This Luxury Italian Shoe Brand Has It All

Any shoe devotee knows that Italian leather is often synonymous with expense, but newly debuted luxury footwear brand M.Gemi intends to change that preconception. The Florence-based company offers its growing fan base the shoe styles they crave at reasonable prices. What more could a consumer ask for in a pair of heels?

Founded by former Rue La La CEO Ben Fischman, M.Gemi is a beautiful fusion of modern business strategy and classic design. Shoe connoisseurs must often make the choice between exorbitantly priced yet exquisitely rendered footwear and less expensive, inferior-quality shoes, a conundrum which Fischman seeks to resolve with M.Gemi's high quality yet modestly-priced wares.

After obtaining $14 million in funds to fuel the M.Gemi business venture, Fischman's brainchild seems to be off to an auspicious start. M.Gemi further differentiates itself from competitors by utilizing a scarcity business model for shoe design, a Lululemon-favored strategy in which the company creates a limited supply of products in each style for a short period of time before fashioning an entirely new collection of styles. Ideal for the budget fashionista, M.Gemi creates a blend of trendy and traditional styles utilizing high-quality Italian leather for prices ranging from $128 to $298.

Since the company's launch on Tuesday, M.Gemi has already taken the fashion industry by storm, equipping bloggers including Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam and Amber Fillerup Clark of Barefoot Blonde with winsome footwear at an affordable price. And considering the array of enticing shoe styles, it comes as no surprise the fashion community is already clamoring to snap up a pair.

Fans of the trendy heeled mule will adore M.Gemi's Capri Blue Cornetta while classicists will flock to the pointed toe Cameo, and adherents of the downtown-chic movement will undoubtably fall for the Brillare peep-toe bootie. Even those with an aversion to heels will find styles to love in M.Gemi's first collection, from the aptly-named metallic ballet slipper Piroetta and gilded pointy toe Mille flats to M.Gemi's textured Felize loafers.

And footwear fanatics with a taste for something less conventional may find the multicolored Fiero pump absolutely irresistible. With M.Gemi's direct-to-consumer sales format, limited supply of wares, and undeniably covetable wares it seems only prudent to take a browse of the website before the company's best styles sell out. After all, who wouldn't jump at the chance to purchase designer-quality heels for a price that won't wipe out their bank account?

The Cammeo

The Stella

The Farfalla

The Cornetto

The Poetica

The Viale

The Volta

Images: M.Gemi(10)