Image courtesy of Ruthie Davis
In an era where great wealth and celebrity fame dominate the current fashion landscape, it is comforting to know that from the ground up is still a viable business strategy. Ruthie Davis is one such from the ground-up brand. From placing her footwear on a host of celebrities, to a fruitful collaboration with Disney, to winning a Fashion Group International award, Ruthie Davis is that tenacious, balls-to-the-wall footwear designer who gets the job done.
Though fashion as a career choice was not on her radar, when she took the challenge, boy, did she make a statement. “The idea of going to college and following a path into creating fashion really was not on my radar. I did not know that fashion was an option because I didn’t know or have any contact with the fashion industry,” explained Ruthie Davis.
But all that changed when Davis got her first job out of graduate school, working for the product team at Reebok. “My foray into fashion evolved as I worked at Reebok and other fashion companies. I saw a book of Manolo Blahnik footwear and said to myself, “I can do that.” So, I sketched and used my water coloring skills to create shoes in bold colors,” detailed Davis.
“When you come into an industry without preconceived ideas, particularly if you did not learn that craft in school, you come in with fresh ideas and fresh eyes. My first job in fashion was with Reebok and I didn’t go into that job as a designer, I was a part of the production team.”
When the time was right, Ruthie Davis went out on her own and launched her eponymous footwear brand, not to fill a niche in the market but to create footwear that was coming from the two worlds that she loved, sports and street culture.
“Everything happened organically. I did not come into this industry from a fashion design school, so, my premise was visualizing Nike and Manolo Blahnik having a baby. That was my design aesthetic,” explained Davis.
Image courtesy of rackedny.com
“My love of fashion is streetwear, and I wanted to bring streetwear and sports together. I loved the big bold colors of Reebok and Nike, and I wanted to combine that with a gorgeous, classy, high-fashion shoe.”
“My first launch I called high tech meets high fashion. I had a graphite heel; I had a titanium wedge; I had neon metallics that you would find on sneakers. As time went on the collections evolved as I listened to the market,” continues Davis.
Still, those high-tech embellishments did not translate into big sales, initially. What worked for Davis were her colorful high heeled shoes.
“I didn’t start out making sky-high heels. I started with the platform heel because I like to be and feel tall. When I launched, I had flats, sneakers, wedges, and other types. But the market did not need that from me. What got the most attention that translated into big sales were the high heels in bold colors. That is the niche that needed a female footwear designer,” says Davis. And she has been off to the races ever since.
Interestingly, Ruthie Davis is one of handful of female footwear designer in international markets, and even fewer female footwear designers in the US. Most household names associated with sexy women’s footwear are men—Chrisitan Louboutin, Manolo Blahnik, Roger Vivier, etc.
Image courtesy of Ruthie Davis
“It is strange; I don’t understand it. I have worked in my lane, ladies’ footwear, for several years now, and I am still amazed that some women don’t know how to own their sexy. Some women are still ashamed to express their sensuality and sexiness. It is fine if a man says this is a beautiful shoe and it will make you look sexy, but if a woman creates a sexy shoe, it is like, ‘why is she making sexy shoes, she is a woman.’ There is also a phenomenon in fashion that if something is too sexy; it is not high fashion,” Davis concedes.
Image courtesy of pinterest.com
That said, Davis has dressed a multitude of celebrities from Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Mary J. Blige to Naomi Campbell, Demi Lovato, and Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, just to name a few. “Early on the celebrities liked my shoes, I had Beyonce wearing my shoes as far back as 2008. The press thought a man was designing the shoes because I had named my footwear brand, Davis. When the press discovered I was a woman, they were surprised because they had never seen sexy high-heeled shoes designed by an American woman. Later, I changed the name to ‘Davis by Ruthie Davis,’ which I eventually whittled down to Ruthie Davis.”
To add to the love that Ruthie Davis receives from so many celebrities, Davis has also had a love relationship with Disney. This partnership started in 2014 and ended right before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Image courtesy of thehollywoodreporter.com
“I was approached by someone from Disney’s product development division, and I began working with Disney on their ‘Princess’ collections, all the Disney princesses. Disney felt that I was princess story designing princess shoes,” explained Davis.
“I became a Disney licensee and designed two Mulan shoe collections; a Snow White collection; a Princess Jasmine from “Alladin” collection, and a “Frozen” collection. There were launches with each collection, and launch events, it was a lot of fun. I stopped working for Disney at the right time around the time COVID hit, and it was time for me to concentrate on my namesake footwear.”
In essence, Ruthie Davis has created in a lifestyle brand for that female consumer who is confident and is not afraid to be noticed. “I am big on empowering women and that includes women who embrace their sexuality. Ruthie Davis shoes is a lifestyle brand that promotes owning your sexy; owning your confidence; owning your power, and not taking yourself too seriously. Owning your power and your sexy, is a lifestyle choice. And that is who we are.”
And Fashion Reverie gives a nod to that!!
—William S. Gooch
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