Have you been wishing for a shoe that combined the utilitarian style of a sneaker with the discomfort of a high heel? Er, I mean, “the style of a traditional high heel with the performance and comfort of a sneaker?” And do you have $400 to $600 to invest in this unholy innovative experiment in women’s footwear? Well then boy, have I got good news for you! Spanx founder Sara Blakely has lowered her sights from torso undergarments to foot overgarments, with her new sneaker-heel hybrid brand named Sneex. The fledgling line consists of three styles, each with three-inch heels, that differ by straps; The Icon has one wide strap, The Tepper has one thin strap, and The Blake has two thin straps. Are we buying these kicks?
Sara Blakely, who founded the revolutionary shapewear company [Spanx] in 2000, is introducing Sneex, a sneaker-heel hybrid that “blends the style of a traditional high heel with the performance and comfort of a sneaker,” per a press release.
Sneex sets out to solve three major pain points of the typical high heel design — lack of support, unequal weight distribution and the squeezing of the toes.
“Men invented the high heel centuries ago, and its basic construction hasn’t really changed,” Blakely says via press release. “There has been a void in comfortable footwear, and women deserve a new option. I wanted to create a luxury high heel that prioritizes how women feel, not just how we look.”
She continues, “We are fed the line that ‘beauty is pain’… but I don’t believe it has to be. As a consumer, I have wanted to solve this problem for years.”
The businesswoman also said that Sneex was born out of her personal desire for a more elevated sneaker option that didn’t previously exist.
“Consumers are dressing much more casually now,” she says. “While sneakers have been embraced as an option, there are many times I put on clothes and still want the height and look of a heel with the vibe of a sneaker. There was an opportunity there.”
The patent-pending design, available in three styles and ten colorways on Sneex.com, features fine napa leather and suede from Italy and Spain. Sneex are handcrafted in Spain with prices ranging from $395 (for styles like The Icon) to $595 (The Tepper) in whole sizes ranging from 5 to 11.
As is the ethos behind Spanx, Blakely put comfort at the forefront of Sneex in a way that challenges long-upheld ideals in the fashion industry.
“You have to try them on to feel the magic hidden inside,” she says. “Women either cry, dance or take off running. They can’t believe it’s a 3-inch heel!”
I think I would be one of the women who cried upon trying on these shoes (sneels? heakers?), but out of discomfort rather than euphoria. I’ve worn sneakers. I’ve worn Hokas! My feet know what full comfort and support feels like, and they won’t let me forget it if/when I try to stray. And if one of the three major pain points is unequal weight distribution, as identified by Blakely herself, then how is that solved here? However well-designed the ball of the toe portion is, I guarantee you I would go tumbling down the minute I tried placing weight on the heel. The heel is the problem! This is why I don’t f–k with fashion stilts! Plus I’m a backseat anarchist who has been gleefully watching from afar as the comfort shoe revolution takes over the red carpet. (By the way, did y’all catch Tim Walz’s daughter Hope take the stage last night in CLOGS after her dad’s speech? Superb.) We won’t go back! Or in my case, I still won’t go there to begin with!
But once again I do not have my toe on the pulse of the moment, because The Tepper style, which retails for $595, has already sold out in a limited edition silver color. Tepper is still available in white, or another limited edition color, “varsity green.” If Blakely can get Cynthia Erivo to don that green pair at some point during her Wicked promotion, it will be a massive win for Sneex.
Photos via Instagram and Sneex.com
This is like some really sad looking version of United Nude booties. So, it’s a no.
Those are the ugliest shits ever. No thanks.
Thank you! Ugly and the discomfort of heels! I’ll pass.
Am I the only one who has seen this style before? I don’t think it’s new at all. There have been variations of heeled and wedge style sneaker shoes and boots on the market for like 20 years, no? A quick google search brought up like 5 different styles of this. I don’t see how this is ground breaking.
