Kuuru: High style for early walkers

When I saw this recent photo of Valentina Paloma Pinault, 9-months, hitting up Melrose with mom Salma Hayek my first thought was "love those chubby baby legs" … followed immediately by "love those shoes!"  Intrigued, I soon learned that those fabulous chubby baby legs were being capped off by shoes from none other than Kuuru.  Owner and designer Helen Cheng created Kuuru — which means ‘cool’ in Japanese — after striking out in her search for stylish baby shoes that didn’t sacrifice comfort. Thank goodness she did!  We recently tested three pairs of Kuuru shoes and I’m in love with their timeless appeal, ease of use and sturdy support for new walkers. 

When I first pulled Kuuru’s Adam shoes ($37; shown at intro of review) out of their box, I must confess, my instincts told me that they would never fit on my 19-month-old’s thick feet.  We’ve had to return many, many shoes that were the correct width and length, but didn’t feature an opening big enough to accommodate Sam whose feet are yet to flatten out.  Looks can be deceiving, however, because getting him in his Adam shoes is incredibly easy.  A single velcro strap comes undone through a metal ring, and his foot slides right in — there is ample height between the top of the upper and the sole of the shoe, so there is absolutely no battle to make them fit.  We tested Adam in olive green with white contrast stitching, and it is quite simply a classic leather upper sandal that never goes out of style. 

Peyton ($39; shown at right), in its bold combination of brown and olive green, is a little more rebellious.  A leather upper sport shoe, Peyton is expertly constructed with a thermo-plastic rubber sole for flexibility, a triple-padded insole, a thick, cushioned collar and a reinforced toe box for added protection.  In addition, a breathable leather lining makes Peyton comfortable for Sam even in the summer; He’s worn them with and without socks in some pretty warm weather already, and his feet are never sweaty or stinky afterward like they are with other shoes. And, as with Adam, cramming Sam’s feet in his Peyton shoes is a breeze.

Kuuru offers a slightly better selection of shoes for girls (5 styles) than for boys (3 styles), so if you’ve got a little Valentina Paloma on your hands never fear — Kuuru has you covered.  I especially love the Elena ($39; shown at left) — it’s almost enough to make me try for a baby girl.  Almost!  Each of Kuuru’s styles comes available in sizes 3-9. 

To purchase, click here.

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