Like many of us, Caitlyn Hess knew she wanted to help people, but it took a few tries to find the right path for her. She was working toward a career as a nurse when she realized she could still be philanthropic if she pursued a creative career in fashion. (Fun fact: our founder, Allyn Lewis, started out as pre-med!) With that, her shoe company was born with a philanthropic philosophy in mind:
“SCHEÉ (pronounced ‘she-ay’) aspires to provide innovative and beautiful footwear that helps and is inspired by numerous charitable causes throughout the world. With her heels planted firmly at the intersection of philanthropy and fashion, founder Caitlyn Hess creates her one-of-a-kind designs to raise awareness and show support for those in need. As she encourages the soles of others to
‘Walk to Make a Difference,’ Caitlyn raises the bar within the fashion industry by transforming designs into life-changing statements.”
“Each season, SCHEÉ will derive inspiration from a new philanthropic outreach. By giving 5% of total sales to that season’s charity, SCHEÉ not only gives women the opportunity to raise awareness for a number of different causes, but also provides them with a product as unique as they are. Caitlyn intends for SCHEÉ to redefine the shoe industry by bringing together design, luxury and personal expression while changing people’s lives.”
Past causes have included breast cancer, cystic fibrosis, and most recently, Wish Upon a Wedding, a nonprofit wish-granting organization that provides weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness or other life-changing situations. Read more about SCHEÉ’s Bliss bridal collection benefiting the cause in their recent Pittsburgh Post-Gazette feature, and don’t forget to follow SCHEÉ on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Following your passion takes courage, but Caitlyn is living proof that it’s worth it! Do you know someone who’s doing the same? Or maybe you’re on that path yourself – tell us about it in a comment!
Here’s to doing what you love and making the world a better place,
Callie Rose