It was always the dream for Nanette Adair to join the family business of shoemaking. She grew up running around the Rex Shoes factory on Decatur Street in New Orleans and learning about the craft.

She could easily picture her future at the company — but her grandfather died at a young age and the brand, dating back to 1863, went out of business in 1985.

So Adair, a fifth generation descendant of founder Benjamin Rosenberg, made it her goal to revive the company, which she officially did in 2022. The relaunch came to fruition after a myriad of life experiences, including getting her degree in business from Babson College, meeting her husband and moving to Atlanta, raising their children and overcoming a cancer diagnosis at the age of 30. Once her kids left home, she was ready to continue the family legacy.

“I turned to my husband, and I said, ‘Honey, do you know what time it is?’” Adair recalled in an interview with FN. “And he goes, ‘Yes.’ And his only question was, ‘How much will it cost?’”

So Rex Shoes is now back with a selection of luxury women’s shoes, which are handcrafted in Spain.

Fern Mallis, the influential creator of New York Fashion Week, considers herself a fan. The industry icon was on hand to present Adair with the Accessories Award, which Rex Shoes won in a tie, at The Fashion Group International’s “Rising Star” awards in April.

With a focus on loafers, the current Rex Shoes assortment includes the mule “Alexa” style; the tie-up Oxford “Liz” look; the slip-on “Nan” silhouette; the “Carolyn” loafer; and the penny loafer “Lauren.” The shoes are made with exaggerated vamps, molded platform heels, wrapped midsoles and a playful use of color and material. The styles feature perforations (an old Carolina Herrera style influenced the Liz and the Lauren) and pinking (an homage to Adair’s grandmother), which contribute to their aesthetic intrigue. Retails prices range from $350-$410.

Speaking on the current selection and how they compare to previous Rex Shoes offerings, Adair explained that her own fashion sense veers masculine (she’s a fan of pantsuits) and she grew up with the family brand offering Oxfords, dress shoes for men, brogue boots and loafers.

“That’s what I knew I wanted to do, it suited me,” Adair said. “I feel like you have to love what you sell. And I also wanted to create a consistent line that was true to my roots. I wanted to wear them and they were going to be incredibly comfortable, but they had to be a little bit fun and giddy, and they had to be extremely well made.”

The city of New Orleans, where Benjamin Rosenberg set up shop with a cobbler’s cart after arriving from Europe via boat, is prominent in the Rex Shoes story. The brand derives its name from the famous Rex parade associated with Mardi Gras, so the story goes.

Adair explained how she finds inspiration in the city: “New Orleans is full of fun — so fun colors, but full of class and character in the overall designs. So I tried to stay thinking of all my New Orleans roots when putting this line together, which is going to stay the line.”

While she is planning to add a slide to her collection, she emphasized that she doesn’t subscribe to trends. “My shoes are meant to be year round. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel just because maybe a high heel is in play, or a square toe is in play,” she explained.

It can be difficult to navigate the complicated world of luxury fashion, but Adair has found her fellow footwear industry players to be helpful mentors to her along her journey. She recalled speaking with Kenneth Cole and his wife Maria at a recent gala — “We chatted most of the night, and he was just the most thoughtful person,” she said. “People who are shoe dogs are shoe dogs. They just love it, and they are so willing to share insights and information.”

Looking ahead, Adair envisions her shoes sold at major retailers like Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. She explained, “My goal is to start looking for very large retailers and then really focus on getting the direct to consumer market and getting that customer acquisition cost down a little bit.”

Despite the challenges facing the fashion industry right now, Adair is excited to work on growing her business — she’s living out a dream that’s decades in the making, and she hopes her own children might carry on the legacy in the future.

“It’s been an absolute joy and I literally am living my second best life. Not many people get to do that,” she said. “To get the chance and embrace it, and have the support of a lot of lovely people, but especially my family and my husband, is just truly remarkable.”

Rex Shoes is stocked online and at select stores like Novocento Boutique in Newport Coast, CA, Boutique by Glitz in Sarasota, FL and several Orleans Shoe Co. locations in Louisiana, to name a few options. The brand’s slogan? Long May You Wear Them.