As soon as summer hits, we're all about walking around in the nude. No, not that way (although give us a few more weeks of working from home and that could very well change) — we’re talking about flesh-toned shoes. Neutral footwear has long been a popular styling choice because of its versatility, but the category hasn't always been done well. Because despite what countless product descriptions have been selling us for years, there simply is no single shade of skin so finding nude heels can prove to be a challenge.

The naked truth here is not pretty: fashion has a diversity problem, and the use of the word "nude" as it pertains to color palettes is just one example. For far too long, the footwear market has offered a restrictive interpretation of the shade as being very light, and very beige — excluding a tremendous number of female shoppers while simultaneously favoring one skin tone over all others. When it comes to flesh-colored footwear, Christian Louboutin was among the first to address this issue with a debut collection he hoped would provide more options for women looking to match their stilettos to their skin tones. It's a category Louboutin has continued to develop and expand since its 2013 launch, and as the designer makes strides towards a more inclusive industry, a few companies have taken to following in his red-bottomed footsteps. There are also independent designers like Rebecca Allen and Jeneba Barrie who have channeled their personal struggles of finding the right flesh-toned shades into the launch of their own shoe brands. The necessity of this work does more than just expose the problem — it's revolutionizing how we use the word "nude" in fashion.

Ahead, find a list that we'll continue to update featuring companies that are getting it right.

Rebecca Allen

As a Black woman working in finance, founder Rebecca Allen always wanted to look professional without sacrificing clean, sophisticated style but couldn’t find the perfect nude pump to complete her outfits. So she developed the New Pump in five shades to be a timeless choice that leaves its wearer feeling truly comfortable in their own skin.