When we began working on a concept for stylish, expandable shoes in 2016, we knew we needed the perfect name – one that would capture both the unique qualities of our product and our mission to give people their mobility and dignity back.
Over the next two years, as we worked on our first prototype, we talked with hundreds of women across the country who were fed up with being forgotten by the shoe industry. Our co-founder Laura Oden understood the frustration. Laura has had lymphedema for 40 years and had always struggled to find shoes that fit.
Until Pandere was born, women like Laura only had two options when it came to footwear. They could wear a traditional orthopedic shoe sold in medical supply stores that was clunky and unattractive, or an off-the-rack shoe that fit poorly and exacerbated swelling, blisters and pain.
We channeled that passion and frustration into a placeholder name - Mad Woman Shoes.
As word spread about our novel approach to solving a world-wide problem – designing one pair of shoes to accommodate a variety of foot shapes and conditions – we realized it wasn’t just women who repeatedly left the shoe store empty handed. Millions of men were also struggling to find shoes that fit properly. We believed that everyone, not just women, deserved dignity, style and all-day comfort for their feet.
We didn’t want our name to leave anyone out.
And then we stumbled upon the word “Pandere.” In Latin, pandere means to stretch, expand or unfold. We knew no other name could fit our brand more perfectly.
Each one of our five styles - the Barista, Saturday, Bolero, Neo, and Rodeo - expand up to three width sizes with adjustability at the toe box, midfoot and ankle. The nubuck leather and neoprene upper provides stretch and breathability. Our contoured footbed was created for comfort, arch support and heel cushion. It is removable and can be easily replaced with a custom orthotic when needed.
Our customers are our greatest resource and we are always listening to their feedback. We continue to develop more designs and styles that will accommodate their many needs as we work toward achieving our goal of dignity, mobility and comfort for all feet. Please reach out to us at hello@pandereshoes.com.
We love watching our community grow and we love watching our brand expand, reaching more and more people with hard-to-fit feet. Pandere - it’s all in our name!