A love affair with the iconic Marilyn Monroe is not difficult to begin, even decades after her tragic passing. Mine really started as I learned about her difficult upbringing in the foster care system. I began to study her life and gaze at endless pictures of her unmatchable radiance. I found one common thread through many of her photos... Crystal Clear "Cinderella" Shoes! Sadly, the originals are lost and are the "holy grail" of Marilyn's personal items.
About this time, my skills with epoxy resin were beginning to flourish. Certain someone by now must have recreated them, I spent hours digging around the internet and asking Marilyn experts where one could acquire a similar pair. My feet were still empty. While watching "The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe," I caught a glimpse of my dream shoes on the feet of award winning actress Kellie Garner. With very little hope of getting an answer, I reached out to Kellie on social media explaining I am an epoxy artist and would like to know if the shoes she wore were the originals. Kellie graciously explained they were not, and I should contact the costume designer, Gersha Phillips.
Once again, I let my fingers to the walking on my tiny phone screen into the huge world of social media and to my great joy, Gersha quickly answered! Another award winning Hollywood starlet and creator of the Star Wars costumes, Ms. Phillips said she'd hired someone to make them. My heart raced as I realized, if someone else could make them... so can I!
Step one, find a pair of shoes most similar to Marilyn's shape but still walkable, (I'm fluffy, fifty, and prone to falling on high heels!) Once the shoe was found, I removed all the straps and filled in the holes. Doing no research at all, as is my way, the first attempt at a silicone mold was a hilarious failure. I decided to hire a professional whose mold still had issues. The seal between top and bottom would never hold, yet I was able to produce 8 pairs which are walking on dazzling feet all over the country. The first pair are still on my tootsies and the second went to Marilyn impersonator/Actress/and 2 time Survivor Contestant, Jessica Kiper aka Sugar! Wow did she rock a photo session by the pool for us!
Immediately, requests for more sizes started pouring in and I knew this had incredible potential... Voila, "Dazzling Tootsies" was born! In about four weeks we will launch with our new design, sizes 6-9, and already have over 50 ladies patiently waiting. Unsure exactly where all of this is going, I can say I am thrilled to be the one to bring these amazing shoes to market. But wait there's more. It turns out, Dazzling Tootsies will be the very first walkable shoes made from epoxy resin anywhere in the world!
Just like Marilyn, I m carving my own way and am preparing to dazzle the world. As an aris my little contribution toward keeping Marilyn’s legacy alive. Hold a happy thought for me and stay tuned. There is so much more to this story and dazzling developments to come!
Wishing you all the best in getting this unique dream of yours off the ground. Looking forward to following your journey