BUILDING A LIFELONG BRAND

The trust and unconditional love of a footwear doesn’t always stem from the hard streets of New York City where love is lost easily. Shoe love also starts right at home, in a small town, or in the mid-west passed down through generations. In this final FSNYE Winter look by DPL, Minnetonka is a true legacy shoe brand since 1946 that brings absolute comfort to all.

What started out as a souvenir store named after Like Minnetonka, Minnetonka’s footwear roots began thanks to footwear made up of moccasins. From there, Minnetonka produced handcrafted footwear that celebrated traditional Native American moccasins that quickly became popular. Minnetonka famously introduced the Thunderbird Softsole with hand-beaded design revered by native tribes as a supernatural being. Minnetonka there on quickly played a role in the civil unrest of the late 1960’s, as well as pop culture in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”.

Today, Minnetonka, with very few CEO’s turnover, and based out of Minnesota, is widely known for being the best comfort shoe to roam around in. Outdoors. And mainly, indoors sitting around the house all day.

The legacy of the Thunderbird continues with its women’s “Animikki” hardsole. Beautifully and meaningfully redesigned by Minneapolis-based Native American designer, mentor and educator, Lucie Skjefte. As a citizen of the Red Lake Nation, her vibrant beading design for this shoe collection pays homage to her Anishinaabe heritage and her son, Animikii – whose name translates to “Thunderbird” in Ojibwemowin.

DANIEL QUINTANILLA