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These clogs will knock your socks off: made with vegan materials, pretty, hand-sewn prints, all-natural beech wood and constructed in an innovative way, they capture everything you love about the 1940s vintage look.
Started by couple Amber Cummings, a textile designer, and Ian Sheeley, a mechanical engineer, Raleigh-based shoe manufacturer Sedette Sandal Company was inspired by a stint in the Netherlands. Cummings, who holds a master’s degree in Footwear Innovation, was studying in the Dutch city of Waalwijk; for her thesis, she had to come up with a new, innovative method of constructing footwear. She fell in love with this clog style, which the Netherlands is well known for, along with the ideas of vegan and eco-conscious design.
“It was part of my innovation process, to make sure we’re not wasting a lot of materials or doing something that’s overtly bad for the environment,” Cummings says.
The company, which launched in 2016, doesn’t use leather in its designs, eliminating the chemical processes and waste involved with cutting the patterns. Instead, the clogs are constructed using vegan-only components, including an all-natural wooden sole with woven textile straps and connected via wooden dowels that were developed using 3D printing technology. The dowels are used in place of staples or nails in traditional clogs.
Black and White Gingham Sandals by Sedette Sandal Company.
Cummings says the design and construction process was inspired by North Carolina woodworking traditions, giving the sandals a truly local feel. You won’t find shoes like these anywhere else, as the sandals’ unique wooden sole design— created based on drawings and renderings from Sheeley—is patented.
Cummings practiced upholstery and textile design in High Point before completing a textile design program at the University of Cincinnati in 2012. Sedette Sandal’s Coral Trellis and Vintage Palm designs were each hand drawn by Cummings, who describes the clogs as “playful and fun.” The sandals’ pastel prints and colors are perfect for summertime and easy to take from the office to the beach to a casual dinner downtown.
While Sedette Sandals is still a relatively new venture, Cummings hopes to expand into Raleigh boutiques and, eventually, find a manufacturer in western North Carolina. Sedette Sandal Company currently offers one style in six different patterns, with a moderate wedge and vintage looking ankle ties, ranging in price from $96 to $112. For now, Sedette sandals are only available for purchase on the company’s website, but these on-trend clogs have been spotted on the feet of both locals and style-savvy fashionistas all over the world, including in California, Australia, Russia and the Netherlands.
With clogs making a comeback, pick up a pair or two of Sedette sandals for a summery, feminine vibe that will keep you cool all season long at sedettesandals.com
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