Blog Posts from Zimmerman Shoes
Holley + Sage Holiday 16 October 21 2016
We're always thrilled to hear from Jennifer of Holley + Sage. Designed and made in North Carolina, Holley + Sage garments are dreamy heirloom pieces full of whimsey. We absolutely love the way they pair with our Milo Boots and Mary Janes.
Let's Get Groovy - Tiffani Thiessen October 12 2016
We are so excited to be part of this adorable 70s inspired shoot over on Tiffani Thiessen's blog. Like, squealing, jumping up and down, fan-girling out excited. Styled by Lucia Tran and photographed by David Collier, it celebrates the simple joys of childhood and totally carries that laid back 70s vibe.
The whole shoot is adorable, and you can see all the photos over on Tiffani Thiessen's blog. My favorite part about being involved in a vintage-inspired shoot like this one is that is that our shoes are literally straight out of the past. Because we use vintage patterns from our family's long-standing manufacturing business, we resurrect old styles from the 60s and 70s and give them new life.
Thank you Tiffani, Lucia, and David for including us!
Fall / Winter 2016 September 02 2016
It's here! It's here! It's finally here! Our fall line (our best yet!), September, the beginning of autumn, all of it!
Now that I've gotten all of the exclamatory comments out of the way, I truly am invigorated by a new season and a new month, and it's never more pronounced than in September. Maybe it's the years I spent as a high school teacher, but there's something about summer ending and fall beginning that just feels so refreshing and rejuvenating.
Our focus for the Fall / Winter 2016 collection was that it felt crisp and clean, simplified and straightforward. Our goal is to give your little ones classic shoes that can be dressed up or down, worn to school each day, and straight through the holidays.
Infinity Scarf by Hobsonville Co / Burgundy Patent Scalloped Mary Janes
Infinity Scarf by Hobsonville Co / Our new Zippy Boot in Burgundy
This one may or may not be an outtake, but I just love it so much.
Zippy Boot in Silver / Milo Boot in Silver
Infinity Scarves by Hobsonville Co
One more outtake, but I just can't even handle how cute their faces are.
Burgundy Patent Scalloped Mary Janes / Zippy Boot in Burgundy
Many thanks to Hobsonville Co for the beautiful scarves. And big thanks to our dear friend Emily of Girl, Always Interrupted for letting us take photos of her beautiful daughters. As always, we had to have our nephew Milo in Milo Boots, so thank you to our sister Alison as well.
Cheers to a beautiful opening of autumn, friends.
Easter Series by Lora Grogan March 24 2016
Photographer and blogger, Lindsay of Lora Grogan put together the most beautifully curated series of photos for Easter, and we were thrilled to be part of it. Linday says, "I wanted to include pieces that would last much longer than chocolate or candies. Things I hope she will want to hang on to, and maybe even share with her children someday." Ahhhh we just love that!
matching game | bow | bonnet | dress | bunny | shoes
Lindsay was also sweet enough to send over some darling lifestyle shots of cute littles in our shoes.
So absolutely precious! Many thanks to Lindsay for including our shoes. Be sure to check out the full post on Lindsay's blog with links (and even some coupon codes) to all of the shops involved in this beautiful shoot. There are so many great handmade shops here including some of our favorites brand buddies like Tortoise and the Hare and Wren and James.
Warmest Easter wishes to everyone!
xoxo,
Amelia + Audrey
Oma + Jo for Spring March 11 2016
Oma + Jo is one of the cutest emerging lines around. Mother / daughter team Monika and Joleen are the ladies behind the brand full of whimsical prints and vintage details.
Their spring line was shot by the talented Crystle of Yea Yea Photography, and we were lucky enough to have our shoes complement the clothes.
Mask | Top | Shorts | Necklace | Shoes
So many perfect pieces for Spring and Summer, all handmade with love! You can learn more about Oma + Jo here and more about Yea Yea Photography here.
Factory Photo Series: Stations Part 1 March 04 2016
We're proud to be a small, family operated American manufacturer. Our little old factory is a very special place to us, and that's why we're excited to bring you the Factory Photo Series.
Spring At Last February 26 2016
A Beautiful Valentine's Day February 05 2016
We were lucky to be a participating shop in one of the sweetest shoots in honor of Valentine's day. Styled by the lovely Sarah and shot by Holli of Holli Horton Photography, this one is full of adorable little ones and super cute clothes and accessories.
