If you like aeyde for its clean lines, thin straps and quiet black flats, you can get the same look in vegan leather for $48.99 to $84.99, a fraction of the price. What you give up is the Italian leather and the handwork, so the honest choice depends on whether you want the material or the silhouette.
aeyde is a Berlin label founded in 2015. Its shoes are made in family-run factories in Italy from calf, nappa, suede and patent leather. The Uma mary jane sells for around $375 at US retailers, ballet flats such as the Moa and Kirsten are about €295 on aeyde's own store, loafers start near €395, and ankle boots run from about €525. It is often described as an easier-to-buy cousin of The Row, and ranking dupe roundups usually point to a single Dolce Vita flat. None of them offers a vegan option, because aeyde does not make one. This guide maps each best-known aeyde shape to a vegan alternative, with prices, sizing and care.
aeyde vs vegan alternatives at a glance
| aeyde style | aeyde price | What defines it | Vegan alternative | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uma mary jane flat | About $375 | Square toe, one thin strap, very low profile | Vivra strap ballet flats | $68.99 |
| Moa / Kirsten ballet flat | About €295 | Pointed or almond toe, low vamp | Buckled mary jane flats (pointed toe) | $48.99 |
| Delia ballet pump | About €325 | A ballet shape on a low heel | Margot mary jane slingback pumps | $78.00 |
| Aldous / Lana loafer | From about €395 | Clean loafer, low heel | Perrine pleated loafers | $72.99 |
| Jack / Maris ankle boot | From about €525 | Sleek black ankle boot | Odessa square toe chelsea boots | $84.99 |
aeyde prices shift with currency and retailer, so treat them as a guide. Ours are the prices on our product pages today.
Vivra Strap Leather Ballet Flats
A smooth black vegan ballet flat with a slim strap: the closest shape here to aeyde's thin-strap minimalism.
What makes an aeyde shoe look like aeyde?
Four things show up again and again: a very plain black upper, a thin strap or no strap at all, a low profile with almost no visible sole, and one sharp detail such as a square toe or a pointed tip. The shoes rarely carry logos or heavy hardware. That is also why they are easy to find alternatives for. The look depends on proportion, not on a signature print, so a well-cut vegan flat can get very close.
The Uma mary jane alternative
The Uma is aeyde's most talked-about style: a flat mary jane with one thin strap across the instep. The appeal is how little there is to it. Look for a single narrow strap, a smooth black upper and a thin sole.
Our Vivra keeps the smooth black upper and the delicate strap, so it reads as a mary jane without feeling formal. Wear it the way aeyde styles the Uma: with wide trousers that just skim the strap, or with a straight midi skirt and bare ankles.
Vivra Strap Leather Ballet Flats
Clean lines and one slim strap, soft enough for all-day wear.
The Moa and Kirsten flat alternative
aeyde's pointed flats are about the toe: long, clean and slightly sharp, with a low-cut vamp that shows the top of the foot. If that is the part you like, choose a pointed toe first and everything else second.
Our Buckled Mary Jane Flats have a sleek pointed toe and an adjustable buckle strap. The strap adds security that a strapless flat does not have, which helps if flats tend to slip off your heels. In black it is the minimalist option; the leopard version is the one to choose if you want the flat to be the focus.
Buckled Mary Jane Flats
A pointed toe with an adjustable buckle strap, EU 35 to 42 and our lowest price in this guide.
The low-heel pump alternative
For aeyde's low-heeled pumps, such as the Delia, Margot is the closest in spirit. It has a square toe with softened corners, a ruched elastic strap that slips on without a buckle, and a low sculptural cut-out heel. It is less severe than aeyde's pumps and a little more playful, which makes it easier to wear with jeans.
Margot Mary Jane Slingback Pumps
Square toe, soft elastic strap and a low sculptural heel: a mary jane pump for office and weekend.
The loafer alternative
aeyde's loafers are plain and polished. Perrine takes the same low-heeled loafer and adds one detail: a gathered, pleated apron at the toe in black patent. If you want the flattest, quietest version instead, look at our guide to styling loafers, which covers chunky and tabi options too.
