Let's Talk About Gaynor Minden (old vs. new)

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Have you noticed a difference in your Gaynor Minden pointe shoes?

Here's the story! While Gaynor Minden used to be one of the few pointe shoe companies still producing their shoes in the United States, due to the pandemic, the factory they contracted out to had to shut down. Luckily, they did already have a factory working in Europe! 

The biggest difference is in the satin. The satin on the new, European made shoe is much stiffer, making it feel tighter to your foot. Here are a few tips to transition from the U.S. made Gaynor Minder, to the European made Gaynor Minden:

- try one shank strength down

- go up 1/2 size

- if you are currently in the sleek or sculpted model, try the classic model

Although these are our recommendations right now, Gaynor Minden is constantly making improvements to their shoes, so even though we won't be seeing the U.S. made shoe again, we will definitely be seeing a new and improved version coming from the European factory in the future!

If you would like to get fitted for Gaynor Minden pointe shoes, you can book a virtual appointment with Josephine below!

https://calendly.com/thepointeshop/virtualjosephine?month=2021-08


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  • Rachael Ellis on

    I have been fitting my students in Gaynor Minden pointe shoes for the past 12 years. I despise the European Gaynors and so do my company dancers. I am having a harder time finding sellers who are getting rid of their USA Gaynors as more time passes. I am currently trying to find more information about the FR Duval shoes and a comparison sizing guide for switching from Gaynors to FR Duval so I can have a few students try them out. Any advice for me?


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