We’re Obsessed: Mason Dixon, Philly’s Brand-New Children’s Shoe Company

Attention, Philly moms: There’s a new, locally made line of children’s shoes coming out soon, and it’s adorable. The company is called Mason Dixon, and it turns out unisex shoes, all handmade by designer Heather Holiday in her Fishtown home studio. It’s a welcome addition to the made-in-Philly childrenswear scene, which includes Pretty Pretty Rebel (for the punk rock princess) and Sweet Luka Mo (for the hip urban tot).

The shoes skew classic; Holiday is focusing mainly on a scaled-down version of a Derby shoe, crafted from European suedes, vegetable-tanned leathers, and durable, plantation crepe rubber soles. But the homespun details set it apart from big-box shoes: hand-cut leather laces, gorgeous leather (as seen on this gold pair, which we wish they made in our size), cute color combos. 

With the help of an online sizing chart (super-helpful, as anyone who’s ever tried to fit tiny feet knows), you can navigate sizes from newborns through tot size 10. Even better: The booties are cut generously in width to allow young feet to grow. Prices range from $92 for the unisex leather derby shoe for toddlers (sizes 3-10) to $60 for soft-soled booties for newborns. The bad news? You’ll have to wait until August 1st to get your hands on the line. (But the good news: Holiday hopes to soon expand into nursery items like handmade baby quilts and hanging leather baskets).

We recommend buying pairs as gifts for expectant moms (the packaging is adorable; see it here);  To see them in person before the online launch, head to pucciManuli in Ardmore and Hatch in Ambler (which stocks custom pairs of tri-color Mason Dixon booties). We can’t think of a more stylish way to learn how to make bunny ears.