Coming Soon - Repetto Shoes

Bridgette Bardot in her trademark Repetto flats at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival, courtesy of The Independent

Repetto was created in 1947 by Rose Repetto, who at the request of her son – dancer and choreographer Roland Petit – began making ballet shoes in a tiny workshop just a minute away from the National Opera of Paris. Twelve years later Rose opened her first shop at 22 Rue de la Park in Paris and before long it became the place to go for Prima ballerinas from across the world, with Bejart, Noureev, Barychnikov, Carolyn Carlson, the kirov from the “Folies-Bergeres” all wearing Repetto ballet shoes.

But it’s not just ballerinas who have fallen in love with the French dance shoe brand. Bridgette Bardot, Serge Gainsbourg and Kate Moss are just a few of the brands more revered ambassadors.

So, what’s behind all this adoration? The secret of Repetto’s light and flexible shoes? Since day one Repetto have used a “stitch and return” method, stitching under the sole before turning the shoe inside out, stretching the soft leather upper over a last and stitching it to the thicker leather sole inside out. When the shoe is turned the right way, the left foot becomes the right and vice versa. This results in a near-invisible join between the shoe and the upper – and an extremely comfortable fit too!

More than just comfortable though, Repetto make some of the prettiest footwear you’re likely to find; For Spring/Summer 11 we have bought a series of dance shoes from classic ballet pumps to fiery salsa heels in a colour palette of navy, cream, grey and scarlet.

Repetto will be available at Coggles.com in January.