Have you spotted those chunky, eye-catching heels on fashion bloggers that look mysteriously chic yet comfortable enough for all-day wear? Chances are they‘re from Miista, the indie footwear brand taking over Instagram feeds worldwide.
As an avid shoe lover and comfort snob with over a decade of experience testing footwear, I was captivated by Miista‘s unique fusion of high concept style with practical wearability. I decided to take a closer look to see if these shoes live up to their social media hype.
An Insider Look at Miista Shoes
Founded in 2010 by Spanish designer Laura Villasenin, Miista aims to create experimental and affordable luxury shoes. Villasenin felt constrained working for major fashion houses and struck out on her own.
"I wanted the freedom to play with unconventional materials and silhouettes beyond seasons and runway constraints," she told Footwear News.
Today, Miista has become a fixture at fashion weeks as a celebrity and blogger favorite while maintaining that independent spirit.
Miista By the Numbers
425k Instagram followers
6 Brick-and-mortar stores
3 Countries delivered to
45+ New styles per season
Based in London, Miista shoes are designed in-house then artisanally manufactured in small batch runs in Spain using Italian and Portuguese materials. This allows quality control and ethical working standards.
While most brands focus solely on women‘s shoes, Miista also carries handbags and accessories to complete the head-to-toe look.
Spotlight: Miista‘s Most Popular Styles
As Miista‘s biggest fan, I own multiple pairs (8 and counting…) and tested everything from heeled booties to flatform sandals. Here‘s the inside scoop on some of their best selling and most wore-worthy styles.
Aster Cut-Out Court Heels
These croc-embossed kitten heels are a perfect intro to the Miista aesthetic with the signature chunky lug sole balanced by a pointed toe. The foam insole means I can make it through long events and walks around the city without agony.
I style them with cuffed jeans, slip dresses, and culottes. Equally fitting for date nights or gallery openings, they add flair to any outfit.
Heel height: 2.75 in (7cm)
Rating: 👠👠👠👠 4/5
Loir Mule Sandals
Effortlessly cool, the Loir mule‘s wide strap showcases artfully layered leathers ranging from patent shine to matte nubuck. The contoured cork footbed offers cloud-like cushioning and molds perfectly to your feet.
These are my everyday summer sandals paired with breezy sundresses or relaxed shorts. I always get asked about them! The neutral bone color works year-round.
Heel height: 1.75 in (4.5cm)
Rating: 👡👡👡👡👡 5/5
Nancy Western Booties
This fall, Western booties are back with a vengeance! Nancy‘s slick squared toe and heel stay true to Miista‘s signature blocky silhouette while the mid-calf height keeps you stable.
Accented by subtle stitched details, the black leather looks sleek yet the memory foam insole and inside zip mean they feel like slippers. Ideal for adding cowboy flair to dresses, skirts and jeans.
Heel height: 2.25 in (6cm)
Rating: 🥾👢👢👢👢 4.5/5
More Best Selling Styles
Other Miista styles that continually sell out include:
Bailey Loafers – Androgynous penny loafer style on a chunky lug sole. $370
Dina Kitten Heels – Two-tone slingbacks with a unique origami fold detail. $320
Eivissa Sandals – Nineties-inspired triple strapped flatforms in vibrant hues. $375
How Miista Shoes Fit, Size & Feel
Finding the perfect size is crucial when shoe shopping. Here‘s an inside look at how Miista shoes fit compared to other brands, along with reviews on comfort and quality.
Miista Shoes Size Conversion Chart
| Miista Size | US Size | UK Size | EU Size | Foot Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 7 | 5 | 38 | 9" |
| 6 | 8 | 6 | 39 | 9 1⁄4“ |
| 7 | 9 | 7 | 40 | 9 1⁄2“ |
| 8 | 10 | 8 | 41 | 9 3⁄4“ |
| 9 | 10.5 | 9 | 42 | 10" |
| 10 | 11 | 10 | 43 | 10 1⁄4" |
I find Miista shoes fit true to size as long as you reference their chart. They tend to run slightly smaller than Nike or Steve Madden, but larger than designer brands like Prada or Saint Laurent.
Miista also recently expanded size offerings and select styles go up to size 43 (US 11). Just note width options max out at regular/medium width.
A Review of Comfort & Quality
Without question, Miista shoes beat out other fashion brands in comfort thanks to:
- Padded foam insoles mold perfectly to your feet
- Rigid lug soles provide stability while still flexible
- Buttery soft leathers feel broken-in
- Back counters and linings prevent blisters
After years testing shoes across budgets, I can confirm Miista uses high quality leathers that wear beautifully over time with proper care. The craftsmanship stands out through reinforced seams and precision stitching.
