Link to Hampton Sheet Fall 2024

Vanessa Noel is an American luxury shoe designer, philanthropist, and founder of the first shoe museum in the United States.

How long have you been designing shoes, and where is your store?
I’ve been designing my own label for nearly four decades, and my shoe salon is at 158 East 64th Street in New York City. It’s an incredibly special place to visit—the first room is covered in emerald green python skins, and the main room is painted with a liquid gold metal finish. We have a private speakeasy, the Stiletto Podcast Bar, in the back where special clients are invited for lunch or for afternoon cocktails. Fashion and retail shopping have become so corporate, so I created a space that is opulent, exclusive, and represents my truly luxurious shoes and everything I design.

What else do you design along with your beautiful shoes?
I began designing handbags and small accessories several years ago, and I’m launching my new, extraordinary jewelry collection this winter using top-quality lab-grown stones. It’s very glamorous and so different! I’m also creating one-of-a-kind gemstone buckles for shoes and handbags. Everything I produce is one of a kind or in limited runs. That is true luxury!

What do you feel luxury is?
True luxury accessories are exceptionally well made from the best materials, handmade by artisans, and not mass produced—things that are special and not found everywhere. The big mass-market labels are not luxury. The products they produce are common, overpriced, and corporate and the manufacturers cut corners to increase profit and don’t appreciate quality, artistry, or their clients.

Tell me about your shoe museum.
The Noel Shoe Museum is the first and only shoe museum in the U.S.! This is my legacy project, and I am so thrilled to be opening the most exciting new nonprofit institution in New York City! We’re hosting our third annual fundraising gala this October in New York.
We also just produced our second curated exhibition this summer on Nantucket, which was hugely successful, and we’re thrilled to be planning future exhibitions while looking for a permanent home.

Did I hear you are also starting a podcast?
Yes! I’m starting the podcast this fall—you will begin to hear all about that soon. I’m also writing the first book on wedding shoes. I love creating—it’s not work for me!