All over the country, women have closets full of shoes, tote bags saying how much they love shoes. Women are spending house deposits on premium heels, placing their shoes on shelfs, like a weird kind of trophy. Seriously, it’s the female equivalent of using empty liquor bottles as a feature piece.
Now, using that stereotype, surely there must be a tonne of coveted women working in shoe design? Actually, these unobtainable shoe brands breaking women’s hearts are usually lead by men. Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, etc. There’s a handful of women who have put their names next to these designers in department stores- but could you use an etc? To celebrate International Women’s Day, (8th March), we’ve put together just some of the women working in shoe design, and their backgrounds.
Women working in Shoe Design: The Profile
Camilla Elphick: The Princess of Plain
Camilla Elphick: The Princess of Plain
When she was younger, Camilla Elphick’s dad passed down invaluable advice- always have polished shoes and nails. Thus a shoe designer was born, presumably with neat nails. After studying at New York College of Fashion, on a prestigious cordwainers course, Camilla got busy learning from designers like Charlotte Olympia as an intern. There are worse mentors to have than premium footwear’s leading lady, right?
Learning from women working in shoe design obviously paid off for Camilla, as 5 years ago, she began her business journey. Now counting style queens Bella Hadid and Alexa Chung as followers, her brand is evolving. Her line includes delicate, feminine, versatile pieces for every kind of woman.
Jane Frances: Social Media Fave
If you’ve ever even looked at the Instagram icon on your phone, there’s a strong chance you’ve seen a pair of boots from Dear Frances. The shoe baby of Australian native Jane Frances, they’ve become a favourite amongst the fashion set. After studying pattern cutting at London College of Fashion, Jane became one of the most sought after women in shoe design.
Now, Jane prefers a European influence, and spends time sourcing materials in Northern Italy. Creating ranges for every lifestyle, with a mix up of styles including pearl embellished slides and loafers.
What’s the future for Women in Shoe Design?
Before, women may not have had much support with entering the industry. University courses and businesses were dominated by men, and women were intimidated. Today, women are taking control of the creating the career they want. The number of women working in shoe design is rising, and there are so many talented up and coming designers to look out for. Read more about the ways we’re empowering women with our own brand.