Standing Tall: High Heels, Women’s Fashion, and the Women Redesigning Them

A Women’s History Month Reflection: Guest blog post written by our very own Chief Science Officer, Dr. Roxann Clarke.

A Shoe with an Unexpected Beginning

High heels are often associated with femininity, glamour, and sophistication, yet their origin tells a very different story. The earliest versions of heeled footwear appeared in 10th-century Persia, where cavalry soldiers wore heels to help secure their feet in stirrups while riding horses. The heel provided stability in combat, making it a practical innovation rather than a fashion statement.

By the 17th century, heels had become a symbol of wealth and social status in Europe. Aristocrats adopted the style to emulate Persian riding culture, and heels quickly became associated with power and prestige. Even King Louis XIV of France famously wore red heels as a visible display of royal authority.

Over time, fashion evolved and heels gradually became associated primarily with women’s dress. By the 19th and 20th centuries, the high heel had transformed into one of the most recognizable symbols of women’s fashion.

High Heels and the Language of Women’s Fashion

For generations, high heels have played a central role in how women express identity, elegance, and confidence through clothing. From classic pumps to sculptural stilettos, heels have shaped silhouettes and influenced the way garments are designed and worn.

Heels change posture, elongate the leg line, and create a distinctive gait that has long been associated with poise and presence. In many professional and social settings, they have also symbolized polish, authority, and style.

But while high heels became an icon of fashion, their design historically prioritized aesthetics over the physical realities of the foot. Women frequently experienced discomfort because traditional heel construction concentrates body weight onto the forefoot and toes.

For decades, women were often expected to accept that beauty required pain.

Women Reimagining the High Heel

Today, women innovators are reshaping that narrative. A new generation of female entrepreneurs, designers, and medical professionals are redefining the high heel by bringing together fashion, science, and lived experience.

One important example is ALLY Shoes, a brand founded by entrepreneur Samantha Dong. The company was created after Dong struggled to find elegant heels that were also comfortable for long workdays. Her vision was to create shoes that combine the sophistication expected in professional environments with thoughtful structural design.

What makes the brand particularly notable is the collaboration between medical expertise and fashion design.

The biomechanical design and foot health guidance for the shoes comes from Dr. Roxann Clarke, a foot and ankle surgeon who serves as the medical expert behind the footwear’s anatomical considerations. Her role focuses on ensuring that the structure of the shoe better supports the natural mechanics of the foot, addressing issues that many women experience when wearing traditional heels.

The aesthetic design of the shoe, its visual style, silhouette, and fashion appeal, was created by designer Sarah Jaramillo. Her work ensures that the shoes maintain the elegance and visual sophistication women expect from high heels.

Together, this collaboration represents a modern approach to footwear design: fashion informed by medical insight.

Why Women Designing Heels Matters

For much of history, women were the primary wearers of high heels, yet the industry designing them was largely dominated by men. As more women step into leadership roles within footwear design, the focus is shifting toward products that reflect the realities of women’s lives.

Women designers and founders are asking questions that had long gone unaddressed:

• How can heels distribute pressure more evenly across the foot?

• Can materials improve cushioning and stability?

• Can a shoe support both style and long-term comfort?

These questions are transforming the industry.

Instead of forcing women to choose between elegance and comfort, female innovators are demonstrating that both are possible.

A Women’s History Month Perspective

Women’s History Month celebrates the contributions women have made across every field, from science and medicine to art, design, and entrepreneurship.

The evolution of the high heel reflects that broader story. What began centuries ago as a practical tool for horsemen became one of the most recognizable symbols of women’s fashion. Today, women themselves are reshaping that symbol, bringing together expertise in medicine, design, and business to create footwear that better serves the women who wear it.

In doing so, they are not simply redesigning a shoe.

They are redefining how fashion can support women’s lives, allowing them to stand tall in style, comfort, and confidence.