The Making of a Beautiful Sole

When Kiki Price approached Dr. Richard Jay to develop a pair of high heels that would remove the pain and stress typically associated with towering pumps, he felt as if it were the culmination of 40 years of hard work. Dr. Jay, a practicing foot and ankle surgeon and professor of foot and ankle orthopedics, is the mastermind behind a number of revolutionary patents including a footwear insert that brought the benefits of a customized orthotic to the mass market. Selling millions of units per year they helped to prevent pronation of the foot (a fancy term for the flattening of the foot while walking) and provided relief from foot, back and ankle pain for a fraction of the price of custom orthotics. But he had never taken on the formidable challenge of integrating comfort into a high heeled shoe.

As Dr. Jay explains, there’s a reason why the term ‘comfortable high heel’ tends to be such an oxymoron. When a person stands flat, their body weight is distributed evenly throughout the heel, arch, metatarsals and toes. But when the foot is elevated in a high heeled shoe, it transfers the majority of the body weight squarely onto the metatarsal heads (what civilians call “the ball of the foot”). Most high heels offer little to no relief from this extra pressure. Using 3D modeling, Dr. Jay developed a technology that led to the creation of an anatomically accurate last with its corresponding molded insole. Together they redistribute the weight of the body uniformly throughout the foot. The shoes are designed to divert weight away from the metatarsals and transfer the weight to the padded heel and arch, thus reducing metatarsal strain that occurs from wearing high heeled shoes for long periods of time. In addition, the heavier rigid metal shank has been removed and an insole made from a biodegradable polyethylene biobased carbon content material creates a much lighter, more shock-absorbent shoe. The result? An elegant pair of high heels with built-in anatomical comfort that no other heels can claim. KikiPrice shoes aren’t just sleek and elegant, they’re engineered to meet you every step of the Way.