About Onto

Onto is a footwear brand that draws inspiration from the downtown skate culture of the 1990's. Our brand is rooted in the dynamism of our international community and focused on accessible, effortless style that can handle our everyday New York City lives. 

"Growing up skateboarding in San Francisco during the 90’s, I was lucky enough to be immersed in an era filled with pioneers of modern street skating. Running from undercover cops dressed in Hawaiian shirts as a teenage girl was a coming-of-age experience that speaks to the light hearted, youthful energy of the brand."

All footwear is produced in limited volume using globally sourced, premium materials. Our glazed leather is a full grain, aniline cow leather which is processed through a staking machine resulting in a softer hand feel. It is then treated with a light, translucent polish that allows us to keep the natural character of the leather. This imparts an individual look to each pair of shoes and offers a softer hand feel compared to most men's sneakers on the market that generally favor heavier, harder leathers with more pigmenting. 

All shoes are enhanced with a leather covered foam insole and suede lining for additional comfort. A reinforced outsole stitch provides further durability and wearability. 

Jilleen Liao was born in Taiwan, raised in San Francisco, and has lived and worked in New York City for over a decade. Liao's interest in shoemaking began in 2007 with a New York fashion internship. As her footwear education continued to broaden during an apprenticeship at E.Vogel Custom Boots & Shoes, Liao also worked at Autumn, a skate shop and a cultural hub in the East Village. A corporate design position soon followed, but the vision for Onto was already taking form. In 2015, Liao launched Onto as a way to make covetable products accessible to a wider audience.