Tai Beldock is stepping out of line with her latest entrepreneurial journey—footwear fashion designer and CEO of Embassy London USA, a UK-based footwear company. The retired Air Force veteran and motorcycle distributor has a history of taking on challenging professional roles. And her latest venture falls in step. Spunky and vibrant, Beldock brings just as much color and excitement to her latest business venture as the shoes themselves.
In celebration of bold women, she prominently displays the company’s “Step out of Line” tagline with bright neon lights inside the Cherry Creek store. “It speaks to the heart of what these shoes are all about,” she says. “That’s been the joy of all this. I’m a 60-year-old lady that runs a motorcycle shop. I step out of line all the time.”
It also speaks to what Beldock is all about. Her interests span all different walks of life. Growing up in a small town in Ohio, she always knew she wanted to get out and see the world and did so with a 20-year stint in the Air Force.
When she left the Air Force, she landed in Denver, working at the Rocky Mountain News. Soon after, Beldock met her husband and quickly bonded over their love of motorcycles. The shared interest led the couple to open Erico Motorsports in RiNo, one of the first European-centered motorsports dealerships in the U.S. In fact, it’s the motorcycle career that prompted her latest career in the fashion industry.
During their frequent business trips to London to visit Triumph Motorcycles, she discovered the colorful designs of London Embassy shoes. Looking to spice up her wardrobe, she always came home with a few new pairs. “Being in the motorcycle industry, I wore a lot of black and a lot of jeans, so shoes were always my signature,” says Beldock.
But when COVID-19 hit and travel halted, she bought the shoes online. So much so that they emailed her to inform her she was their top U.S. customer.
Without skipping a beat, she responded and asked why they didn’t sell the shoes in the U.S. The CEO replied and asked her to be their U.S. distributor. Beldock welcomed the challenge. “I have no idea how to be a shoe distributor, but I’ve been a motorcycle distributor for years. It can’t be that different.”
In October 2021, she launched the U.S. website and the first showroom in RiNo, eventually moving into a bigger space at the current pop-up location in Cherry Creek.
It’s easy to see how her enthusiasm pairs nicely with the shoes she sells—vibrant, sassy and colorful. Well-crafted and comfortable, most of the shoes are made with Italian leather shaped in various classic English silhouettes, including oxfords, ankle boots, sandals, heels and more. The distinction is in the finishes: floral patterns, colorful prints and frisky fabrics.
While the CEO in London designs most of the shoes, Beldock has stepped into the art of fashion design and created her own line of shoes for the U.S. store, which sold out quickly. She designed several styles, some of which she named after Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama—women who have inspired her.
“Compliments are guaranteed,” Beldock assures her customers. “Fashion can be such a confidence booster; it’s always nice when someone notices. And they will notice these shoes.”
For the women who say they could never wear these shoes, she assures them there is something for everyone with their collection of basic color options and classic patterns like snake and leopard print. “We have something for everyone, even men.”
Beldock is also proud to extend the company’s tagline beyond just the shoes in her store. It reaches the marketing and branding by using models who “step out of line” from the typical fashion model, including transgender and non-binary models, models of color, and mature models, some of whom are 70 years and older.
Future plans include a line of handbags, a possible location at Denver International Airport and vegan leather options. The Cherry Creek pop-up location will remain open through the holidays while Beldock plans for a permanent address.
Embassy London
299 Filmore St., Cherry Creek North
303.856.9790; embassylondon.com