Why Loeffler Randall’s Pleated Camellia Heels Are The Perfect Wedding Shoes

When I was planning my outfit for my wedding this September, I did something that all fashion editors would advise against – I bought the shoes before I had decided on the dress. I bought two pairs of bridal heels for the festivities – a pair of Manolo Blahnik ivory satin court shoes with her signature crystal detail and Loeffler Randall pleated organza heels. They both had such a timeless and versatile design that I was sure they would go with any dress I put on. And thankfully, my instinct was right.

The reason I moved so quickly on the Loeffler Randall arch heels was all because of how quickly they sold out, and there was only one pair left in my size. I chose the best-selling style, the Camellia, which are made with pleated organza in a soft shade of ivory, with a twisted bow just above the open toe and an ankle strap to provide support and stability.

These shoes have now been pre-ordered an impressive 60 times since they were first launched in 2015, with a 50 percent increase year-on-year for the past two years. “I created the first pair in 2018, and we didn’t necessarily think of them as a wedding shoe when we first designed them,” Jessie Randall, founder of Loeffler Randall, tells me on Zoom from her studio in New York. “I was just completely obsessed with pleats and wanted to put them on a shoe somehow. We had a beauty supply store below our office and so we went and got a hairpin and pinched the fabric and used that to make some patterns. We came up with this one-sided bow and sent the idea to be made into shoes.” Now there are over 400 folds in just one pair of shoes.

The Camellia is undoubtedly one of the best-selling bridal shoes in the world, but it was her friend who helped perfect the final design of this now iconic shoe. “Originally it only came in gold and was immediately removed, but I was talking to a friend who was getting married and she said she wanted to wear the shoes but needed a strap to dance the night away,” explains Randall. “That’s how the idea came about – I said ‘oh we’ll put a strap on the shoe then!’ Then we started thinking seriously about it as a bridal shoe. Comfort and wear is always a big part of what I do. We were really into these chunkier heels whenever you’re on the beach or on the grass at a wedding, and this the shape of the heel is perfect not to be damaged or sink into the ground.”