Silk, orange and purple polka dot pumps with purple bows.
Aly Dudek's senior seminar project was to create a pair of shoes from scratch. Using material typically used for a man's dressy necktie, she set her creativity in motion. Although the experience is what catapulted Dudek into a career in shoe design, she says of her creation, "My shoes were a little outrageous in color and design. Looking back, they were a little too gaudy for my liking."
Gaudy or not, those pumps were just the beginning for Aly Dudek '08, product developer and footwear designer for 3Dee International in Orange County, Calif. Dudek, who says she has a passion for buying shoes and herself owns more than 100 pairs, designs and does product development for a variety of women's footwear brands including Olsenboye, Steve Madden Retail and Steve Madden Wholesale. Olsenboye is a new line of junior shoes that premiered this spring at JCPenney, says Dudek.
Following graduation from Albright, the fashion design and merchandising major headed out west to attend the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, where she earned a degree in product development in 2009. A footwear design internship at BCBG Max Azria provided her the opportunity to create trend and collection boards for buyers, and an internship at her current employer 3Dee International taught her how to sketch, create line sheets for different brand divisions, conduct trend research and create theme boards for upcoming seasons.
Dudek was the first intern ever hired full-time at 3Dee International. "The importance of hands-on experience is hard to put into words," Dudek says. "I know my experience made an impact on my boss' decision to hire me."
Today, Dudek frequently travels to shoe shows in both New York and Las Vegas, and to China where she sends her sketches and spec sheets so that samples can be made. Where ever she travels, Dudek is in her creative element.
"Ornament and vamp treatments are really popular in shoe trends this season," says Dudek. "Bows, flowers, spiked studs and sequins are just some of the popular shoe treatments that are selling really well in stores today.
"Wooden platform bottoms and cut out wedges are also making big leaps and will continue to do so within the upcoming seasons," she adds. But Dudek favors designing platform shoes and boots over other styles.
"Platform shoes carry so much attitude," she says. "Boots are also really fun because there are endless possibilities between shaft heights, varying silhouettes, and the enormous amount of surface area to add ornamentation and other unique details."
Her biggest challenge, she says, is designing for the customer rather than for herself. "Everyone wants to design shoes that they would love to wear, but if it's not good for my customer and it won't sell well in their stores then I can't make the samples."
As for future plans, "I might want to dive into a brand that is more highend," she says. "I've also thought about doing freelance to give myself a more flexible schedule."
Whatever direction she takes, shoes will almost certainly be a part of it. Take note, Carrie Bradshaw!
–Jennifer Post Stoudt
Jaleesa Lewis '11 contributed to this story