During New York Fashion Week we met and filmed a gorgeous new entrepreneur. She was super interesting because she had a wonderful positive aura and she created a new sustainable shoe line. We love sustainable and ethical fashion so we were excited to know more about her. The line is called In•a•grüv (in a groove) and the designer is Ada Duran. She’s a New York based designer making shoes that are sustainable, low cost and cute. Basically you buy a pair of shoes and then you can buy a ton of accessories and adornments that change the look of the shoe. Essentially, one shoe can be turned in to 10 different pairs. It makes the shoe a great option for sustainable practice since you are not wasting and not constantly consuming, but still getting a fashion fix.

Originally Duran struggled to find the right sandals to wear to her college graduation party. She didn’t have enough money and couldn’t find strap sandals that flattered her wide feet. She imagined a sandal with a variety of colorful straps that could be swapped out to match various outfits, without having to purchase 10 different pairs of shoes. So, she set out to create one! She applied for a patent and got one (after 4 years) for a very versatile shoe, which coincidentally captures the trend or personalizing apparel.

At a glance, the shoe looks like a classic strap sandal. It’s a simple and sophisticated shoe that becomes the perfect base for whatever “grüv” you’re in. It is a black block heel with a vegan upper, rubber soles, and a mid-heel height of 2.75 inches. It can be worn alone, with no accessories, for a timeless look. However, if you look more closely at the patented shoe, you’ll notice the shoe function is interchangeability.

 

The rubber soles on the shoe have two grooves built into them (hence the company name In•a•grüv) and the accessories have two bands on them that are effortlessly placed into the channels in the soles so that they can change the look of the shoe to match any outfit. The shoe allows a customer to have over a dozen looks without having to purchase more than one pair. They are like the “little black dress” of shoes because they can be dressed up or down to match any occasion simply by changing the accessories on them.

 

The added rubber on the soles make the shoe shock absorbent and very comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The shoes retail at The price on website is 49.99 for the shoe by itself. All accessories are 14.99 each. The t-strap accessory is 15.99.  They are super convenient to travel or commute with and are a closet space saver.

 

They have made their shoes even more customized by allowing customers to purchase different size shoes, if they have feet that are different in size, at no extra cost and will be expanding their shoe line to include wedges, flats and children’s shoes.

 

Not only do the sole’s have a purpose, the company does to. Their mission is to create shoes that are affordable and that are good to people, animals, and our planet. They are sustainable by being interchangeable and the company has sourced a family owned manufacturer in Ecuador to create their new wedges to make sure that they have ethical manufacturing in place. Their new accessories are made in Brooklyn, NY and all our materials are vegan. The company also donates $1 to the Soles4Souls organization which helps impoverished children and families worldwide have proper footwear.

https://inagruv.com