me a compassion look. She definitely did not want to be me either. " One way or another, this sucks!" I thought. 

That same day I paid attention to every woman on the train. They were all carrying massive bags where they could fit a pair of heels or they were on hideous (but comfortable) shoes. 

"THIS IS IT". I thought. 

There was a problem and I was finding a solution. Women deserve to feel sexy and comfortable. BEAUTY IS NOT PAIN ANYMORE.

How? 

At first, I thought about some crazy and hard to develop (very futuristic) ideas, but soon enough I realized I was complicating my big time (complicating my life is something I'm extremely good at). 

Because of that I thought I should start with what it's already in the market and started testing existing products, analyzing their pros and cons. 

I bought every insole I saw. I wore them. None of them actually worked. 

One day while I was walking I realized I had been walking for hours in my booties and my feet were untouched. No pain at all.  Something was different. I took a moment I remembered that those booties did not use to be that comfortable even with the insoles incorporated. As soon as I got home I took them off and took a look on the inside...The insole was a very low-quality brand... the glue was not strong enough so the insole was not properly placed, it had moved, A LOT. 

Because of the new placement, the insole was filling in the arch. Because the arch was filled my foot would have a more supportive surface so the body weight would be reallocated. My metatarsals were not suffering all the pressure so they were not hurting after long hours of walk. 

Once I had discovered that the main issue were those empty spaces left when we step our feet on the ground I could start designing our revolutionary patent, incorporated insole. 

I did way more research in order to get to where we are, as weight redistribution is not the only thing that makes our shoes comfortable. 

The lasts we have developed and created, our patterns, structures and special steel shanked insole boards make of our shoe a revolutionary product who's ready to change the footwear industry. 

Once I had the comfort I wanted to focus on my life's biggest passion, Fashion Design. 

My heels are comfortable as no other existing heel but also edgy, full of personality and emotions. My shoes have an identity.  

Our company is a newborn, but Marta Estrada NYC already has a strong attitude. We are a big family that came together in order to make your life easier.

We care not only about your feet, we care about you. We want to be part of that long way you have to go in order to get wherever you wanna be. So let us carry you. Let us walk you through life.  

Marta Estrada-  CEO, Co- Founder, Creative Director.