Doesn’t every girl want to own a pair of shoes that are different, beautiful, and perfectly constructed? The joy of finding a perfect pair of shoes is second to none, and the ability to buy a pair that hardly anyone else will own makes for the perfect shopping trip.
Ruia is a new shoe boutique in the heart of Soho, that offers a selection of eight different European shoe labels stocked exclusively (with the exception of Missoni) in their Soho boutique. Featuring exquisite handmade shoes from Italian labels Baldan, Loriblu, Twice, and Luis Onofre, the store celebrates the handcrafted, detail-oriented elegance that each shoe represents – and they’re excellently priced!
Shoes are displayed on pieces of hand-sourced antique furniture in classic white, which evokes a relaxed, indulgent atmosphere that owner Kajal Ruia says “is designed to make a customer feel super relaxed and at home.” The store is like an idyllic getaway, where the only goal is to try on beautiful shoes.
Luxury is taken a step further with a mezzanine level specifically designed to house weary feet, tired boyfriends and husbands, and where you can schedule your own personal styling session. Those not interested in shoe shopping can watch the television, enjoy a glass of champagne, or chase off winter chill with a cup of hot tea.
With a background in finance, Kajal focused on the necessities behind the glamour of fashion, and graduated from business school with the dream of opening a shoe boutique in New York, targeting that specific market of speciality shoes in a relaxed, beautiful environment. “It really is a dream come true,” she says. “I wanted to create a space where customers felt at home, where they were able to personalize themselves with the shoes, and receive the kind of service and attention to detail that each craftsman puts into making a shoe.”
