Cocktail Sneakers Celebrates Second Business Anniversary

This past week, Cocktail Sneakers celebrated its second year in business. The Marblehead-based footwear brand, founded in 2018 by local resident Susan Hassett, is redefining sneaker culture for women. With a collection of impeccably-crafted designs created using refined hardware, fine stitching and high quality materials, Cocktail Sneakers transport wearers from simple daily errands to nights on the town with effortless elegance and comfort.

Officially launched during the summer solstice on June 21, 2018, Cocktail Sneakers' was founded to fill a vacant niche in the footwear industry as the term "sneaker" cultivates images of performance and track sneakers worn at the gym and for fitness. Hassett set out to shift that mindset by designing sophisticated footwear that can be worn morning or night, yet delivers the elegance associated with upscale silhouettes.

"When I needed a pair of comfortable shoes to wear out to dinner after getting off the boat one day, I realized that women just didn't have the same options as men," she recalled. "I needed a stylish shoe to dress up my outfit that would allow me to feel feminine and comfortable at the same time. That's when the idea for Cocktail Sneakers was born."

The Cocktail Sneakers collection includes the Occasion, Outsider, Professional and newly launched this spring, the Traveler, all of which feature the brand's signature almond-toe shape, slender sole and sunset orange-colored insole. Each design is available in multiple color ways, in sizes 6-11, and retails for $195-$225/pair. Additionally, Cocktail Sneakers were designed with an included eco-friendly cork insert that ensures each shoe fits the wearer perfectly and adds an extra layer of comfort as no two feet are the same. Currently available in high end boutiques including Canyon Ranch, Miraval, Mirbeau Inn & Salon, Mohonk Mountain House and the Phoenician, Cocktail Sneakers can also be purchased online at www.cocktailsneakers.com.

Hassett continued, "This year brings Cocktail Sneakers to its two-year mark, and I have to say it’s been an incredible adventure. In that time, our team has grown, we expanded our office space, launched a new style and expanded color ways across our sneaker collection, and we are now carried in boutiques at some of the finest hotels and clubs across the country. As I started Cocktail Sneakers later in life, it is fulfilling to see the business thrive. My hope is that our positive trajectory will continue and that along with my all-female team, we will inspire other women entrepreneurs to take a risk with ideas they wish to see reach fruition, regardless of age or life stage."

To celebrate amid the coronavirus pandemic, Hassett and her family gathered at home to celebrate both the second birthday of Cocktail Sneakers as well as the gift of a seaside summer in Marblehead with Hassett's two sons, Lucas and Christopher, husband John, champagne, and of course, ice cream takeout from Terry's Old Fashion Ice Cream.