Ever since Flea Style posted an Insta pic of Modern+Soul’s updated Moroccan slippers, I’ve been fawning over the slides like they’re Boston Terrier puppies. Because much like Bosties, the shoes are super cute and look like they’d be enjoyable to walk with every day. But unlike the monochrome canines, they come in a variety of colors, stripes, and splatter paint options. And, yeah, I read about this splatter paint revival, but it didn’t seem accessible until now.
Modern+Soul creators Blair Isom and Suzi Fuller, who met last year in WeYogi’s teacher training program, stumbled into a shoe line when they set out to create affordable, chic flats for themselves. Both are stay-at-home moms, each with three kids under the age of 10, and as Isom says, “I get tired of wearing flip-flops, and you don’t really want to run around in heels.”
After sourcing craftsmen in Morocco and creating their first pairs this spring, friends and family requested their own. Why not order a batch, they thought. Now, Isom and Fuller are having a hard time keeping their limited-run shoes in stock; they’ve sold 200 pairs through trunk shows and their online shop in just two months.
Of course, it’s not terribly surprising that Modern+Soul has found some success; at prices ranging from $98 to $150, they’re a pretty sweet deal for handmade shoes.“We want to be able to wear them anywhere,” says Isom. “Like, I take my kids to the pool and wear them there. You obviously don’t want to do that if you’re spending $400 on your shoes from Bergdorfs.”
And as for those aforementioned color options, Isom, an art-school grad, decorates the shoes herself using leather paint in her in-home art room. When I ask if the paint actually lasts, Isom says the painted pair she’s been wearing for four months are showing no signs of wear. When her shoes end up on the receiving end of a kid-spill, “I use baby wipes for everything, so I just wipe the shoe and it’s fresh as new.” Added bonus: the ladies just debuted game-day themes and take custom orders. So, if I want a black-and-white pair to match my tuxedoed mutt, I’m in luck.
Follow Modern+Soul on Instagram, score a pair from their site, or see the slides IRL at the next Flea Style in October.
