Do you belong to the church of Chie Mihara? Because for anyone who has suffered through long hours in high heels, discovering Chie Mihara is like finding religion! This Spanish designer preaches (and practices) the gospel that beautiful and feminine shoes can also be comfortable!

Born in Brazil to Japanese parents, Chie Mihara studied fashion design in Japan and New York City before establishing her company in Spain. Her multicultural background comes into play whenever she designs a shoe: Brazil’s celebration of the feminine, Japan’s penchant for innovative design, the get-it-done practicality of NYC, and Spain’s appreciation of craftsmanship. Her vintage-inspired styles, embellished with playful details, all feature a footbed Chie designed specifically to accommodate a woman’s foot. And once you’ve walked a mile in her heels, you’ll never again be satisfied with anything less.

Our first shipment of Chie Mihara’s fall styles just arrived, and in a word: WOW! Witness for yourself:

Oxfords are all the rage right now, and Chie gives hers a feminine twist:

A blue leather lace-up with three rows of ruffles? Be still our shoe-loving hearts! The Chie Mihara Loti has us under its spell!

But maybe you’re a member of Team Mary Jane rather than Team Oxford (not that you have to choose):

Fact of life: You can never have too many red shoes! And when you find one as pretty as Chie’s red suede Nilon, why resist temptation? We guarantee you”ll have no regrets—only shoe-wearing joy!

You say what you really want is a gorgeous ankle boot? Chie, again, answers your prayers:

It’s as if Ms. Mihara has magically melded a Victorian lace-up with a riding boot and thrown in a little extra ‘zazz to create the Narista!

For those who like to amp up the volume both in terms of height and unabashed femininity, prepare to say oo-la-la:

Altogether now, “OOH-LA-LA!” The Vasca is the height of old-school Hollywood glamour!

We love that ocean blue leather, but some days we want to step into the world with bang-pow-razzle-dazzle-wow:

Hello, Veranito! This fringy, ruffled, fuchsia peep-toe is Chie’s gift to femme fetales everywhere! Go forth and be fabulous!

And there are five more equally amazing, new Chie styles at the main Ped site. So cast those misery-making, ankle-aching stilettos into the back of the closet, and shout, “Hallelujah!” because Chie Mihara’s heels are nothing short of heaven!

(And, just fyi, this week’s “Sweet Treat” is Trippen’s über edgy Stream sandal boot. Simply click “be sweet to your feet” in the upper right corner of this page or any Ped page, and you’ll land at the Stream with the magic code to give you 20% off at checkout.)

At Ped, we love a long, luxurious summer as much as anyone, but we get pretty excited when fall starts to feel just around the corner. One of our first indications is when the upcoming season’s shoes start arriving at the warehouse—it’s so much fun to open the boxes and feel the “wow”!

Our current queen of “wow”? Chie Mihara! Based in Spain, Chie knows how to take vintage romance, spice it with old-school sex appeal, and turn it all into a wearable shoe that will have every eye in the room admiring your lovely feet. Chie Mihara heels charm with the most beautiful leathers and interesting details but never at the expense of comfort.

And this season, Ms. Mihara has outdone herself. We just got in our fall styles, and each and every one made us swoon. See for yourself! Here are just a few of Ped’s latest from our lady of Spain:

Drink in the loveliness of Chie’s Nerine! We took a poll at Ped HQ, and the vote was unanimous: none of us has ever seen a go-with-everything shoe that’s quite so pretty and flirty and unusual! The elephant grey suede is easy to wear, but the sweet floral detail makes this heel a head-turner. Never a more gorgeous Mary Jane than Nerine!

When Ped’s Laura saw Chie’s new Saura, she said, “It must be mine! After all, it rhymes with my name—it’s meant to be!” And we have to admit, the design is everything she likes: feminine without being fussy, striking in its color combination, and drop-dead sexy. The subtle leather embossing and the mix of the deep purple toe with the tan body and brown heel make the Saura a knockout. Lace it up with the grosgrain ribbon tie, and, well, “sexy secretary” has never looked sexier!

Get ready, this fall black is back and better than ever. Witness Chie’s sweet and girly Piet ankle boot! Although we love Chie’s way with color (nobody better), the woman also knows exactly what to do to make a black heel stand out from the crowd. The gently pleated leather on the toe and ribbon tie at the ankle send this boot into the stratosphere of style! So saucy!

Those are just three of the sweethearts in Ped’s fall Chie Mihara lineup, and we honestly can’t pick a favorite among them. They’re all stellar! Ms. Mihara’s shoes usually fly out Ped’s door, and we never know whether or not she’ll be able to fulfill a reorder (given the time and craftsmanship that go into each shoe, it’s often not an option). So word to the wise: snag your size while you can.

It’s that time of year again—for the next few weeks yours truly will be heading to Las Vegas for the World Shoe Association trade show and then jetting to France and Italy for more Ped shopping. I love hunting for new lines to bring to Ped, but ferreting out those hard-to-come-by items that combine ethical production, superior quality, and unusual style can be exhausting! People who know me can attest to my stamina (just call me “Sporty Spice”!), but I would be lost without comfortable shoes and boots capable of going round-the-clock, carrying me from one trip to the next.

So, meet two of my all-time favorite traveling companions:

There’s a lot of love out there for Fiorentini + Baker’s Eternity Boot (hello, celebrities). And with good reason! Not only is this boot fantastic looking (a little bit of badass in a stylish package), but it also is the pinnacle of comfort. Its construction is hardy enough to withstand hours of walking anywhere you care to take it—convention halls, Manhattan streets, or Parisian boulevards. I particularly love this boot in brown because the color is so versatile. When I don’t have time to think about what to wear, I always buckle up the Eternity boot, knowing I’ll look—and feel—great!

Another excellent style capable of going the distance is Cydwoq’s Seat Bootie:

My favorite thing about this cutie is how light it is! I don’t know about you, but at the end of a long day my feet often feel like they’ve been dipped in lead. But not in the Seat! These boots keep a spring in my step even after hours of traipsing from Point A to Point Z. Because they lace up, they easily adjust if, heaven forbid, your ankles start to swell. And let’s not forget the style factor—these ankle boots look edgy and chic with almost any on-the-road outfit. If you like to show off your tights, you’ll love the tongue-less construction that lets you flash your favorite hosiery for the world to enjoy. (And it doesn’t hurt that the Seat is currently on sale!)

So, I’m off, Ped fans. I’ll continue to blog a bit from the road. And before you know it, I’ll be back with the promise of good things to make you Ped heads smile!