Pinafore | Romper | Crown | Shoes | Bracelets
Dress | Purse | Bracelets | Shoes (COMING SOON!)
We can't wait to debut our newest batch of Scalloped Mary Janes! In the meantime, Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours.
Talent Tuesday: Barry January 26 2016
Talent Tuesday is our weekly feature where we introduce the people who make Zimmerman Shoes. Our manufacturer is our long-standing family business, the oldest children's shoe manufacturer in the country.
Factory Photo Series: Time January 19 2016
We're proud to be a small, family operated American manufacturer. Our little old factory is a very special place to us, and that's why we're excited to bring you the Factory Photo Series.
All photos by my talented sister and partner, Audrey Zimmerman
Milou & Pilou December 15 2015
It's always fun to see how mamas style our shoes on their little ones. And every once in a while, our shoes are paired with clothing so perfectly that we just have to learn more about the makers behind these pieces. That was the case with the adorable Spanish brand Milou and Pilou.
Skirt | Shoes | Photo by Robyn Jones @erobyn
Milou and Pilou's designer Alicia sent a few pieces to the lovely Robyn Jones @erobyn, and we did as well. When Robyn started putting outfits together, we fell in love with Alicia's clothes, and Alicia fell in love with our shoes!
Dress | Boots | Mary Janes | Photo by Robyn Jones @erobyn
It turns out that Alicia's process for Milou and Pilou is similar to ours here at Zimmerman Shoes. The designs are meant to evoke the past and recreate styles that the designers wore when they were children.
Dress | Boots | Mary Janes | Photo by Robyn Jones @erobyn
Milou & Pilou is also a family run business just like ours. All of their designs are ethically crafted in Barcelona, but Alicia's family is both Spanish and French. You can influence from both sides of the family tree in their clothes.
Skirt | Shoes | Photo by Robyn Jones @erobyn
We loved getting to know Alicia a bit and seeing our shoes paired with her clothes. With so much in common in our business priorities and vintage aesthetics, it's not hard to see why Milou & Pilou and Zimmerman Shoes make great brand buddies. Thank you, Alicia and Robyn. It's been a pleasure to connect with both of you!
Factory Photo Series: Family November 25 2015
We're proud to be a small, family operated American manufacturer. Our little old factory is a very special place to us, and that's why we're excited to bring you the Factory Photo Series.
Our theme last week was Hands, and this week, fittingly for Thanksgiving, it's Family. We're so grateful to everyone involved with our shoes from the very beginning of the process to the end product to our customers and their sweet babes. From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.
Old Family Photos, clockwise from top right: 1. Our great-grandfather Milo, Pop Pop Clair, and Dad Steve, all served as president of the company. 2. Our Nana Jane in the office. 3. An awesome group photo of everyone who made our shoes from 1972. 4. Our Pop Pop Clair. 5. Our great-grandfather Milo going over the books.
The ladies of the fitting room family.
The measuring doorway. The four girls in our family, our two cousins, and now our cousin's children and our nephew all get their height measured and dated in this doorway in the office.
The newest member of our shoemaking family: Misty, our new leather cutter. We're thrilled to have her on board.
Remember that group photo from 1972? Misty's dad Joe worked here then. All in the family!
Factory Photo Series - Hands November 20 2015
There's product, and then there's process. We think our finished product is pretty cute, and we love sharing it with our customers. But we're also really proud of our process. All of our shoes are ethically crafted in Pennsylvania at our family's historic 1888 factory.
Our great-grandfather bought it in the 1960s, and it's been in our family since then. The factory is a really special place to us. It's not always pretty; there's tons of leather and metal dies and big machines, and it's old. There's nothing flashy or fancy about it. But we think that's what makes it special and interesting.
And then there's the people. The people who make our shoes have worked with our dad, aunt, and grandfather for an average of 20 years. They know what they're doing, and many of them have watched us grow up.
The people, the factory, and our family history are all part of the process. That's why we're bringing you the Factory Photo Series to share more of that process with you. We're kicking it off with this week's theme: Hands.
That's actually me, Amelia, in the cutting room.
