If The Shoe Fits...

There is an outrageous fashion law that goes: If the shoe fits, it's ugly.  From my bobbly hand-knitted slippers in which I resemble a Button Moon character to my Mothers very own Carvela's I used to sneak out in as an underage teen down the pub, this theory has in my own past experience, proven to be very true; but one designer who has managed to dispel this tale entirely is Hetty Rose.

Shoe enthusiast and talented craftswoman, her eye for the beautifully unusual has taken her from strength to strength to establish the Hetty Rose footwear brand. From modest beginnings as a design student, her journey began in Japan when she stumbled across the stunning vintage kimono silks of this fascinating culture. Returning to the UK with these relics of a disappearing world, the self-confessed hoarder explains â€œThe idea of wasting something which could be transformed into something functional and beautiful is the reason I do what I do”.

Her final collection at university was based on the idea of reusing materials to create new, desirable products, and she has continued this ethos to build a credible business complete with busy workshop where she creates all the shoes by hand herself. Bespoke shoes with stories, it's a match made in heaven; combining a worldly heritage with the craftsmanship of a true artist. 

For once you ought to just let your shoes do all the talking. 

Good for you as Hetty's shoes are bespoke, so not only do you get a personal service, but also the opportunity to choose your own pattern from her collection of beautiful vintage kimono fabrics change any little design details before they're made.

Good for the environment because every shoe upper is constructed from recycled vintage fabric and eco-sensitive vegetable tanned leather, rather than new polluting materials. And there is no waste like that produced by commercial bulk-made seasonal designs as Hetty Rose shoes are made individually, upon demand - they are never over-produced as they always have a loving home to go to!

Price £320

Contact 

www.HettyRose.co.uk

Feature writer: Rachel Edwards.