2003.12.01: December 1, 2003: Headlines: COS - Namibia: Fashion: Shoes: University of Denver: If wild women are said to wear red, then Namibia RPCV Toddre Monier must have a closet full of the hue
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2003.12.01: December 1, 2003: Headlines: COS - Namibia: Fashion: Shoes: University of Denver: If wild women are said to wear red, then Namibia RPCV Toddre Monier must have a closet full of the hue
If wild women are said to wear red, then Namibia RPCV Toddre Monier must have a closet full of the hue
As a Peace Corps volunteer, Monier was on assignment in Namibia when she dreamt she owned a shoe store with a name that represented the fire, passion and wildness that exists in every woman. Upon returning to the United States in 2000, she and her husband opened the boutique, which owes its success to serving a specific niche market. The business was profiled in the Washington Post in May 2002. "Washington, D.C., is a walking city, and we carry what no one else in the area has," says Monier of her stylish, functional footwear and handmade crocheted bags. "Although our clientele comes from all walks of life, our main customers tend to be professional women and graduate students."
If wild women are said to wear red, then Namibia RPCV Toddre Monier must have a closet full of the hue
Shoes for all seasons
If wild women are said to wear red, then Toddre Monier, JD '98, must have a closet full of the hue. The 28-year-old owner of the Wild Women Wear Red shoe boutique knows a fashionable, comfortable pair of shoes when she sees them, and she knows how best to sell them.
Monier's Washington, D.C., boutique welcomes its visitors with bright red, peach and lavender walls bursting with images of revolutionary women including Indira Gandhi and Rosie the Riveter.
"I wanted to create a store that would not only be a sanctuary and communal space for women, but would also be a place of inspiration featuring shoes that comfort the soul," Monier says.
As a Peace Corps volunteer, Monier was on assignment in Namibia when she dreamt she owned a shoe store with a name that represented the fire, passion and wildness that exists in every woman. Upon returning to the United States in 2000, she and her husband opened the boutique, which owes its success to serving a specific niche market. The business was profiled in the Washington Post in May 2002.
"Washington, D.C., is a walking city, and we carry what no one else in the area has," says Monier of her stylish, functional footwear and handmade crocheted bags. "Although our clientele comes from all walks of life, our main customers tend to be professional women and graduate students."
Based on her shop's steady business, Monier hopes to open another shoe boutique in the area and someday buy a home overseas. Until then, she is content to empower women to be both fashionable and comfortable in their footwear.
— Jonna Jackson
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Headlines: December, 2003; Peace Corps Namibia; Directory of Namibia RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Namibia RPCVs; Fashion
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Story Source: University of Denver
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Namibia; Fashion; Shoes
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