The Soléa Margot Heel
A heel designed to support you all day.
Footwear Design · Anthropometric Design · Fabrication
The Soléa Margot Heel blends style and support, with built-in arch support designed specifically for higher arches. It’s made for people who love the look of modern heels but don’t want to sacrifice comfort, stability, or wearability to get there.
You shouldn’t have to choose between beauty and comfort.
01
Problem
Many modern heels prioritize appearance over the foot wearing them. Tall heels and pointed or square toes create a clean, minimal look, but often lack proper arch support and don’t adapt well to different foot anatomies—especially higher arches.
The result is a shoe that looks great but becomes uncomfortable quickly. The gap isn’t style. It’s support.
02
Design Motivation & Insight
Comfort in footwear doesn’t come from padding alone—it comes from fit, structure, and alignment. Looking at existing heels, a few issues stood out:
-
Arch support is often ignored or added as an afterthought
-
Many designs assume a “standard” foot shape
-
Slingbacks often shift or gap while walking
-
Supportive shoes are rarely designed to look refined
Instead of designing a heel and hoping it fit, I focused on designing from the foot outward.
Support · Fit · Stability · Proportion · Wearability
How might a shoe be designed from the foot outward—without compromising style?
03
Human-Centered Research
I started by designing for a real foot (aka my own). Using anthropometric measurements and a 3D scan of my foot, I created a full-scale model that kept my high-arch anatomy central to every decision.
This allowed me to test proportions, arch placement, and sole curvature early on, making sure support was built into the structure rather than added later.
04
Ideation
I explored a wide range of heel forms, from bold blocks to more minimal shapes, always balancing visual weight with stability. I tested different toe box shapes and strap placements to find solutions that held the foot securely without feeling restrictive.
Every iteration came back to the same goal:
support, comfort, and a clean, modern look.
05
Sketch Models & Iteration
Through paper and felt sketch models, I tested heel profiles from cylindrical to block forms and experimented with slingback and wrap-around uppers. Each round of iteration refined the proportions, construction, and cutout shapes.
Through testing, I developed a flattened upper template and added two triangular notches instead of one, allowing the felt to wrap smoothly around the square toe and improve fit.
.jpg)
06
Development & Materials
Sustainability is central to both Soléa and my own design values. I chose 100% wool felt for the upper and recycled wood for the sole.
I hand-sanded the wooden sole to follow the natural curve of my foot and introduced a slight rocker to improve walking comfort and offset the rigidity of the wood. Using the final flat layout, I cut and assembled the felt upper, securing it with a blanket stitch for durability and structure.
07
Packaging Design
The packaging extends the product experience beyond the shoe. Designed to reflect the Soléa ethos, the shoebox is intentional, sustainable, and minimal—supporting the idea that good design carries through every detail.
08
Final Design
The final design shapes the shoe around real foot anatomy, with built-in arch support that supports the foot throughout the day. From the sculpted sole to the structured upper, every detail is intentional and designed to move with the body.
Soléa Margot shows what happens when footwear design starts with the foot.
