Launched in December, Toronto-based
Damn Heels, has already sold hundreds of pairs of their trademark product: portable women's shoes. Hailey Coleman, the founder of the company, created the fold-up ballerina flats so that women could have something comfortable to slip on after a night out in heels. As reported by the
Toronto Star, the shoes, lightweight, comfortable, and small enough to fit in a clutch, have quickly generated a loyal following among Toronto women.
"Coleman, a recent graduate of Ryerson's marketing program, spent nearly a year working on Damn Heels before she sold her first shoe in December 2009. She hired a shoe designer through Craigslist, consulted a PR agency and web designers, investigated shipping and, finally, financed the project with student loans and lines of credit."
"I knew what I wanted it to look like, and then my designer brought in her expertise on shoes and materials," she said. "I've learned so many things about shoes since we started last March, from materials to quality control to bringing in a manufacturer from China."
"Damn Heels are made of high-quality polyurethane material with a soft, leather lining. The flats have a two-millimeter-thick sole that is bendable and has tread."
"Coleman has sold more than 250 pairs of the flats. They're available in her e-shop and at several salons and restaurants in Toronto, including Blo Blow Dry Bars, Madison Nails and Le Papillon on the Park. And her business plan has won several prizes: $7,000 from the Ontario Partnership for Innovation and Commercialization in December, and $25,000 from Ryerson's Slaight Communications Business Plan Competition."
"Coleman is confident Damn Heels will turn a profit this year. "I think it's a problem every women can relate to. That's why the response has been so amazing."
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Toronto Star