Anyone who’s spent a full day on their feet in heels — commuting, working, walking between meetings, then somehow expected to make it through dinner — knows the familiar calculation that happens around 4 p.m. Do you push through the discomfort, or do you dig through your bag for the backup flats you’ve been hauling around all day? For a lot of women, the answer has long been: carry both.
VICE VERSA, a New York-based footwear brand, was built around the idea that carrying two pairs of shoes shouldn’t be a requirement for a normal day out. The company makes luxury heels with a built-in folding mechanism that converts a 3.5-inch pump to a flat in a matter of seconds — no swapping shoes, no bag search, no sitting down for a prolonged wardrobe change on the sidewalk.
The concept sounds simple enough, but getting there took considerably more work than the final product suggests.
Where the idea came from
VICE VERSA was founded in 2021 by Alanna Fusaro, a Carnegie Mellon University industrial design graduate (BFA ’14) who had been working in fashion in New York. In her own words, the frustration was straightforward: “I was working in fashion in New York, running around in heels all day. My feet were killing me, but I refused to give up style for comfort.” The idea of a folding heel had been on her mind for years, but the challenge was always the same — she couldn’t work out how to make it fold safely and still look like a proper shoe.
What eventually pushed her to act was the cobblestones of New York’s Meatpacking District. After that, it became a design project. Fusaro spent about six months studying traditional shoemaking with a master Italian artisan before beginning the technical development process.
Three-plus years and 500+ prototypes
The development of VICE VERSA’s folding mechanism involved over three years of engineering work and more than 500 prototypes. The team included Boeing engineers alongside luxury shoe specialists and fashion industry professionals — an unusual mix, but one that reflects how much precision the mechanism required. As Fusaro put it during the development process: “It took us many, many iterations to make a heel that is compact, safe, and without wiggle!”
A working prototype was eventually accepted into Carnegie Mellon University’s Venture Bridge program, which helped move the project forward. After continued refinement of the product, supply chain, tooling, and patents, VICE VERSA launched its first convertible heel pre-order. The folding technology is now patented.
The shoes are manufactured by a family-owned factory in Alicante, Spain — one that Fusaro found after touring multiple factories there. The factory specializes in women’s evening shoes, primarily bridal and special occasion footwear, and the attention to detail it brings carries over to VICE VERSA’s production.
How the folding mechanism actually works
The conversion process has four steps. First, you pull down a rubber cover near the heel area to reveal the mechanism underneath. Then you push a button on the inside of the shoe. The heel folds inward and is guided into the sole. Finally, you close the rubber cover back over it — and you’re standing in a flat.
Going the other direction is faster: open the sole cover, pull the heel back out, and attach the cover piece up along the heel. According to the brand, unfolding is quicker than folding, and can be done while standing. The brand recommends sitting or leaning against something when folding, for balance.
The mechanisms are made from high-strength steel and are bolted directly into the shoe rather than glued or attached with weaker fasteners. The brand states they’re designed to withstand well above a typical wearer’s body weight, and the locking system is firm enough that the heel stays put during normal walking — it won’t fold unexpectedly mid-stride. Replacement rubber sole pieces are available for purchase separately if the sole shows significant wear over time.
One of the more interesting engineering details is the patented midsole, which actually changes its physical properties between modes. In heel mode, it stiffens and provides arch support. In flat mode, it becomes flexible — so the shoe doesn’t feel rigid underfoot when worn flat. The interior is also reinforced so that the stored heel isn’t noticeable when the shoe is being worn as a flat.
The current collection
VICE VERSA currently offers 33 styles across several categories: sandals, pumps, boots, crystal-embellished styles, event shoes, and wedding heels. Sizes run from 5 to 12, and colors available include black, beige, white, gold, silver, rose gold, red, brown, and clear. Toe shapes split between pointed (14 styles) and square (17 styles).
Some of the current styles include the Everyday Heel — described as a minimal front-strap design made to work from desk to dinner — available in crystal, crystal mesh, and black. The Strappy Sandals come in black and gold. The Brooklyn Sandals are available in beige leather and rose gold crystal. For something more casual, there’s the clear PVC mule and a beige mesh version of the Everyday Heel. On the more structured side, the Everyday Pump in black suede is the closest to a classic office pump in the lineup. There’s also a Knit Boot in black with a pointed toe and folding stiletto, for colder months.
Pricing and availability
VICE VERSA ships internationally. Free shipping is included on orders over $250, and taxes and duties are included in listed prices. The brand offers a 14-day return window for unworn items (refund to original payment method) and a 30-day window for exchanges. Sale items at 15% off or more are eligible for store credit or exchange only. All new heel purchases include a 6-month limited warranty covering defects and mechanism failures.
Prices currently range from around $238 (on sale) to $500, with most regular-priced styles landing between $328 and $405. The Everyday Heel in Crystal and Black are both priced at $378, the Strappy Sandals in Black and Gold at $375, the Brooklyn Sandals in Beige at $385, the Marina Sandals in Beige at $405, and the Everyday Pump in Black at $398. Sale pricing is available on select styles at time of writing, including the Editor Sandals in Black at $248 (down from $398) and the Margo Sandals in Black Crystal Mesh at $238 (down from $328).
Source: VICE VERSA
