New Shoe Line at The Shoe Hive + Fall Look Book

ShoppingStyle

Sep 2

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I have written two recent posts about changing things up at The Shoe Hive. But don’t worry, we still are, in fact, a shoe store. It just might not look the same for a bit.Italian sneakers have always been popular, and we were ahead of the trend, bringing Superga and Golden Goose both to Alexandria. Last winter, I had the unwitting clairvoyance to bring another Italian sneaker line to The Shoe Hive, and the timing really could not be better.We just unpacked the cutest styles from ESSEutESSE, all handmade in Milan based on vintage sneaker styles. In planning this post, I wanted to tell you all more about the brand, but everything they send me is Italian. They have very little distribution in the U.S. and when you order, you deal with a guy named Paolo, in Milan. It isn’t like a lot of brands that have a New York showroom managing their distribution. This is an authentic new discovery from the artisans of Lombardy – and our clients get it first.It’s a funny story how I found the brand - I always like to give you all a little insight as to how I stumble on these great new finds.Here it is: A woman was in the store probably two years ago and had on the cutest sneakers with fringe. I introduced myself and asked where she got them. If I remember correctly, it was from a fitness studio in North Carolina. I searched and searched to find them, to no avail. Fast forward a year later at market and I was chatting with the owner of Monkee’s in Greenville, South Carolina. We always share info about new lines and how things are going. She mentioned ESSEutESSE. She even had their contact! I get the information, jumping for joy, and I email photos of them to Alicia and Madeline, thinking they too would think these are the best shoes ever. Well, they burst my bubble. They thought I had lost it.So, I sulked and didn’t place the order. Then at the warehouse sale this year, one of our customers was wearing them! I dragged her over to our booth and said, “These are the fringe sneakers you all thought I was nuts for wanting to carry!” Once they saw them in person, everyone agreed, they were super cute. Besides their cuteness, they are really comfortable - they have tons of support. I had them ship me a pair to my cottage at the Bay, despite the fact that I don’t leave my actual house. They also have non-fringe shoes, but it just happens to be their signature style. I got the grey fringe, but I am also eyeing the animal print mid-top model.I hope you will love them as much as I do.I also wanted to share our fall shoe look book with you. It still has some pumps and heels, tons and tons of great booties, and of course, sneakers. You can always shop online or stop in and see us. Make sure you follow us at @theshoehive for the new arrivals and promotions.