Perrine Pleated Loafers
Black patent, a pleated apron and a penny strap on a low stacked heel.
The ankle boot alternative
aeyde's ankle boots are sleek, black and built to sit under trousers. Odessa is a square-toe chelsea boot with a high-shine black upper, a stacked block heel and elastic sides, so it pulls on without a zip. It is a little bolder than a classic aeyde boot because of the square toe, and it works well under wide denim.
Odessa Square Toe Chelsea Boots
High-shine upper, square toe, stacked block heel and elastic sides.
If you like aeyde, try a tabi
A lot of aeyde customers also look at The Row and other minimal labels because they want a shoe that is plain but not boring. A split-toe flat does that in a different way: the upper stays simple, and the shape of the toe becomes the one detail. Our Amelora tabi flat is smooth black vegan leather, flat and fully lined.
Amelora Black Leather Tabi Ballet Flats
A plain black flat where the split toe is the only design detail.
Sizing: aeyde vs our styles
| aeyde | Lil Cacti | |
|---|---|---|
| Size system | EU sizes, including half sizes on many styles | EU whole sizes, mostly 35 to 40 |
| General fit | Usually true to size; some buyers find flats narrow | True to size in EU sizing, on a rounded toe box |
| Between sizes | Check each style's notes | Size down in flats, up in heels and boots |
| Wider size range | Varies by style | Buckled mary jane flats to EU 42 |
If you already own aeyde, start with the same EU size in our flats. If aeyde felt narrow on you, our rounder toe box will usually feel roomier.
Care: leather vs vegan leather
- aeyde leather: it needs leather conditioner a few times a year and polish on smooth calf. Suede needs a suede brush and protector spray.
- Our smooth vegan leather: wipe with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap, then dry. No conditioner needed.
- Patent (Perrine, Odessa): a soft cloth removes fingerprints; a little water removes scuffs.
- Storage: stuff the toes with tissue and keep pairs in dust bags so straps do not crease.
More detail is in how to clean vegan leather shoes.
aeyde, The Row, Dolce Vita and us: an honest comparison
aeyde does things we do not. Its shoes are made in Italy from real leather, many styles come in half sizes, and leather shapes to your foot over months of wear. If you want a shoe to resole and keep for a decade, aeyde is a fair buy at its price. The Row sits a step higher, often over $800 for flats, with a very pared-back look and luxury materials. Dolce Vita, at roughly $100 to $150, is the usual mid-price leather choice, especially for mary janes.
The styles in this guide are vegan, $48.99 to $84.99, and cut on a rounded toe box that suits many people who find designer flats narrow. We are not copying anyone's design. These are our own shoes that share the same minimalist ideas. If leather is not for you, or you want to test the look before spending €300, start with the strap flat.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a dupe for the aeyde Uma?
Look for a flat with a single thin strap, a smooth black upper and a thin sole. Our Vivra strap ballet flat at $68.99 is the closest vegan option in our range.
Are aeyde shoes vegan?
No. aeyde uses calf, nappa, suede and patent leather. Every style in this guide is made without leather or other animal materials.
Where are aeyde shoes made?
aeyde is based in Berlin and makes its shoes in family-run factories in Italy.
Do aeyde shoes run true to size?
aeyde says most styles fit true to size in EU sizing, though some buyers find the flats narrow. Check the notes on each style.
Is aeyde cheaper than The Row?
Yes, usually by a large margin. aeyde flats are around €295 to €345, while The Row's flats often cost more than twice that.
What brands are similar to aeyde?
The Row, Toteme and Khaite at the higher end; Dolce Vita and Sam Edelman at mid price; and vegan brands, including us, for leather-free versions.
Read next
- The Row Ballet Flats Alternatives: 7 Vegan Lookalikes Under $70 (2026)
- Brands Like Miista: Sculptural Heels Compared by Price (2026)
- Vegan Leather vs Real Leather Shoes: An Honest Comparison From a Brand That Only Makes One
Browse every strap flat in mary jane flats and the full range of ballet flats.