Style Story / Julia & Lane

Julia: It's so, so important to be comfortable! For me, comfort and beauty go hand-in-hand. I don't like to leave the house wearing anything that's uncomfortable, so I think a lot about materials and shapes. I'm a strong believer that just because something is comfortable, doesn't mean it can't be refined.

Lane: I agree. I believe that style is about feeling confident. It's about getting you to a place where you feel ready to take on your day. It's kind of hard to do that when you're not comfortable.

Lane: We've spent the last six years designing minimal and refined men's shoes, meant to be worn by people who live in the city. Our collection is not fussy or finicky. Without overthinking it, you can grab any pair of Jack Erwins, easily slip them on and run out the door. We were inspired to develop a women's collection with this ethos in mind.

We've wanted to create a line of shoes for women in the city for a long time, but wanted to do it right. Finally, about a year ago, we felt ready. It's been a fun and challenging experience building this collection from the ground up and we're excited to see and hear the response.

Julia: I met Lane before he and Ariel, his co-founder, started Jack Erwin. When the two showed me their first men's collection back in the day, I immediately started chirping in their ears about applying the same design principles to a women's collection. Over the years, I've been able to wear a lot of the brand's boots and sneakers in the smallest sizes, and I've always pushed Lane and Ariel to make a more cohesive and intentional lineup for women.

I've found that it's difficult to find shoes that are clean, straightforward, and graceful, so we wanted to make shoes that are considered in every way, yet not over-designed.

Wearability was also a big consideration. I love a heel - but for the most part, I'm practical. I like to dress for doing. I grew up in New York City and I think a lot of New Yorkers share that mentality.