We can all agree that new shoes are always a good idea, right? Thought so. There’s honestly nothing better than that one (or five) favorite pairs of shoes that make you feel like you’re the real-life version of Carrie Bradshaw. In those shoes, you wash all your worries away, and you’re a new, fearless version of yourself that brings you dangerously close to unstoppable. This is especially true in the case of Sonja Dee shoes.
In Sonja’s words, “When I put on a beautiful pair of shoes, I transform.” And this is the feeling she endeavors to impart on each woman who steps into one of her designs. Sonja was originally an orthopedic nurse in Manhattan, and while she loved her job, her passion was always shoes. This passion derived from her mother, a Slovenian-born woman who “always dressed to the nines, even with us little kids around.” For Sonja, the most memorable image from her childhood is of her mother driving the lawn mower in her high heels. Talk about a vintage Carrie Bradshaw!
Eventually, Sonja started to take her (invariably frequent) sketches seriously. She began researching and interviewing factories to put together a team of businesses to carry out her mission. Through each step of the manufacturing process, these businesses were family-oriented, took pride in their work, and simply loved what they did. Her visits and tutorials through each different stage of development allowed her to ensure the quality of execution of her designs. This quality is the “secret ingredient” to the sheer luxury that makes women feel special the second they step into their Sonja Dee’s.
Currently based in Luxembourg and a married mother of two, Sonja draws inspiration from her everyday life. While her designing style draws from the Sophia Loren era, her inspiration, I’m sure like many of us, comes from turning the ordinary in our life — in Sonja’s case, be it elements in nature, architecture, conversations in cafés, a mood, or other women themselves — into the extraordinary, through our passion.
{Image via Sonja Dee}
Sonja’s current collection has something for everyone – ranging from evening, to statement, to Swarovski crystal embellishment, you’re going to find your next pair of favorite shoes. Sonja’s favorite in the current collection? The Marilyn: two color options for two totally different looks, but both with Swarovski crystals on the buckle and heel.
The pure joy Sonja emulates both in person and through her designs is at the forefront of her brand, and of her self-made story. This is a woman who started from scratch, and entirely made her life into her dream. I asked what advice she would give to our readers — her answer, accompanied by the warmest smile I’ve ever seen, “With hard work and determination, dreams can become a reality. Keep dreaming.”
You can check out Sonja’s current collection at www.SonjaDee.com, or on , Twitter and . Be sure to stay tuned for the release of her next collection this fall!
By Laura Burke
