May 15, 2018.

A funny thing happened yesterday.

I was doing my daily browse of social media; Facebook was the medium of choice. It's Mid-May, peak graduation season, and people all over the globe are celebrating and sharing images of their academic accomplishments. I was sliding through image after image of cap and gown, proud smiles, throwing a like here and wishing for a double like there when I came across a picture from a former classmate at USC.

I was immediately struck by how uniform the photo was. The image was set on a bridge. Five female graduates beamed at the camera from their perch in the centre. Their navy blue gowns bounced off of the bright green spring foliage behind them and the red of the bridge provided an excellent pop of colour. What struck me, however, wasn't the much deserved joy in their faces, or the pristine setting, or the all-star staging,  it was, you guessed it, the SHOES! 

After scanning the image, my eyes couldn't help but to settle on the ladies' shoe choices. What met me were five pairs of heels: all "nude," all different styles and finishes and it really got me thinking about a few things:

1. They Look GOOD!

I can't deny it and you can't either now that you've seen it. :) No one can deny the beauty and power of a good nude shoe. The clean lines, the leg lengthening effect, even- I'll jus stay it, the homogeneity! Would they all have looked as good had they chose to all wear black shoes? Or any other colour? Perhaps, but there is just something about being able to match one's skin tone to shoes. 

2. Every shoe is DIFFERENT

The mandate was clearly "nude" shoes yet each woman was able to effortlessly communicate her personality and preference:

• Number 1 opted for a patent mid-heel
• Number 2 went with a suede, cut-out mid-heel 
• Number 3 chose a block heel sandal
• Number 4 also went with a cut-out mid-heel but in regular leather
• Number 5 chose a strappy high heel sandal

3. How easy it likely was for this to happen

I'm so curious how many of them went and bought the shoes specifically for this occasion vs.vhow many of them already had them in their closet because, as we know, a "nude" shoe should be a staple in every woman's closet. In any case, it's likely that they all may have multiple pairs, in multiple nuances of tan, heel heights, and shoe designs. If you run a quick google search for "Nude Shoes" and "Nude Heels" the following images come up. 

Nude Shoes- Google Shopping

Nude Heels- Google Images

Does anyone else see a pattern here?!

It really makes you think. For a certain demographic, getting a pair of "nude" shoes for a graduation outfit is a piece of cake! How convenient it must be to simply search "nude shoes," or "nude heels," and instantly be met with HUNDREDS of options to suit your preferences. Platform, pump, or block heel? You're covered. Don't feel like shopping online or want to try them on? Pop into most retail stores and let them know what you're after and you should be all set. 

For many of us, however, the pursuit of a good nude shoe is not so simple. Have you ever had to search anything other than "nude shoe" to find options? What term do you usually use to search when you're after skin tone accessories? How long did it take, and how did you come across Kahmune or other nude shoe brands? When groups of friends who have different skin tones all want a nude shoe, how many of them immediately realise they will have a hard time finding options?  Most importantly, when will we be able to search the term "nude" and be met with results that match all womens' skin tones?

Food. For. Thought.

It's funny how much one image can make you think isn't it? The journey to true nudes is far from over but I hope that I'm doing my part to make sure that it's easier for ALL of us! I'm working hard to give us all options, first online and one day IN STORE. If you're still after a good nude shoe, be sure to check out our ongoing crowdfunding campaign. I'm trying to raise $9000 to help with costs of the next round of production by June 4th. I want to introduce 3 new sandal options as well as reproduce the pumps in 3 heel heights. I'm still offering 3 flat styles: a work flat, summer slide sandal, and a mule. You can choose to support Kahmune whether you want shoes or not. Any amount counts and I have just shy of 3 weeks left to hit my goal! This is the perfect way to prove to the world how much our mission means to you.

Support the Campaign:

Thanks so much in advance for your support!

As always, here to help. As much as I'm building the brand I'm doing it for us all so I'm always open to suggestions and feedback. 

All my best,

Jamela A Acheampong

Founder and Brand Director