When you have toes like these... "I was wondering if you could make any model recommendations for me. I wear an 8.5/9 and have narrow feet and long toes. I really struggle with finding brands with a long enough box." Kate If your toes are this long, I think you suffer even when you are trying to buy regular shoes. This is because regular shoes are designed and manufactured for the average toe length. In the picture, both feet are the same length, but the ball of the foot hits a very different place in a shoe. With pointe shoes, it is even more important to find a place to fit these toes in the box (so they won't be in pain) and to place the shank in the right place so it supports your arch sufficiently.

 

The solution

In Grishkos, the model you are looking for, is Vaganova ...oh no ...stop! From now on, the only model suggested for long toes is Maya II. Actually, these are two substitutable models, with one difference- the way of attaching the sole: in the case of Vaganova, it's glued, while in the Maya II, it's machine-stitched. A couple of weeks ago, the manufacturer announced the discontinuation of Vaganovas. Don't know why - maybe the glued sole cannot be attached as well as the machine-stitched one.

I don't think most of the Vaganova users will find it hard to switch to the Maya II, but it's still emotional. One of the oldest Grishko models is about to become a collectible, quite sad, eh?

What's next?

We won't accept any more orders for Vaganova. We still have some pairs in stock, however. If your size is listed here and you think you could use a new pair, hurry up to purchase it. We will update this list here until we are out of stock.

Welcome pretty Maya II!

The only trouble with this model is that there are two Mayas and a customer (especially if it's a 13 year-old ballerina) never remembers if she uses the Maya I or the Maya II, despite the fact that there is a huge difference: the Maya I is a substitute for the Fouette model while the Maya II - for Vaganova. Other than that, the model is very pretty, durable and also comes in its PRO ("quiet") modification. Its suede upper sole is less slippery than the glued lather one of the Vaganova's.