I definitely remember shoes called Bapes with a heel on,even Beyonce wore customized ones for a pink panther video,as well as Timbalands being made with a heel version.
Yes, those came out maybe 4 years ago?
I thought she was redesigning conventional heels to make them more comfortable. I was really excited. Now I’m a little disappointed. These are odd.
Back in the day, I had some adorable peep toes that had Nike insoles. My dog ate one and I couldn’t justify getting another pair. Those were awesome, these are a stupid abomination that I assume only wanna be influencers are buying for attention, and the name is dumb.
Yes! The Cole Haan/Nike pumps were amazing! These are…not.
I feel like she could have designed a pair of heels that was more comfortable with the toe spacing, weight distribution and all that – without having them look like sneakers. Because no, I am not buying those hideous things. I mean they’re way out of my normal shoe price range anyway, lol, but that’s irrelevant because I wouldn’t buy them anyway.
What reason do you wear sneakers that also works with heels? Hiking, running, biking, casual, on your feet all day, public transit to work, bad back? And what about the reverse?
To avoid having pants with two different hem lengths in your closet?
Wasn’t this Easy Spirit’s marketing back in the 80’s? Looks like a pump, feels like a sneaker, with the marketing campaign women in pumps playing basketball? Granted I don’t remember 3” spikes in their line.
And Nike partnered with Cole Haan for years to put air technology in CH shoes and heels.
Pinkosaurus- YES I remember when Cole Haan had Nike Air! I loved mine too! I still look for them on Poshmark and EBay because those work pumps were sleek, stylish and very comfortable. Genuine leather and practical.
This idea is definitely not new, but if they found a way to make them truly comfortable, they will have a win. I definitely wore those Easy Spirit pumps back in the 90’s. I was pregnant and we were still wearing formal business attire every day. Those Easy Spirits were the only shoes that didn’t kill my swollen feet. If Sneex can come anywhere close to that level of comfort they have a shot.
Same -90’s loved those Easy Spirits while pregnant, was in a dress code job (can’t even imagine today) and those were the only shoes that did not kill, had a Taupe and black pair that earned their miles!
These… things don’t scream “luxury high heel” to me, nor “comfortable footwear”
So NO to the Sneeks from me.
Ok commenters, what’s the modern equivalent of the Cole Hahn and Easy Spirit pumps then? Spill.
Right? Because its not these. The benefit of the Cole Hahn air and Easy Spirit was that they were comfortable but still were heels/dress shoes. These do not scream dress shoes to me. They scream sneakers with a stiletto.
In the words of Randy Jackson “it’s a NO for me dawg”! Those might look sort of cute with a wedge, but with the heel they just look awkward. It doesn’t even whisper artsy fun.
They are super ugly, IMO, I would never wear them. Even if I could! I can’t though, I broke my ankle terribly a few years ago and can’t do anything more than a slight lift.
The Walz women like their sensible, comfortable shoes, and I am here for it.
I have wedge sneakers., they are cute and comfortable . That’s as far I’m willing to go. She’s lost her entire mind , but I know someone will give her 500 for that ugly AF shoe.
I like them. Not the green ones, though. I think the colors need some work but i like the style.
The green is the only color of them I like, but even if they were 50% off I wouldn’t pay for them.
I don’t love the aesthetic but the idea has possibilities. If she could pair the comfortable bottom half of the shoe with an attractive top half, I’d consider a pair.
ew
those are without a doubt the fugliest shoes I have ever seen outside of Crocs. and they’re a very close second.
If you want dress shoes/heels with good comfort that won’t wreck your feet, try Taryn Rose. But don’t buy this hot mess.
F these shows.
Design heels that look like nice shoes AND are comfortable to wear and you can have my money.
I love and largely live in trainers/sneakers but if I’m going somewhere that I would likely wear heels (work related typically or a fancy event) I would not want shoes that still look like my trainers only they make me taller. If my trainers are not event-appropriate then neither are these.