Shoe Brand Solely Original Hits Crowdcube: Seeks £70,000 For Growth & Development

This week, London-based shoe brand Solely Original launched an equity crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube. The company is seeking to raise £70,000 as it looks to continue its growth and development.

Solely Original is described as a personalized service that allows women to design and specify their own made-to-measure shoes online. Women select the style, the heels, the material, and colors for each of their shoes using the website’s 3D designer. The price of the shoes ranges from £99 to £400. It was noted:

“Studies reveal that on average British women own 17 pairs of shoes, and 51 percent find it difficult to find comfortable shoes which they feel are fashionable. This reflects the problem of today’s high street which is full of standard footwear that doesn’t fit right. Feet come in so many different shapes and sizes, so with Solely Original there is no reason to compromise with standard shoes when they can be made to fit at a reasonable price.”

Founder of Solely Original, Iris Anson, revealed in the company’s mission statement:

“I started Solely Original out of frustration. I was a fashion conscious city professional and I loved wearing heels at work, but too often, I found myself sacrificing comfort for style. But why does it always have to be trade off? Having researched footwear production I have come to realise how unhealthy and flawed the current industry is. I decided to leave my career behind and to find a solution for women like me. After completing my Footwear Design studies at London College of Fashion, I progressed into training and research on the subject of individual fit for bespoke shoes. I created Solely Original to afford every woman the luxury of comfortable and stylish shoes, fitted to their own measurements.”

Funds from the Crowdcube initiative will be used to improve Solely Original’s website user experience, design choices, and marketing. It is set to close late November.