Why are pointe shoes all different shades of pink?

Pointe shoes are all different shades of pink because every brand uses a different satin that is acquired from a different manufacturer.  Have you noticed that red shirts purchased at different stores are all different shades of red?  It’s exactly the same thing with pointe shoes.  Some brands of pointe shoes (especially those tied to brands that make other dancewear including tights) specifically make their shoes a particular shade so their shoes will match the same “ballet pink” as their tights, thus elongating the dancer’s lines and making her appear more beautiful on stage. 

When you are getting fit for pointe shoes, pay most attention to how the shoes feel on your feet and how you can work in them.  It really does not matter what shade of pink your shoes are.  I have had dancers (and even their parents) request a certain brand “because it’s prettier.”  Pointe shoes get filthy after a few weeks of wear, and many studios and companies require performing dancers to “pancake” or paint their pointe shoes with calamine lotion in order to make them matte and the same color as other dancers’ shoes. 

The bottom line is that all pointe shoes are different colors because they “just are,” and it really doesn’t matter in the long run.