Joan & David

Joan and David designs were the solution to many modern women’s problems. The year was 1967 and the place Cambridge Massachusetts. While completing her Ph D. in child psychology at Harvard and balancing roles of mother, wife, and student, Joan Helpern wanted footwear to match her lifestyle. She didn’t want to compromise in gym shoes or dowdy loafers but also knew the impracticalities of the stiletto. So, she designed an Oxford style shoe that still sells today that is both stylish and classic. Though Joan had no formal design training, she researched the technology and process involved in making her shoe dreams a reality. Today Joan and David shoes can be found worldwide and are manufactured in Italy because it was there Joan found craftspeople willing to design according to her specifications. She lets the saying “less is more” be the guiding principle of her shoe line, sticking to classic styles and fit, and she is sure to keep the heel at a minimum for the working woman who doesn’t want to walk around in 4 inch stilettos all day. Joan and David’s Reginah pump in a deep chocolate brown is the perfect addition to a pair of work trousers to easy way to jazz up a pair jeans when running errands around town. It’s not surprising that Joan’s designs started in Massachusetts, as her designs reflect the classic, understated East Coast aesthetic.