Jewel-like shoes from Tess Mode — dedicated to discerning women.
Tess Mode is a manufacturer whose strengths lie in high craft and sharp sensibility, and which specialises in elegant women's shoes that combine real comfort with looks. Years of OEM work stand behind both that comfort and that design. And now Tess Mode has launched a brand of its own — shoes for the genuine-quality-loving woman, with the kind of authenticity that catches her eye.
Last and pattern, together, lead to comfort of the highest order
Tess Mode's founder, President Toshiaki Takahashi, honed his skills in lasts and patterns at a relative's shoe factory and then went independent in shoe design — an unusual occupation at the time. He produced collection shoes for Japanese apparel brands, as well as stage footwear for artists and entertainers. In 1982 he founded Tess Mode, which has focused on elegant women's OEM shoes ever since. The line includes 9 cm high heels, and wearers report they can run in them and they never slip off. Takahashi's lasts feel easy to step into even with a tight throat, and they are shaped with a true understanding of the foot's bone structure. The intricate engineering behind them — work that demands real skill — is what delivers both real comfort and a beautiful finish.
Designs born of years at major makers — and a stint in Italy.
In 2020, Tess Mode launched its own brand ATESSA — a women's footwear label dedicated to the elegant designs the company is known for. The idea grew out of small projects in which off-cuts from sample-making were used to build shoes the team wanted to wear themselves, often as gifts for friends. ATESSA is led by a Tess Mode designer who began her career on the design team of a major Japanese shoe brand. After helping to create a string of best-sellers there, she spent close to three years studying shoe design in Italy — the spiritual home of the craft. Her sensibility has earned the deep trust of OEM clients too, and she is often called in for advice when other brands are setting out new lines.
Shoes of a quality that make even the most discerning eye stop and look.
ATESSA makes shoes for women who know quality. Those with a sharp eye choose more than just well-known names or low prices — they pick only what truly speaks to them, regardless of price, generation or taste. ATESSA was founded to make shoes for exactly such customers, shoes they would choose and treasure. "With great materials and the right balance of design and quality, when you're after a shoe in that bracket we want ATESSA to be the first place you look. That's the kind of shoemaking I want to pursue," the designer says. ATESSA spans pumps, boots and sneakers, offering a broad line-up to suit any situation. Even the casual styles never lapse into rough territory — that quiet refinement is unmistakably Tess Mode. Built on Tess Mode's craft as described above, comfort is a given, but ATESSA adds its own touches. The heel counter uses a leather that absorbs perspiration and softens as it is worn, moulding to the shape of the wearer's foot. Repeated fittings from the design stage onward, with fine adjustments at every turn, push that comfort further. Because every step is handled in-house, the finished shoe lives up exactly to what the team set out to make.
A brand stance that also speaks to what choosing the right shoes really means.
Asked what struck her while studying in Italy, the designer replies: "Japan is very sensitive to trends, but in Italy people don't seem to mind that as much — instead they hold to their own strong preferences. Even those who don't appear particularly fashion-conscious still wear things made from good materials, with real quality." The same sensibility runs through ATESSA. For anyone who wants to wear good things for a long time and enjoy dressing in their own way — anyone seeking a slightly more refined lifestyle — ATESSA's shoes are a natural fit.