Linda, fitting room
Deb, fitting room
Ron, lasting room
Barry, packing room
All photos by my talented sister and partner, Audrey Zimmerman
Duchess and Lion Holiday Collection November 13 2015
Take some amazingly cool kids' clothes, add an off season ski resort, one incredible stylist, one talented photographer, and a few pairs of our shoes, and you have this unspeakably cute holiday shoot for Duchess and Lion Clothing. Witness the coolness:
Our Holiday Shoot with MaeJean Vintage November 04 2015
There are a few things that Audrey and I are pretty into: 1. Vintage everything. 2. All things Christmas. 3. Shiny things i.e. jewelry. With this in mind, it makes sense why we were so excited about collaborating with our gorgeous friends Laura, Amanda, and Dahlia of MaeJean Vintage for a holiday shoot. Our picture perfect model is Dahlia's little girl Vienna, and she was an absolute CHARMER.
Clothes - vintage / model's own | Jewelry
I mean, come on right!? She's so stinking cute!!
Clothes - vintage / model's own | Jewelry | Shoes
Clothes - vintage / model's own | Jewelry | Shoes
Clothes - vintage / model's own | Jewelry | Shoes
Clothes - vintage / model's own | Jewelry
At one point, we decided to do some outdoor shots. We were out there for no more than ten minutes, and, despite the fact that we took these photos in mid- October, we had this perfect moment where it actually snowed. Granted, it was a very light rainy snow, but it was magical nonetheless. We were all jumping around realizing with glee that it was actually snowing, and miss Vienna had the best expression of wonder and excitement!
Clothes - vintage / model's own | Jewelry | Shoes
We'll definitely be sharing more photos from this shoot as we roll into the holiday season. In the meantime, head over to MaeJean Vintage. Laura and Amanda are gemology students and Etsy all-stars who are so passionate and knowledgeable about vintage jewelry. They have an amazing selection of vintage and antique pieces in tiny sizes that are just right for that very special little girl in your life.
Our Grandfather September 22 2015
Miss Verse and Her Guys September 15 2015
We follow a lot of Instagram feeds that bring us joy on the regular, but one of our absolute favorites is @MissVerse by Danielle Aceino. Her accompanying blog is equally beautiful, and the work she and her husband James do as Young Love Media is inspiring. We recently sent matching Milo Boots for her boys, Elliot and Asher, and she's shared the sweetest images of them.
Little Faces Apparel + Weemarks September 09 2015
Little Faces Apparel is a sweet clothing brand featuring handmade cotton basics for babies and kids. Many of their pieces are organic, and they all feature whimsical prints and darling graphics. They recently used a pair of our shoes in their fall photoshoot, and the results are so cute that we had to share. Let's start with these amazing Fall Mum Leggings.
Fall Mum Leggings | Plum Milo Boots
Hair Bow | Jacket | Fall Mum Leggings | Plum Milo Boots
| Frida Kahlo Shirt | Bracelets | Fall Mum Leggings
Hair Bow | Drop Romper | Bracelets
Hair Bow | Tee | Bracelets | Dotted Camo Leggings
All photos by Melissa McCann
Besides this cute collection and darling photoshoot, Jennifer, the mom behind Little Faces Apparel, recently launched an exciting new project in collaboration with her 8 year-old son. He expressed an interest in learning how to make things and help families in need at the same time, so they created Weemarks together with these one-of-a-kind, hand-dyed body suits.
Grape Berry | Teal Bliss | Candy Explosion
For the month of September, proceeds benefit this sweet family. Each suit costs just $15, so for that modest price, you can help a boy learn how to help others in need using his own creativity and compassion. We just love that.
Blake Acres August 25 2015 1 Comment
At the beginning of the summer, we had an order come through for a sweet family in New England. We made up a pair of Stevie Sandals for them, sent them off, and started to get tagged in some images on Instagram. When Audrey and I saw these photos, we were both like, "Whaaaattt?? So cute!" We both agreed that this mom needed to start a blog. Did we tell her that? No. But did we secretly want to keep up with all of their summer adventures and see where they take our sandals and what other cute brands they're wearing? YES.
And then, that same mom started a blog, and we're so excited for her! By way of beautiful photos, Blake Acres by Jessica documents both the outings and staycations of her daughters, Elise and Mila. They're a darling New England family on the go, and we just couldn't be more charmed by Jessica's photos, Elise's looks of wonder and joy, and Mila's sweet baby smiles.
