So Many Celebrities Are Obsessed With This Sustainable Shoe Brand

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What do Emma Roberts, Sienna Miller, Gigi Hadid, and Emily Ratajkowski all have in common? Apart from having a knack for fashion, all of these women are sworn fans of the artisan footwear label, Dear Frances. Launched in 2014 by Jane Frances, the eponymous brand has risen to fame over the past few years. Take a quick look at the shoes, and you’re sure to see why. But the brand doesn’t limit its focus to just the final outcome. Attention-to-detail throughout the entire process and an the extremely knowledgeable founder behind the name has given the brand the clout it has today.

Jane Frances’ story isn’t exactly what you’d typically expect from a footwear designer. Rather than spending years studying fashion and interning in the industry, she took an alternative path which—when considering the brand from the current moment—seems to have actually had a beneficial effect on her designs and process. Having foregone a fashion education for marketing, her background helped shape her into the successful entrepreneur she is today.

After her studies, she then eschewed the typical intern route so often followed in the industry for a more hands-on experience. “After my studies I worked at a footwear factory in Northern Italy, where I learned the age-old techniques of Italian shoe production from some of the most experienced artisans in the country” the designer told Forbes. “It was through this process that I truly refined my own style and noticed a need in the market for a quality classics with a refined, modern simplicity.”

Still reflected in Dear Frances’ styles today, her commitment to craftsmanship goes far beyond aesthetic. The brand’s site highlights that despite growing popularity, production still happens in the same factory where Frances first became involved in footwear design. While this crafting undeniably adds to the appeal of the designs, its effects also reach beyond the scope of the shoes themselves. In fact, it is this process that allows Dear Frances to “[utilise] sustainable materials and processes to develop a new kind of luxury.” a luxury that helps consumers increase their sartorial integrity. 

The shoes are made to last, which means less overall waste in the long run. Long-lasting stylish footwear… talk about a win-win. And the brand’s social conscious doesn’t stop there. In addition to crafting shoes with an aim to ease a bit of our modern-day environmental woes, Dear Frances also focuses on social disparities as well. “We believe that good shoes make you look and feel great. We also believe that everyone has the right to comfort” the brand acknowledges on its site. “Over 900 million people around the world live in extreme poverty and most of those people don't have access to adequate footwear.” To address this problem, Dear Frances partners with organisations like Soles4Souls which donates a pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair purchased. If that’s not enough to convince you to invest in some new shoes today, keep scrolling to see our favourite pieces below; we have a feeling they might just change your mind.

Shop our Dear Frances picks:

Related: The World’s Comfiest Sneaker Is Now the Most Sustainable Too