Edon Manor Brings Joy Through Shoes

By Karen Rempel

Edon Manor is the new refined and ultra-hip babe on the block, with luxury shoes for the most artrageous among us, offered up with a cool vibe. Pink suede couches rim the room and pink hydrangeas adorn the ceiling, with fresh flowers and art books accenting shoes that are truly works of art.

Parsons and New School alumna Davinia Wang started the store with her friend, interior designer Ryan Korban, in 2007, with bricks and mortar in Tribeca. Edon Manor transplanted from Tribeca to the West Village in early April, due to changing demographics in the Tribeca neighborhood. The owners saw this as an opportunity to rebrand in a new area.

Sales associate and PR liaison Chrissy Sample describes the opportunities for shoe glory in the West Village, “This is considered the Carrie Bradshaw area of New York. It still has a great deal of history here.”

Store manager and assistant buyer Jaclyn Chavez agrees with Chrissy’s assessment of the style on the streets in the West Village. “The people here are definitely fashionable–they have their own personality. That’s one of the first things we noticed the first few days we were open.”

Jaclyn juggles buying trips to Paris and New York, selecting shoes at least six months in advance. She gets to see the full gamut from beautiful to hideously impractical. But it’s usually clear which shoes are coming back to the store. “There are some things we see that we’re so emotionally attracted to, like ‘Oh My God this shoe makes me so happy, it’s gorgeous.’ If you can appreciate art in any form, you appreciate a great pair of shoes. The craft of the shoe, the thought, the effort that it took to create such a beautiful piece of art.”

Jaclyn recalls that Dries Van Noten was a hard pick during a recent buying session because the entire line was so good. She adds, “We want women to feel empowered. The shoes should make you feel like you can get that job, go on that date, it should fulfill an emotional purpose… What do you feel when you look at this shoe? How happy does it make you?”

The store offers a bit for everyone, from crazy high heels to haute sneakers for clients who are part of the sneaker culture, including Givenchy, Isabel Marant, Gianvito Rossi, and Aquazzura. Edon Manor also carries sunglasses and designer bags.