Dress | Shoes | Original Post
Dress (by our friends and "neighbors") | Original Post
Playsuit | Shoes | Original Post
Dress | Onesie | Hat | Shoes | Original Post
Dress | Hat | Original Post
Dress (by our friends and "neighbors") | Hat | Original Post
Bonnet + Blouse + Bloomers Set | Muslin Swaddle | Original Post
Dress | Shorts | Shoes | Original Post
Her photos are PERFECTION, right?? Beyond that, we love that Jessica focuses on buying her girls pieces that are ethically made with love and crafted to last. Thank you, Jessica! We're excited to watch your blog and, more importantly, your family grow!
Tortoise and the Hare Clothing August 19 2015 1 Comment
In the months since we've launched our brand, we've had the opportunity and honor of meeting so many amazing people who are so very talented. Rosina from The Tortoise and the Hare is definitely one of those people.
We first got to know her when she picked up some of our shoes to use in a photoshoot, and we realized that her clothing is made just an hour from where our shoes are made. Our brands have a lot in common: handcrafted slow fashion made by multigenerational family businesses. Rosina herself is just the sweetest, and she just has such easy, peaceful energy. It's always fun to talk with her and bounce ideas around.
And can we talk about the clothing?? Seriously, so so adorable. I wish there was a way that you could reach out and touch these pieces over the interwebs. The quality and construction is phenomenal, and knowing that each piece is ethically made with love makes it just that much better. We picked up a few pieces to use for a shoot (stay tuned for that!!), and fell in love.
So gorgeous, right?? Check out the Tortoise and the Hare shop here, and be sure to keep up with Rosina on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Vivie and Ash + Hello Charlie August 12 2015
When we heard from Sarah of Vivie and Ash about a collaborative shoot by Emily of Hello Charlie featuring Vivie and Ash clothes, we were psyched. We whipped up a couple pairs of shoes, sent them off, and couldn't be more excited to share the photos.
The Vivie and Ash line of clothing is so whimsical and sweet. It's a gorgeous collection of organic cotton in playful prints and timeless solids. Sarah designs the pieces, and they're all made by hand in Indiana. Witness the cuteness:
Top | Leggings | Shoes | Headband
How perfectly adorable are these photos? We just love Emily's eye for light and composition and Miss Charlie's joy in front of the camera. A little birdie told us that Charlie laid claim to the plum Milo Boots and Mary Janes and wasn't willing to give them up. :)
Big hugs and mega thanks to Sarah and Emily for incorporating our shoes so beautifully in this shoot.
Fall 2015 Collection August 11 2015
The Fall 2015 collection just hit the shop, and we couldn't be happier!
This is always such an exciting time of the year: school starts again, the weather cools a bit, the farmer's market is in all its glory, and the coziness of autumn sets in. We had so much fun working on this collection and shooting it, so we hope you love it! Welcome, fall!
Ritzy Reba Photo Shoot August 05 2015
There are a couple great things about this gig. One of them is getting to know amazing moms and their sweet babes. Another is meeting other small business owners and collaborating on projects.
One of those cool people is Rebekah of Ritzy Reba. She creates the most darling illustrations for little ones, and she used some of our shoes in a recent photo shoot.
Dress / Bow / Piggy Print / Shoes
Dress / Bow / Happy Cones Print / Shoes
Dress / Cinderella Dress Print / Shoes
Top / Flower Crown / Baby Deer Print / Shoes
Aren't Rebkah's prints and colors just full of pure joy?? We're thrilled to have our shoes incorporated in such a happy shoot! All photos by the talented Brock Alli Photography.
Next time you need some nursery decor or a happy little gift for baby, check out Ritzy Reba's adorable selection.
Our Factory June 19 2015
We recently had a photo shoot with the talented Rebecca Donohue in our family's historic 1888 factory. It was a Sunday afternoon with great light and lots of laughing.
Audrey and I kept cracking each other up by saying, "Sometimes we just stand in the office and look at one another. Oftentimes we sit on the conveyor belt and laugh. It's a pretty regular thing for us to just hang out here by the leather." Both of us are more comfortable behind a camera than in front of it, so we had to be a little silly to loosen up a bit.
Rebecca was amazing to work with, and she did a phenomenal job finding the beauty in our old factory and capturing us just being ourselves.
Most of the time, machines are whirring, the phone is ringing, our team is here and working, and we have a to-do list that's a mile long. It was a pretty beautiful change to just be in this space that's so important to our family and document this moment in our company's history.
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