How Femme LA Became Hollywood’s Favorite New Stealthy Shoe Brand

The brand now specializes in sexy, unadorned stilettos that range from strappy Barely-There lace-up heels to Sicilian Slippers, a heeled mule frequently worn by Hailey Bieber. “Our minimal lace-up styles have been our bread and butter,” says Tello. “We’ve tapped into every colorway. Our Luce strappy heel has been with us since the beginning: It still gets bought and is constantly pulled [by stylists]—it’s one of our most popular styles.” All of the shoes are made with vegan leather. “We wanted to show that, hey, a vegan brand can walk the red carpet, and it doesn’t have to be a price point that’s $700 for a shoe,” says Tello, whose shoes retail—for the most part—under $200. “We want all types of life to be able to afford [shoes] that are made with vegan materials.”

While the price point is accessible, the brand’s celebrity following has played a huge role in making Femme LA’s heels an It shoe. Tello credits her label’s publicist, Pegauh Panah, for dialing up their star-studded dressing placements. “[Pegauh] basically started working with us for free, and within the first week, we had a Kylie Jenner placement,” says Tello. Together, the duo have focused their energy on building relationships with celebrity stylists, and they now count Lori Harvey, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Gal Gadot as frequent wearers of their footwear. “We don’t pay anybody: We don’t pay stylists or influencers,” says Tello. “But stylists pull from us, and we give them whatever they need—we cater to them.”

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