TikTok users have a knack for reviving art, brands, music, and fashion from decades past — and now, high heels from the Jessica Simpson Collection are the latest throwback trend to go viral on the platform.
Jessica Simpson during Jessica Simpson Footwear at the World Shoes and Accessories Convention at The Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2007.
WireImage
TikTok users attest that the brand’s high heels are comfortable and wearable for long periods, especially for nights out. There is a generational crossover that has helped set the trend, cementing the brand into one that older shoppers remain loyal to while introducing younger shoppers to the designs. Now, Gen Z content creators are proclaiming their love for the singer’s shoe line after trying them on for the first time.
The shoes are gaining popularity with that group as they build up their heel collections and set out to enjoy their prime nightlife years in flashy shoes. Since the brand launched in 2005, the shoes feel “vintage” to Gen Z while also matching the current Y2K, hyper-feminine, and hot girl recession-core style trends, making the shoes nostalgic but also of the times.
Jessica Simpson Collection Adonia High Heel in gold.
However, millennials offer a different perspective on the content they create surrounding the shoes. For longtime fans of the brand, many of them are around 20 years older than they were when the shoes first launched. They have cherished memories of wearing the heels to parties or nightclubs, making them that generation’s go-to “going-out heels.”
In 2005, the Jessica Simpson Collection quickly became one of the biggest celebrity fashion brands, especially with its shoes. The shoes were not considered luxury heels, but were also not in the ultra-fast-fashion category, and they were available at an affordable price range.
The shoes became widely accessible by being sold at mass-market stores like Macy’s, DSW, JCPenney, Dillard’s, and other department stores. Now the shoe collection is also available for purchase on the TikTok Shop, which helps further widen its reach with a new audience.
So far, the TikTok content has ranged from unboxing videos to product reviews to “Come Shopping With Me” style vlogs of people searching for the shoes in stores. Women are on a hunt for heels that give them a major height boost but can also be worn for hours on end without discomfort, which is a complaint younger shoe lovers have about big name designer heels.
Many of the videos focus on the brand’s Adonia sandals, the Jaycin high heel, the Dixia sandals, and the Immie platform sandal. The styles are being lauded for being pleasing to the eye while also being easy to walk in. TikTok user @addysdailylifee filmed an unboxing video of a new pair of Dixia asymmetrical strap high stiletto sandals, which she captioned, “If you don’t know already, the Jessica Simpson Collection heels are my fav comfy heels to wear.”
The Dixia shoes, which retail for $89, are made from bronze mirror metallic faux leather and feature a stiletto heel measuring 4.5 inches with a subtle .6-inch platform. “I saw many videos on my feed regarding these heels,” the content creator told FN via email. “I remembered my mom had a pair and was blown away by the comfort I felt when I tried them on. When I went to the mall, I was pleasantly surprised by their glamorous designs and immediately purchased the bronze heels in the video. They don’t compromise style for comfort, so I definitely think they are worth the hype.”
Content creator Bobbie Reyes told FN that Jessica Simpson shoes have been a “tried and true” choice for the “OG DSW girls.” Reyes shared a review of the Adonia style on her page. The Adonia has gone viral thanks to what fans describe as having a “sneaky” stiletto look from the side, while providing the stability of a wide, block heel, as well as having a slight platform and a wide toe box for added comfort.
Artist and influencer Zyah Belle also reviewed the “Adonia” shoes, giving her followers a play-by-play of her going out while wearing them. “Here’s my review on the comfortability of the Jessica Simpson Collection ‘Adonia’ heels after wearing them for one night out on the town,” she captioned the video, in which she said the shoes needed a bit more breaking in to make them fully comfortable.
Simpson launched her label under the guidance of Vince Camuto over 20 years ago. She released a shoe collaboration with the designer, who is also the co-founder of Nine West. She has been open about creating shoes based on what she personally liked, which are shoes with a toe box that rests on a several-inch platform to offset the towering high heels.
The footwear collaboration was a success, so she kept adding more offerings to the company, launching different licenses that now span apparel, denim, activewear, accessories, home goods, and more. Today, the Jessica Simpson collection features over 50 categories, according to the website.
Simpson successfully bought back 100 percent control of the Jessica Simpson Collection for $65 million in 2021 after the parent company, Sequential Brands Group, filed for bankruptcy. Simpson and her mother, Tina, who had retained a 37.5 percent minority stake, bid on the brand and became the sole owners.
While many celebrity products and companies fade away, the brand has continued to expand and grow thanks to Simpson and her mom ensuring that certain aspects of the designs remain consistent, while also paying attention to what Simpson and her consumers want.
“If I need it, I know they need it,” Simpson said to FN in an interview in 2021. “We know who we are. We are meticulous — at certain times, even painstaking — about details. My mom and I have our finger on every piece of merchandise that hits a shelf.”
Jessica Simpson hosts army wives and kids for a spring style event in Dillard’s at The Mall at Green Hills on April 7, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Getty Images for Jessica Simpso
Now, the shoe portion of the brand continues to be in a favorable position as women join forces to bring back the stiletto heel this year. Other heel trends are bubbling on social media and styles from the Jessica Simpson Collection remain at the top of the conversation.
Thanks to TikTok’s influencer-focused shopping approach, the brand is receiving massive levels of free marketing and advertising that would otherwise cost the company millions. After all, strong word of mouth recommendations directly from customers are still the highest form of praise a business can receive.
