When Jessie Randall got married in the fall of 2003, she recalls how she wore agonizingly uncomfortable (but beautiful) Stella McCartney pumps. “I was actually crying by the end of my wedding because my feet hurt so much,” she admits. “I was very happy with the way they looked, but they were pink, pointy, and probably the highest heels I’ve ever worn in my life.” The church ceremony in Brooklyn Heights was followed by a reception on a docked boat. “All that rocking definitely didn’t help!” Randall says with a laugh.” Little did she know, the shoes would help lay the groundwork for the brand Randall would create out of the garden apartment in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, that she shared with her husband, Brian Murphy just one year later.
Shoe-crisis aside, Randall also credits designing the couple’s fully customized nuptials (including designing her own wedding dress) as a crucial step toward opening their own business. After all, if you can successfully pull off a wedding on a limited, if not shoestring, budget, there is no limit to what you can achieve. “My wedding was very instrumental in the starting of our brand,” Randall says. When she met Murphy they were both working at an advertising firm in New York. While Randall’s background in fashion design, at the time Murphy worked as an art director and graphic designer. Together, they put their personal stamp on everything–customized water bottles labeled with the bride and groom’s nicknames (Blink and Bingo), kazoos for guests to blow when the couple left the church, and arrangements from Randall’s favorite local florist–which was no small feat considering this was all pre-Pinterest.
Fast-forward to today, the couple works side by side–with Randall as designer and Brian as the head of business. The same level of creativity and thoughtful approach to detail that they put into their wedding is at the heart of Loeffler Randall. They have expanded from shoes to include handbags, ready-to-wear, and jewelry. A cult-favorite among well-heeled women and celebrities alike, including Kate Middleton, Margot Robbie, and Sophie Turner, the label marries fashion and function with a sense of fun and ease. The signature pleated party shoes with hand-knotted bow tops are a staple among brides and bridal parties, who all swear by the endlessly wearable, walkable, dance-all-night appeal. Over The Moon brides are among the brand’s biggest fans.
Since launching the line, countless friends and editors have enlisted Randall to help design their dream wedding shoes after they could not find what they were looking for. And once other brides discovered the comfy-chic styles perfect for dancing at their receptions, Randall soon began designing with them in mind, starting with the brand’s first bridal collection in 2017. “Subconsciously, as I’ve been designing bridal collections, I’ve been thinking about my own experience as a bride,” Randall says. “I want these to be shoes that you feel comfortable in, that you can be yourself, that you will be excited to wear, and can re-wear again.” Perhaps the biggest reason for buying into Randall’s vision is that long after the “I do’s” are said and done, you can wear the styles anytime you go out and never experience the sinking feeling that comes with knowing you’re in too much heel-induced foot pain to stay out any longer.
“I’m a super big wimp when it comes to anything uncomfortable,” Randall admits. “I love shoes, clothes, fashion, and I love dressing up–but my first concern is making sure that I feel comfortable in my own skin in whatever I am wearing.” While the brand was born out of her desire for wedding shoes that combine a chic sensibility with comfort, she has a preternatural understanding of what the Loeffler Randall woman’s heart desires . . . often before they do. For the Spring 2022 Bridal and Wedding collection, that’s the Reed–a modern twist on the Camellia, the block heel with 400 pleats, only sans bow. “We have customers who say how much they love the Camellia, they’re just not a bow person. The Reed is the new shoe for you.”
Randall also reimagined the brand’s signature bows for the minimalist bride-to-be with the Margi–a new knotted-bow sandal with sleek heel and a square toe with a decidedly ’90s feel. Loeffler Randall purists will love the Camellia, now in pearl organza studded in rhinestones. Sage, an emerald green, and Beauty, a blush pink–promise to be a hit with bridesmaids. While brides will be delighted that a certain “something blue” is back after selling out every season. Fashion-forward brides are likely to flock to the Zahara, a feathered clutch in the same shade.
“I always say that I like to get dressed from the shoe up,” Randall quips. And now that Loeffler Randall is offering matching bags, it’s a toe-to-top affair for the designer and her customers. The matchy-matchy trend spans colors, prints, and embellishments. When the brand launched the Doreen, a dazzling diamanté pouch for Resort, it sold out instantly; the Rayne bow clutch has also garnered a cult following, and this season, comes in an of-the-moment miniature size. “I was in Jamaica over the holiday and there were so many people carrying our bow clutch,” Randall gushes. “I also saw tons of our shoes, but it was fun to see just as many bags, too.”
Indeed, brides everywhere keep falling for Loeffler Randall.“Every time I open Instagram, people have tagged me in posts with their wedding photos. I love to see the way brides from all over the world are wearing the shoes.” For Randall, one of the most memorable moments is Sophie Turner. When Turner and Joe Jonas eloped at the Little White Chapel (Elvis impersonator included), she wore a silk top and pants with the Penny mules in gold for the ultimate Viva Las Vegas–worthy finish. “Whether they’re eloping, going to City Hall, a country wedding, or a black-tie affair, we have something for every bride.” No matter your wedding aesthetic. Randall’s number-one tip is to choose a style that excites you when you open the box. “Shoes are so emotional. You have to love how they make you feel.”
Discover the Wedding & Event 2022 collection—and shop now on LoefflerRandall.com
