After years of not being able to find tall boots that fit her calves, Anna Stickel decided to take matters into her own hands.
She ended up taking a weeklong boot-making class in New York, and came out with the first prototype for Mollet, her brand of wide-calf boots. The word “mollet” is French for calf.
“I really wanted to make a pair of boots that fit my calves because there’s this huge gap in the industry today,” Stickel said. “There’s really no quality leather boots that fit and flatter a wide calf. I’ve always had bigger calves, and I’ve always been aware of them and self-conscious of them. At the end of that week, I decided that I really wanted to create a brand for other women who felt like this.”
After designing 10 different prototypes, Stickel brought her brand to life. And this week, she launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund mass production of the boots. As of press time, the company raised nearly $2,300 of its $20,000 goal.
Mollet’s boots, made of a combination of natural leather and suede stretch leather, come in two styles—a taupe gray flat boot and a 3.5-inch heeled black boot. Both feature a memory foam insole, a full nylon zipper and gold hardware. The boots’ shaft is 15.5 inches and at its widest, has a 15-inch calf circumference that comfortably stretches to 17 inches, Stickel said.
Prices for Mollet's boots on its Kickstarter campaign start at $199 for the flat style and $209 for the heeled version. If the Kickstarter is successful and Mollet begins selling the boots on its website, Stickel said they would start at $249, a price she says is cheaper than what a comparable shoe would be sold for in a retailer. Stickel said if she went the traditional retail route, Mollet boots would cost upwards of $400.
“What I really wanted to do was offer the highest-quality boot but at the best price,” Stickel said.
Stickel says she is able to maintain high quality and lower prices by selling her boots directly to consumers rather than to department stores and other retailers. By a using a direct-to-consumer approach, Mollet cuts out the middle man and consequently also eliminates many licensing, distribution and storefront fees.
Mollet launches at a time when increased attention has been placed on body positivity and inclusivity among retailers. Several popular brands, ranging from Target to Anthropologie and Loft, have launched or expanded their plus-size lines. Additionally, several new retailers have launched in recent years that solely cater to a plus-size audience, such as Fashion to Figure and Eloquii.
In 2016, the estimated spending on women’s plus-sized clothing topped $21 billion, nearly 18 percent of the total women’s apparel market, with experts suggesting that this figure is actually less than half of the industry’s potential.
With Mollet, Stickel says she hopes to join the growing movement.
“I always felt like brands weren’t accommodating my body type,” she said. “But I’d like to empower women to feel like they can own the body that they’re in.”
