After a Life-Altering Foot Injury, Former Restaurant Critic Danyelle Freeman Is Stepping Out With Her Own Shoe Brand
Why did Danyelle Freeman, a former restaurant critic for The New York Daily News, venture into footwear? Out of necessity, said the founder of Le Seul, the new fashion comfort line she debuted during New York Fashion Week.
About five years ago, Freeman’s life was altered when her husband accidentally ran over her foot with a car. The injury and its aftermath caused permanent damage to her feet, and the entrepreneur said she searched everywhere to find shoes that she could walk in — and wanted to wear.
“I used to have a closet full of beautiful shoes, and this was such an extreme change for me,” she said. “I would look at other people’s feet with envy because I was stuck in orthotics. I started wearing only long dresses because I wanted to hide my shoes.”
Determined to find a solution, Freeman began to learn about the intricacies of orthotics and comfort technology. “I finally decided I would make shoes myself,” she said.
Freeman enlisted longtime shoe designer Paul Andrew as her mentor prior to his appointment as Sergio Rossi’s creative director earlier this year.
From there, she began the process of finding Italian factories, hiring designers and refining the technology and comfort aspects of the collection. (Le Seul, a play on the sole of the foot, translates to “The Only One.”)
Features of each shoe include a custom-made insole board, molded silicone gel for shock absorption and foam padding. Dr. David Hancock, a physiotherapist and strength coach, who has worked with Nike and the New York Knicks, serves as an advisor to the brand.
To jazz up the comfort features, Freeman decked out her quilted insole with the brand’s signature heart. And the block heels featured throughout the collection have a heart footprint design.
The spring ’25 collection of flats, sandals, pumps and wedges is inspired by flowers and features other embellishments such as bows. “I wanted them to be feminine and attractive, but timeless and very wearable,” Freeman said. Colors run the gamut from black, ivory and tan to bermuda blue, red and champagne.
Price points range from $550 to $1,250, and the founder is meeting with buyers during Paris Fashion week. In the coming months, she plans to open pop-ups around New York.
It’s certainly not an easy climate for independent shoe designers as the big ready-to-wear brands gobble up more market share. But Freeman, who is self funding the business, is undeterred.
“I’m in this to win and I’m very serious about it,” she said. “I’m offering something that’s a need, and I think it will resonate with people.”