Shoes of Prey: Review

Now that I have received my custom shoes from Shoes of Prey, I have (almost) nothing but great things to say!  In case you haven't been keeping up, Shoes of Prey launched a design studio in Nordstrom at Oakbrook Center earlier this spring.  At the studio, you can try on a sample pair of shoes to get your size down, then work with a shoe stylist to help you design your own custom shoes.  The possibilities are nearly limitless with so many options to choose from.  Every detail is completely your own, from the heel height to the fabric choice to the option of having a personal inscription imprinted on the sole. You can truly make all of your wildest shoe dreams come true.

That being said, I was beyond excited to cover the launch party and design my own pair.  Because I am insane, I chose a platform base sandal with colorblock details of white, yellow and black leather.  I threw in a little faux zebra fur and a black leather tassel to top it all off.  I knew at the time that it could go horribly wrong or oh-so-right, and decided that I was willing to take the chance.  Then, I waited for 6 weeks, wondering what my shoes would really look like.  Now don't get me wrong, Shoes of Prey sent me emails throughout the entire process letting me know exactly which stage of production my shoe was in.  They even sent along informative videos to give me a peek at how the shoes are made.  But I still couldn't get a handle on myself.  It seems that living in a world of instant gratification has weakened my patience.

So, fast forward six weeks later and here they are, in all of their beautiful, wacky glory.  The leather is ridiculously soft and supple.  The insole is padded and comfortable but it would have been fine either way, because Shoes of Prey sends a little care package with your shoes.  Inside the box, which is a beautiful presentation by the way, is a thank you note for ordering, 10% off your next order and a hi-res photo of the shoes to adhere to the box so you can find them easily in your closet (or to frame, your call).  There is also a duster bag to store them, two pairs of gel insoles for optimal comfort and an extra heel in case yours gets scuffed, falls off, etc.  The package is such a lovely touch for a pair of shoes that were already worth the money, maybe even more.

Now there were two small issues that I had with my shoes.  The first was that they did not include my personal inscription.  However, It is hard to complain about something that no one can even see besides me, especially when I didn't pay extra for it.  So, I let that one go without much more than a passing thought.  The one problem that did matter was that the ankle strap was not adjustable and it was too large.  Because of this, my ankles moved around too much, making it harder to walk.   When I received an email asking for feedback on the shoes, I mentioned the ankle issue.  I received a personal reply within the hour from one of their customer service department specialists asking me to send photos and measure my ankle.  She apologized sincerely and reiterated that they could re-make the shoes for me for free with a perfectly fitting ankle strap.  For that reason, I have no complaints at all.  My shoes are beautiful- even more so than I thought such an offbeat design could be.  I highly recommend Shoes of Prey AND using their service through Nordstrom.  While designing your own shoes sounds simple, it is actually fairly difficult and best done with someone who has experience to help you get the details just right.

You can make an appointment at Nordstrom in Oakbrook or just jump on shoesofprey.com to get started.