Fashion

SA-owned luxury footwear brand, Kennedy Parker, opens first brick-and-mortar store

The gorgeous, minimalistic studio boasts raised ceilings, Scandi furnishings, and a sage green statement wall with shoes floating on invisible shelves.

We all love quality footwear that makes you feel expensive without being expensive, so when a luxury, SA-owned shoe store opens in the CBD, we’re going to tell you about it.

Kennedy Parker soft launched its first brick-and-mortar store on Monday 14 November. The gorgeous, minimalistic studio boasts raised ceilings, Scandi furnishings, and a sage green statement wall with shoes floating on invisible shelves.

Each shoe is made with premium hide leather, selected for lustre and hand feel. Each Chelsea boot, loafer, and Bellamy has leather soles, promising to be “equal parts comfort, quality and style”.

Owner and Founder of Kennedy Parker, Jayne-Anne Power, used to work for SA-owned shoe company, Rossi Boots, for almost 7 years. Beginning in Marketing, Jayne-Anne’s role evolved into the Head of Design and Product Development, which exposed her to the ins-and-outs of a really great shoe.

“As part of that role, I visited tanneries and shoe plants all around the world. When I finished there, I has a lot of expertise and was so interested in men’s footwear and didn’t want to let it go,” says Jayne-Anne.

“I decided to do a range of casual and dressy men’s leather shoes and approached my favourite factory in India and here I am. Aussie guys would really like them – they’re made with European hides and tanned in India, so they’re really great quality. This factory has also been making men’s English-style dress shoes for almost 30 years, so they have a great track record.”

Kennedy Parker launched as an online site in 2021, but Jayne-Anne says the products didn’t get the love they deserved. She’s excited to showcase the products in person, so people can get a better “feel” of the brand.

“[Kennedy Parker] started online about a year ago. At the time, I was working in women’s fashion, and it was an all-consuming role. The online store wasn’t getting the love it deserved, so I went back to it and committed to making it great. In March/April, I said ‘this is the year I’m going to have a shop’,” she said.

“It’s early days – a genuinely feel like I’m at the bottom of a big mountain right now – but I just love it and believe in the products. I’d love to see every man with Kennedy Parkers on their feet.”

While the shoes are marketed as men’s footwear, Jayne-Anne did say “anything goes”.

“A few women do buy the loafers because they’re a classic shoe and some people love the masculine styles. Anything goes. A men’s size seven is the equivalent to a women’s size nine,” she said.

“They’re great for anyone who likes to buy something once and wear them all the time. They look amazing on and will last.”

To celebrate the opening of the store, Kennedy Parker will be hosting an inaugural ‘Shoes & Booze’ night tomorrow (Friday 18 November) at 5pm. Guests will be able to view the new space, try on some shoes, and sip some booze, provided by Prohibition Gin. To find out more, click here.

Overall, Jayne-Anne says any person from any age group who appreciates a well-constructed shoe is welcome to check out the new place.

“Get a feel for the space and pass it on! Any love and support is appreciated,” she said.

Follow Kennedy Parker online, or on Facebook and Instagram.

Find Kennedy Parker at 23 Twin Street, Adelaide SA 5000.

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