Shannon Britt Miller, Shoe Designer for Shannon Britt Shoes

“Even as a small child I had a love of shoes”, says Shannon Britt Miller, designer and co-owner of her self-named shoe company Shannon Britt Shoes. “I was always reinventing the design of my shoes by adding things or taking things away. I always had a drive to make things special to me and different.”

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio and raised in three different cities in the Southeast before earning a degree in Public Relations from the University of North Carolina, Shannon knew she wanted to work in the fashion industry after a summer internship at Calvin Klein. Degree in hand, Shannon headed to New York City, where she found herself doing Public Relations for British footwear company Patrick Cox. There her passion for fashion became a full-fledged love for footwear, and she went on to become the Footwear & Accessories Coordinator for DKNY's PR department, acting as the liaison between the company and fashion magazines, stylists, and celebrities. After that, she left the PR business and ran her own faux finishing and interior design business.

“I had done footwear PR, so I was really involved with that aspect of the industry, and I'd worked closely with the designers”, says Shannon. “I'd go to them and tell them what the fashion editors wanted.” Later, creating fine-art murals for her faux finishing company brought out her artistic side, and she decided to merge her knowledge of the workings of the shoe industry with her love of shoes and her artistic abilities.

When Shannon decided to explore the possibility of becoming a Footwear Designer, she headed to the Internet. “When I looked into FIDM's Advanced Footwear Design program, I had found my match”, she says. She points out that FIDM's program is not only small (allowing only eight students per year), but it's the only one of its scope in the U.S. FIDM had the only intensive Footwear Design-specific course. “We were not taught to make handbags; we were taught every aspect of the shoe industry. It allowed us to travel around in Italy and go to places of business. If the class had been larger”, she points out, “we would never have been allowed to experience these things.“

During her year at FIDM, Shannon learned drawing, pattern drafting, shoe design, footwear marketing, and industry practices. She attended footwear shows in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Italy, a country famous for its shoe artistry. She traveled to Florence, Venice, Milan, and other Italian cities as part of her FIDM curriculum. With her FIDM class she toured Italy's tanneries and the various factories that produce heels, insoles, outsoles, lasts, unit bottoms, and other shoe components. During her second quarter at FIDM she did an internship with the footwear marketing company owned by her Marketing instructor. “She was an amazing resource!“ Shannon remembers.

What has come of Shannon's leap into Footwear Design is a new career heading up her own company that produces elegant Italian-made evening and bridal shoes. “I have my hand in the entire company; design, marketing, sales, shipping, PR, and everything in between!” she says. Her twin sister Shelby, her partner in the company, handles the sales and most of the business and importing issues. What's Shannon's favorite piece of the puzzle? “I get so excited to be in the design stage, but it's very stressful deciding on something that will ultimately affect the entire company. Lots of sleepless nights! she moans. When we've moved into the marketing and PR portions, I get equally??s excited to talk with magazine editors, publicists, celebrities, and all of our supporters”, she continues. “Sales are equally rewarding; when we get orders for the shoes it is like icing on the cake. It is verification and validation that someone (other than my family) thinks we are special enough to order our shoes. Every aspect is rewarding in its own way. “

Designers, both living and dead, inspire this North Carolina Atlantic Coast resident. Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior, and Christian Lacroix are among her favorites. Shannon's surroundings influence her as well. “The sun and the tremendous colors and life that encompass the beach where I live provide a brilliant backdrop for all that inspires me”, she says.

Though she'd always been creative, FIDM was the launching pad for Shannon's career as a designer. FIDM allowed me to open doors that I was not able to reach before. It gave me enough confidence to follow my dreams. Her words of wisdom: “Remember this when times are tough: If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!“ Shannon advises anyone on the path to a goal, “Celebrate the good, no matter how small it may seem. Small steps are the foundation to those larger strides.“ Said just like a woman who thinks on and about her feet!

Please Note: The information contained herein was confirmed at the time of original publication