While styles stay on-trend, the quality ensures most pairs withstand seasons of wear—an increasing rarity as fast fashion brands churn out disposable shoes.
Styling Miista Shoes for Work, Play & Everything In-Between!
Beyond luxe materials and standout silhouettes, Miista shoes shine through sheer versatility to work for all of life‘s occasions.
Dress them up, dress them down…these styles morph from desk to dinner to dance floor without missing a beat. Here are some of my favorite ways to wear Miista:
Workwear – Loafers and Oxford styles lend an offbeat touch to suiting and sheath dresses for creative corporate environments. Add a heel for more polish.
Jetsetter Style – Lug soles provide plenty of grounding for sightseeing while patterns and textures enrich vacation #OOTDs. Toss in your carry-on!
Night Out – Transition day looks for evenings out by swapping in two-tone mules or ankle strap sandals with a dressier heel height.
And the styling possibilities stretch on…simply add your own personal flair!
Behind Miista‘s Scene-Stealing Shoe Designs
Miista‘s shoes stand apart from trends by striking a skillful balance between high concept style and functionality. So how does the brand actually develop those coveted styles spotted on street style stars?
Get an exclusive peek behind-the-scenes with Miista‘s Head Designer Marta Sierra:
"We usually start designing about 10 months in advance of a collection drop. I brainstorm ideas from a mix of places – trade shows, vintage shops, even people watching! Then we analyze runway trends and past best-sellers to create a vision for the season.
From there, we hand sketch about 50-100 designs to pitch to our founder Laura. She helps narrow down the selection to 30-40 prototypes built by our workshops in Spain.
We continually tweak and refine the shoes over 3-4 rounds, tweaking proportions or testing different fabrics. Out of those, 15-20 styles finally make the cut to go into production!"
While risky styles will come and go, Sierra says Miista‘s core silhouettes remain at the foundation.
"We innovate on our core styles each season – a new heel shape, adding hardware touches or playing with metallics. This keeps our classics like Aster and Allegra feeling fresh."
The result? Shoes offering the perfect marriage of creativity and wearability customers love to show off for seasons on end.
Inside Miista’s Ethical and Sustainable Practices
Mass produced fast fashion trains us to view shoes as disposable. Toss them out after a few wears and onto the next cheap trend!
Miista wholly rejects this cycle by producing quality shoes designed to last while caring for people and planet across the supply chain.
People-Focused Manufacturing
Based in Spain‘s footwear capital of Elche, Miista artisans possess generations of specialized knowledge. By fostering long-term partnerships instead of exploiting cheap labor, they ensure fair wages and safe conditions.
The brand stays committed to local factories, even as production costs continue rising. Founder Laura Villasenin recognizes value over volumes:
"I care deeply about sustaining the shoemaking craft. Each pair takes skill making them by hand. While I could produce more shoes faster and cheaper overseas, I don‘t want to compromise our relationships or quality."
Conscious Materials Sourcing
From metal hardware to memory foam insoles, Miista tracks all materials to suppliers with ethical and ecological practices.
Their leathers come from tanneries rated Gold or Silver by the Leather Working Group for meeting standards on traceability, energy usage, health & safety and more. Vegetables tanning processes utilize bark extracts over harsh chemicals.
By carefully choosing materials and factories aligned with their values, Miista minimizes environmental impact as much as possible.
Miista Shoes Review Conclusion: Worth Splurging On?
In today‘s market flooded with cheap shoes cranked out quickly at huge human and environmental costs, Miista stands as a rarity.
They painstakingly design quality shoes meant to last while caring for artisans and materials at every production step.
The proof remains in the pudding through countless unsolicited rave reviews:
"Absolutely worth the money – already my most worn shoes after 1 month!"
"Literally never taking off these sandals until it‘s under 50 degrees!"
"Chicest AND comfiest heels ever. Beyond obsessed! 😍"
Granted, the $300 to $500 price tags give pause. Yet devoted fans (myself included) contend Miista shoes deliver more cost per actually wear compared to fast fashion shoes you quickly toss. Plus they bring joy every single time you slip them on.
For shoppers wanting truly one-of-a-kind shoes merging cutting edge design with real-world functionality, Miista won‘t disappointment. Consider it an investment towards years of versatile style—and serious shoe envy every time you step out!
