Who Are We?

American Duchess Company is a small business based in Reno, Nevada, USA. Lauren started blogging about historical costuming in 2009, but it was not until late 2010 that she and Chris came up with the idea to create historically accurate shoes for frustrated costumers worldwide. With their powers of product design, photography, web design, social marketing, programming, graphic arts, and logistical management combined, Chris and Lauren embarked on their first manufacturing adventure, full of peril, miscommunication, and fire.

Surviving that (and we still don't know how), the American Duchess line has expanded to include several styles of Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and 1920s shoes, along with silk stockings and shoe buckles.

History

The American Duchess brand started as and continues to be a popular blog on historical costuming from the 16th to the 20th century. Our first style, the exclusive “Georgiana” 18th-century shoes, developed from frustration in not being able to find 18th-century footwear fit for an upper-class persona.

With the invaluable assistance of our blog readership, the Georgiana, followed by their leather sister, the Devonshire, were developed to fill the void, and present a ladies’ 18th-century shoe that could be worn by Colonial reenactors and French courtiers alike.

The success of the Georgiana and Devonshire shoes has lead us to develop an early Regency style, lattice-strap pumps of the Edwardian era, 1920s spectator t-straps, and early 18th century Louis heels, with many more on the drawing board. Each style is carefully researched and painstakingly designed to bring you historically accurate footwear that is also comfortable and durable.

If you would like to learn more about American Duchess and become involved in the development of future historical footwear styles, please visit these links:

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