American women invent Shoe Angels, expensive shoes sigh relief

By April MacIntyre Sep 13, 2010, 0:52 GMT

Debbie Klatt (R) grew up in the Bronx in tough cicumstance. Her dad passed away when she was nine, and her hardworking mom kept Debbie and her brother together. Gia Yee-Lozicki (L) grew up in Washington D.C. and then Michigan. Both women were raised with a strong work ethic and desire to make a mark on the world. Courtesy of Ms Klatt

Have some pricey pumps, sandals, slings or boots? Hate it when the driving foot heel gets scuffed, marked up and worn out on the back? Especially on the lighter colored leathers?

Fear not. Two American women in Florida devised a genius fix that keeps you from having to change into sneakers (or worse, bare feet) before you drive off.  Shoe Angels was created out of a woman's frustration for her ruined shoes, and lack of available existing products to address the issue.

Monsters and Critics loves hearing about American small businesses and especially smart, savvy women who invent clever solutions, and in turn help create jobs and manufacture products that are sold all over the world.

Shoe Angels founder Debbie Klatt had ruined dozens of pairs of stylish shoes driving around town when she was a realtor.

Every day wear and tear eats up shoes quickly.  Klatt envisioned a product that would easily safeguard them, and extend life expectancy.

American small business Shoe Angels was created by Debbie Klatt,  a real-estate agent whose gas and brake pedals left unsightly marks on her shoes, and the problem became a subject of discussion with her good friend, Gia Yee-Lozicki.

Together, the two women did some due diligence to see if there was anything out there on the market to prevent the shoe damage, and nothing was there.  Debbie and Gia partnered up and fleshed out their simple idea, and Shoe Angels was born.

Debbie Klatt grew up in the Bronx in tough cicumstance. Her dad passed away when she was nine, and her hardworking mom kept Debbie and her brother together.   Gia Yee-Lozicki grew up in Washington D.C. and then Michigan. Both women were raised with a strong work ethic and desire to make a mark on the world.

Debbie and Gia spent their first year researching, testing, developing, and inventing a product that would ultimately protect shoes throughout frequent travel.

Coming up with the shape of the protectors took some time.  Debbie and Gia experimented with a variety of materials and drafts before finalizing the perfect combination of the two, aiming for maximum durability. But also important was the visual appeal of the design – it had to be fun and elegant. And after all was said and done, the result was something Debbie and Gia are very proud to share with other busy women who are looking for a solution.

Shoe Angels are small, reusable pieces of transparent vinyl that protect pumps, sandals, wedges and even flip-flops without altering the appearance of the shoes.

They come in two shapes: a crescent shape that protects the back of shoes at the heel and an oval shape that adheres to the bottom of pointy high heels. You simply peel off the backing and stick them to your shoes. They work by providing a barrier between your shoe and the floor mat of the car.

Shoe Angels are sold online. The deluxe package – seven crescent- and seven oval-shaped protectors – comes with a stainless carrying case that doubles as a business card holder.

http://www.myshoeangels.com/