Pitching Michelle Obama
Kathryn Kerrigan, a 28-year-old Libertyville shoe designer, is hoping her pumps make it to the White House.
The entrepreneurial marketing teacher at Loyola University has sent a pair of her shoes to Michelle Obama, hoping the soon-to-be-first lady will slip them on, perhaps for the inauguration.
Kerrigan designs and sells large-sized upscale shoes, mainly worn by tall women. The business is based on Kerrigan's personal experince as a 6-foot-tall former basketball player who had a tough time finding cute shoes.
Kerrigan sent Michelle Obama a pair of "black, simple pointed-toe pumps." Just to be safe, she sent two sizes, a 9 and 10.
"They're simple, comfortable and stylish. They have a little edge to them," Kerrigan said. Will the pitch work? Kerrigan hasn't heard back from President-elect Barack Obama's wife, but she figures it was worth a try.
"She'd be a dream client," Kerrigan said, adding that Martha Stewart and Paris Hilton have reportedly worn her line.
The black "Isidore" pumps that Kerrigan sent to Obama sell for $129. Bargain hunters can find them for $79 at Kerrigan's new outlet boutique in Gurnee at 4129 Old Grand Ave.
The business has grown fast. In 2007, Inc. Magazine named Kerrigan the "top female entrepreneur under 30."
When Kerrigan started three years ago, she was designing 10 to 20 styles per season and selling them mainly online. Using her own name for her shoe line, she now designs 150 styles each season. Her shoes are sold in 50 boutiques across the country.
The 1998 Libertyville High School graduate played basketball for Lake Forest College and earned an MBA from Loyola University.
She jokes that her height prohibited her from finding fashionable shoes that fit. She recalls that her father took her to six regional malls to find shoes for prom.
In an effort to battle the problem, Kerrigan, who wears a size 11, started her own women's footwear, design and distribution company.
She found there's a big market for big shoes. Specializing in handcrafted shoes made in Spain and Italy, she says the construction provides gentle control without rough materials and machine-made fabrication.
When she started out, her shoes came in sizes 10, 11 and 12. She expanded the range and now sells sizes 6 to 15.
All sizes are offered at the outlet store where she's holding a sale through Sunday. All types of shoes will be sold, from leather ballet flats to tall Italian-made riding boots.
Shoppers can expect to find last season's styles marked down 50 to 80 percent.
"Shoes that were originally $350 are selling for $60 or $70," Kerrigan said. Sandals and pumps are also selling for between $10 and $50.
The outlet store is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more, check out shoesfortallwomen.com.
• Kim Mikus' column runs Tuesday through Friday. She welcomes comments at (847) 427-4567 or kmikus@daily herald.com.