Good Morning POU Family!
Today’s featured designer: Samanta Joseph of Samanta Shoes.
When Samanta Joseph graduated with a degree in information technology several New York companies wanted her for their team. It would have been good money but a passion for design trumped the paycheck, leading the Guyanese Native to establish Samanta Shoes in 2003. Her husband Kelvin soon came aboard and together they’ve carved out space for a collection both stylish and comfortable in a market often tone-deaf to this need.
After doing trade shows where wholesalers sometimes place orders but fail to pay, the Josephs decided to build relationships with independent retailers who they could check out prior to extending credit. Boutiques from here to Europe now carry the line, and if Sanaa Lathan, Rihanna, Tyra Banks, and Queen Latifah are any indication of consumer demand, Samanta will be filling orders for years to come.
In the Guyanese household where Samanta Joseph grew up, she was expected to have a professional career. She studied and found work in computer information technology. Three years ago, however, Joseph, 29, decided to fulfill a designing passion she developed at 6 years old and launched Samanta Shoes with her husband, Kelvin, a CPA. But by now, she also had a mission in mind: helping professional women feel comfortable in stylish shoes. It is possible, Joseph says. “It’s all in the design.”
“Most women have flat feet, and most shoes are constructed from a high instep mold,” explains Joseph, who is also flat-footed. That forces the foot unnaturally into the narrow part of the shoe and applies pressure to the top and the ball of the foot.
Samanta Shoes are made from a hybrid mold designed to accommodate a flat foot and a high instep. “It allows for more comfort and support.” The shoes are made with extra padding, and the company also has a firm rule on heel height. “We don’t go beyond three inches,” says Kelvin. “Anything over three inches has been proven to cause discomfort and the possibility of back pain.”