About
Our mission is to make elevated, everyday shoes for modern women. Ma'am shoes are comfortable, stylish, and sustainably made in Los Angeles. Our footwear is crafted for women leading busy lives who want to invest in high-quality products taking you from your first cup of coffee to a day of meetings, an evening event, and everything in between.
We believe a woman should feel good in her own shoes without compromising style.
We’ve been made to think that the higher the heel, the more powerful the woman. But with stilettos come blisters, twisted ankles, cabs instead of walking, shuffles-while-you-try-to-keep-up-with-every-man-leaving-your-meeting, swollen toes, etc. At Ma’am, we reject the idea that taller is better and that women need to have throbbing feet to be powerful.
By Women, For Women
Meet Sofi Newmyer - founder of Ma’am Shoes. After a decade in the footwear business, Sofi decided to design shoes that she actually wanted to wear. Shoes that don’t take such a toll on the planet. Shoes that last.
Ma’am Shoes was created for the modern woman through carefully selected materials, precise silhouettes and attention to detail. We analyzed and tested heel height and width, insole firmness, outsole support, upper reinforcements and fabric to create a comfortable, durable and stylish product so our customers can ‘walk the walk’. Ma’am Shoes are meant to be lived in and loved for seasons and years to come.
A Note From Our Founder
Like all women, I started out life as a “miss.” “How can I help you, miss?” “Miss, you dropped your pen.” “Miss, can I buy you a drink?” Everyone wants to be a miss. “Miss” means you have more in common with Holly Golightly or Cher Horowitz than not. “Miss” sounds like you’re mostly air, like you have the delicacy and magic of wind chimes, and when you walk down the street, everyone hears little bells.
I remember the exact place and time I was first called ma’am. I had just turned 30 and it was a complete surprise. I was newly married, finally making a decent salary and could manage my way around a corporate boardroom. I had found my footing in the world and was feeling recently capable in my own skin. In my mind, I was also wind-chiming around town as a “miss.”
And then a grocery store clerk looked me up and down and – with the simple phrase “have a good day ma’am” – decided I was a ma’am. In that moment, I felt the beginning of something slipping away – I was losing my little bells.
And then I realized something. This world isn’t for delicate women who need wind chimes to be heard. It’s for the woman who knows her voice.
This is a Ma'am's World.
- Sofi Newmyer
Shoes Designed to Last
Our shoes are handcrafted with delicate care and impeccable precision. Each pair of shoes is part of an ever-growing collection that transports the Ma’am world from Los Angeles to you. Our shoes are made with unique components to maximize comfort, durability and style.
Foam Cushion Sole
Comfortable and flexible, we've put 3mm of poron foam cushion from heel-to-toe in our shoes. This insole provides superior cushioning and shock absorbency to keep you comfortable all-day long.
Inner + Outer Arch Support
Support at the inner and outer arches helps stabilize your strut and distribute weight more evenly as you walk.
Genuine Leather Outsole
Durable shoes begin at the sole. Our outsoles are made of leather that shapes to your foot, allowing natural contouring to take place with wear.
Highest Quality Materials
Handcrafted from the best tanneries in Italy, our leather and suedes materials are butter soft and mold to you.
Made in Los Angeles
Our commitment to local manufacturing means that every pair of shoes passes through our warehouse for quality testing and approval, and we’re able to employ manufacturing talent throughout Los Angeles.
Sustainability
We’re committed to protecting both the planet and its people. For us, sustainability means a conscious effort to source, produce, consume and dispose of resources ethically and responsibly. We’re committed to ethical local manufacturing in Los Angeles - working with production facilities that pay fair wages, reduce waste from the manufacturing cycle, and provide a healthy working environment. Here are just a few ways we’re committed to sustainable craftsmanship:
• Local Manufacturing and Supply Chain
Ma’am Shoes are made in Los Angeles. Local production is at the heart of our brand, and every pair of shoes we make pass through our warehouse for quality testing and approval. We are also proud to employ local manufacturing talent throughout the city.
Freight shipping is responsible for 18% of air pollution in the world. We limit international cargo shipping by working exclusively with our LA-based factory.
• Reducing Waste
We use environmentally responsible packaging. Our shoe boxes are recyclable and strong enough to be shipped on their own. No box-in-a-box shipping, allowing us to cut down on unnecessary waste.
• Partnerships
As a brand, we are committed to the professional, social and civic advancement of women. Every season, we will release a new product to support and highlight a progressive issue important to empowering women.
This spring, we're proud to have launched our Dolly Sandal that supports reproductive access for all. We're partnering with the National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF) to support their vital work of removing the financial and logistical barriers to abortion access. Let's work together to ensure abortions become more accessible and less stigmatized.
Previous partnerships include Baby2Baby, i am a voter. and United States of Women.
