HANDCRAFTED LUXURY

HANDCRAFTED LUXURY
HANDCRAFTED LUXURY
designer bio
THE SOLES CODE
Calleen Cordero's first step on her journey to becoming
one of today's most inspiring American designers began
in Marin County, California, where at the age of fifteen
she was first immersed in the world of high fashion
footwear. Beginning in sales at an upscale local
boutique, her innate talent for fashion and her passion
for well-crafted shoes began to shine through, and
Calleen soon found herself elevated to the position of
assistant buyer, travelling to Europe to view collections
and meet with designers, all by the age of sixteen. From
this precocious beginning, Calleen went on to represent
some of the top names in the footwear industry and in
the process learned, in a very hands on way, about
every aspect of the art and trade.
In 1999, Calleen began designing her own line, and she
began her company with two simple ideals held firmly in
mind: she would bring the Old World art of handmade
artisan quality footwear, handbags and accessories back
to the United States, and everything that she made
would be as authentic as it was beautiful, as
comfortable as it was luxorious, and as nourishing to
the soul as it was to the eye.
With a factory based in North Hollywood, Calleen has almost singlehandedly resurrected the art of
using handcrafted wood in the soles of her shoes-an art that California was once known for.
Working with local artisans and using only natural materials and dyes, any given piece in Calleen's
line may pass through as many as twenty sets of hands, making each item truly one- of-a-kind
work of art. Calleen personally oversees the domestic production of each collection and takes great
pride in the fact that she is able to tailor-make items for the over 200 independent boutiques that
sell her work worldwide, creating a unique presence in each store.
The passion and loyalty of Calleen's customers and fans continues to provide her with unending
inspiration, and it is her goal to return this inspiration and elevate the spirit-one sole at a time.
Calleen Cordero (Headquarters)
7231 Hinds Ave. North Hollywood, CA. 91605 | Tel. (818) 764-0715 | Fax. (818) 764-6059
calleencordero.com
HANDCRAFTED LUXURY
the factory
THE CALLEEN CORDERO FACTORY
As the art of handcrafting luxury goods diminishes throughout the United States, Calleen Cordero is the
only female designer who has managed to revive this traditional craft from the 70’s. At her Los Angeles
factory, nearly 40 artisan employees work under one roof to bring Cordero’s designs to life.
From sculptors of wooden soles, hand-lasters and sewers, each piece is passed through the hands of
talented workers the old school way. Calleen Cordero heels and wedges begin with planks of alder and
ply wood from sustainable forests. The handcrafting process of being cut, drilled, sanded, stained and
triple waxed creates the perfect heel. Orthopedic foam is individually fitted, making each shoe a product
of comfort. The sandals are hand molded and a great deal of care is taken to ensure all footwear is
ergonomically designed. The varieties of Italian leathers are vegetable tanned and metal artwork is a
combination of solid brass and nickel, which is pressed freehand, one by one. Every heel, insole, and
embellishment is the subject of exquisite detail. Her designs also include handbags, belts, leather based
jewelry and accessories.
The Calleen Cordero factory is like nothing else in the US and it’s clear that quality and care stands at
the center of every handcrafted piece.
CONSTRUCTION
• All woods used are from sustainable forests or recycled plywood.
• Most leathers used are vegetable tanned from Italy and chrome free.
• Multiple comfort features in every shoe including padded insoles and/or EVA midsoles.
• Leather soled sandals are hand molded with arch support.
• All linings are leather and hardware is solid brass and solid nickel.
• Every wood heel has been sculpted by free hand.
• All glues used are 80% non toxic to the environment.
• Sizing options are 5-11.
Factory video
press
calleencordero.com
HANDCRAFTED LUXURY
press
Los Angeles Magazine, November 2012
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press
LA Times, July 2013
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press
Travel & Leisure, October 2012
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press
ELLE Magazine, January 2011
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press
Zink, Summer 2011
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press
Conde Nast Traveler, Octoboer 2013
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press
Cosmo, August 2012
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press
InStyle, August 2012
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press
Oprah, July 2013
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press
Footwear News Magazine, May 2010
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HANDCRAFTED LUXURY
collection
To see more of the new collection click here
HANDCRAFTED LUXURY
celebrity
For press inquiries, please contact: Kara Wethington / [email protected]
For sales inquiries, please contact: [email protected]
T. (818) 764-0715
calleencordero.com