It’s funny. We can all name off a lot of brands, but at the end of the day, do you really know the details behind all your labels? Like where they are made? How much thought goes into design and functionality? The passion that drives the people behind the brand? I feel really blessed to get invited to store openings because it’s a chance to connect with these folks and learn first hand about what goes into each product.

I bring you Ecco, a global family-owned shoe brand from Denmark established in 1963 by Karl Toosbuy, who innovated traditional footwear. He strove to create shoes that fit the foot, were flexible, light and comfortable while staying true to the simplicity of Scandinavian design.

I’ll admit that although I appreciate functionality in my style, it is not the number one driver of my shopping choices. I don’t have fussy foot problems, and do wear heels quite often, so when I try on shoes I am really looking for fit and stability. My sister, on the other hand, is a runner and always looks for comfort. Because she is a huge Ecco fan, I brought her along with me. The good news at Ecco, is that you don’t have to compromise style over comfort. They have already done the hard work for you. All you need to do is pick a pair of shoes in your size that makes you smile. And that’s what we did!

A few weeks ago, I was invited to attend the opening of CF Rideau Centre‘s newest Ecco store. Coincidentally, Ecco was also celebrating their 25 year anniversary that evening. That’s a long time to be in business folks. It was basically a “try on all the shoes party with your friends”, as in… my dream come true. You’ll see in the pics below that I have a beaming smile from ear to ear. You now understand why.

Ecco Shape is the latest line of footwear at Ecco that truly understands women and their feet. Using ultra sexy designs and print, the Shape collection was seriously designed with comfort in mind. These shoes include innovative features like a lowered heel inside the shoe that gives the illusion of a high heel on the exterior, making the shoes that much more comfortable. Now that is insane attention to comfort! The heels are sturdy and thick and the top of the shoe is not overly pointed, which keeps your toes safe. There are also lots of great colours and textures to chose from this season, including burgundy suede and black & white snake skin, my weakness!

I had my eye on the black leather back pack (pictured below)… thinking of treating myself for my birthday… which is coincidentally this FRIYAY!! You’ll also see pics of Linda (from A Labour of Life), fellow local blogger and Ottawa makeup artist Melody Iafelice rocking her edgy style. Also, I need her t-shirt.

Women shape the world- We shape their shoes

I really struggled to find the perfect pair of shoes. I must have tried on a dozen and loved them all! After much debating, and justifying, I finally made my decision. I have been wanting black leather sneakers for a while, and although they had a mat version, I felt like upping my game with a little patent leather shine! You can catch me wearing these with jeans, dresses and skirts this fall, maybe even to the grocery store. We’ll see how fabulous I am feeling that day!

Thank you to Ecco for gifting me these lovely sneakers!