For Neely Woodson Powell, founder of the Charleston Shoe Company, her chance encounter with a shoe cobbler in San Miguel, Mexico, brought her into the fashion industry and changed her life.
While on vacation in 1996, Woodson Powell purchased her first pair of shoes from the cobbler, falling in love with his designs and artisanal craft. She began to bring home dozens of styles for family and friends, eventually selling them at markets and building up a customer base.
This led to Woodson Powell creating over three hundred wholesale accounts, which supported her for 12 years until she decided to return to Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) to study.
Neely Woodson Powell
“I learned how to make shoes physically, which gives me such an appreciation for the hard work and talent that all of our cobblers have,” said Woodson Powell.
“I have so much respect for our artisans, and this is where the true comfort of our line comes from.”
Her immersion into the culture at Savannah was her biggest inspiration in the early stages of her brand.
“My initial vision was to get these comfortable, magical shoes to women worldwide, and I realised that in tourist towns like Savannah, they could double as souvenirs,” said Woodson Powell.
“You can remember your time on a vacation or a cute walking town through the shoes!”
Woodson Powell is based in Charleston, South Carolina and designs her shoes to fit women's wants and needs. Her main concern is balancing comfort and style, so she creates machine-washable and bunion-friendly designs.
“We have been a comfort brand for over 25 years. We were still stylish when comfort was a ‘bad word’ in the industry. It never ceases to amaze me when a customer tries on a shoe for the first time and realises how comfortable they are—and that they are machine washable!”
When asked what her biggest challenge was as an entrepreneur, she stated that it was trust.
“There is a relinquishing of trust you need to be able to step away from things and let them flourish on their own. However, there can still be pitfalls in having that trust. My bookkeeper once stole half a million dollars,” confessed Woodson Powell.
“Nevertheless, I have an amazing team of employees I trust and consider family. Without them, I couldn’t have grown the business to what it is today.”
Since opening in 2009, Charleston Shoe Company has expanded to have 60 cobblers and 180 female employees and are stocked in over 800 boutiques. Their designs are known for durability, and over the last four years, they have donated over two million pairs of shoes to charity.
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