By Jenn Kennedy
Last summer a New York friend of mine showed up in linen pants and the most basic, but gorgeous sandals. The detail and workmanship on the shoes drew my attention. After a more than $200 investment nearly 10 years ago, the shoes are still holding up, both in quality and style, as a summer staple. I suddenly craved a pair of my own Jutta Neumann shoes.
Splurge
Hermes sandal, starting at $230 at juttaneumann-newyork.com
German born, Jutta Neumann (pronounced yoota noyman) began designing and handmaking leathergoods after moving to New York from Paris in the mid-80s. Neumann opened her own studio and storefront in Manhattan in 1994. Since then, her work designing and handcrafting sandals, handbags and shoulder bags, wristbands, belts, and accessories has been well received by designers and fashion magazines including Vogue, Elle, Marie-Claire and Madamoiselle.
Be prepared to wait a bit if she doesn’t have your style in stock, as she takes anywhere from 2-4 weeks to complete your custom made shoes. You can order over the phone if you are not in New York, however I’m waiting for an in person store visit as she ensures a perfect fit — tightening the leather to accommodate your exact measurements. These things can’t be rushed.
Save
Sam Edelman “Gilda”‘ sandal, $84.95 at nordstrom.com
Gladiator sandals are all over the runways this spring — Balenciaga, Balmain and D&G, to name a few. They go with long flowing dresses as well as linen and capri pants. You can dress them up or keep it casual, and they are ultra comfortable with the low heel and leather construction. I particularly like the Sam Edelman sandals (above) with the hidden elastic goring at the ankle and instep, the leather upper and lining and rubber sole.
I bought a pair of Jutta Neumann sandals four years ago, and they are still going strong. The craftsmanship is really outstanding. My local shoe store no longer carries her things, but I found a place online, Ped Shoes, that carries quite a few Jutta sandals. They also have Jutta Neumann bags, which cost a small fortune but are no doubt worth every penny. I love the rich colors–the grape is calling me, in fact.