Osborn: Elevating the Patterned Shoe
Brooklyn shoe brand Osborn proves that bright, stand-out footwear and a people-first work ethic can definitely make great business sense. The brand is deservedly well-known for making simple, unassuming oxford shoes stand out with eye-catching patterns. But to their credit, they’re so much more than a pretty face. Osborn manufactures their goods — which actually runs the encompasses a range of cool silhouettes and prints — in Guatemala, using ethical employment policies. Founded just two years ago, Osborn has already apparently mastered the art of making footwear that one can feel good about — in every way.
Perhaps the key to Osborsn’s success is the versatility behind the designs – there’s a shoe and a print for every style. There are loafers with sweet polka dots and one with floating geometric prints. There are booties with primary-colorblocking or ones with spotted velvet bodies. And then there are the shoes that really make the brand: the oxfords. From a sublime, zoomed-in floral to traditional tapestries to a striking burlap-and-denim re-imagined saddle shoe, the printed oxfords are the real star of the line. The shoes being handmade, there’s a sweetness to their shape — a strictly non-uniform look that is beautiful all by itself. It keeps the prints down-to-earth and obscenely wearable. In a sense, Osborn shoes are perfectly un-perfect, and that’s how we like them.
