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The 23 Best Shoe Brands Our Editor's Keep Coming Back To
From the ultimate cowboy boot to the original mesh flat, these are the shoes you'll see the ELLE team investing in this year.
We're always on the lookout for great shoe brands. With the rise and rise of fast fashion, it can be harder to find decent footwear that doesn't cost the earth. And the whole 'no pain, no gain' thing definitely doesn't count when it comes to your feet.
Luckily, there's a whole host of new-gen shoe brands to peruse in 2025, and plenty of trending shoe styles to indulge in too. Hot on the heels of the demi-fine jewellery boom, these bridge labels started springing up in the 2010s with a view to making luxury accessories with a more affordable – not high street, but not quite designer – price tag. We're talking directional but comfortable shoes crafted from high-quality fabrics like leather, canvas and plant-based alternatives
They're not just a pretty face either: plenty of the brands on our list put the planet first. Dear Frances and Vivaia both prioritise slow production, European manufacturing and responsibly sourced fabrics; and when cult sustainable label Reformation launched footwear in 2019, it did so while saving an average of '52 percent CO2 emissions, 70 percent water, and 65 percent waste compared to most shoes bought in the U.S.'
Of course, by investing in something of quality rather than a one-hit-wonder in the first place, you're already making a difference. If EcoAge's #30wears rule applies for clothes, you should really double that for shoes, so it's always important to consider the wearability and versatility of a pair before buying. That's not to say you can't partake in those buzzy trends, though: just ensure you'll want them as part of your wardrobe for more than a single season. (Case in point? Our undying love for mesh flats, which have been on our feet since last summer – and we're not taking them off any time soon.)
Luckily for you, we're on hand to help with a curated list of the very best shoe brands– from cool, new independent labels to the high-end high street stores where the footwear departments are a fashion editor's best kept secret.
The Best Shoe Brands To Know Now
Vivaia
Everybody is talking about Vivaia in 2025. Founded five years ago, this direct-to-consumer footwear label focuses on sustainability before anything – its signature knit fabric is made from recycled plastic bottles.
The brand was already beloved by A-listers like Selena Gomez, Alexa Chung, Julia Roberts and Lindsay Lohan, but then the Sneakerina dropped earlier this year and everything changed. Vivaia went from 'hot' to 'the hottest' when Bella Hadid was spotted in the brand's now-cult Cristina shoe, not once, but twice. Then, Charli XCX wore a pair to Coachella and the label was struggling to keep the style in stock.
Reformation
You might know Reformation for its flirty, bias-cut dresses and eco credentials, but did you know the LA-based brand also makes excellent shoes? In 2019 the team turned its sustainable expertise to footwear, then paused production for a year to fine-tune its planet-saving processes.
Reformation shoes 2.0 dropped in 2021 with a bang: these babies are crafted from traceable fabrics and made with 70% less water and 52% fewer CO2 emissions than your average shoe. Reformation is also focused on the afterlife of its products, partnering with Looptworks on a shoe take-back program that allows the brand to recycle 100% of the shoes.
Malone Souliers
Most people don't realised that luxury shoe brand Malone Souliers was actually born right here in London. After graduating from the LCF Cordwainer course, American designer Mary Alice Malone Mary Alice headed immediately to Italy to make relationships with the best artisans and factories – the rest is history.
Malone Souliers is known for its timeless court shoes and mules defined by their signature cutaway, strapping and buckle details. But this season there's something fresher afoot (pun intended) in the form of raffia and patent tort fabrications, as well as on-trend floral embroidery and beaded corsages.
Just last month, Beyoncé wore a pair of the brand's custom fringed Western boots during the New Jersey leg of the Cowboy Carter Tour.
Dear Frances
Dear Frances is the luxury footwear label editors can't get enough of. Each pair of the brand's shoes is hand-made in Italy using Italian leathers and European textiles – so when you consider this, and the bang-on-trend designs, you can totally justify the higher price point. Oh, and the impressive list of women that wear them – Kendall Jenner, Kaia Gerber, Hailey Bieber, Sienna Miller and the Hadid sisters – certainly helps.
Paris Texas
A surprising yet seamless combination of sex appeal and wild Western details has garnered Paris Texas a strong A-list following – everyone from Hailey Bieber to Kendall Jenner is a fan.
You might know the shoe brand best for sultry cowboy booots and the spikiest slingbacks (the kind made for late nights that turn into early mornings), but this season we've witnessed a design pivot.
Yes, the chunky wedge has arrived at HQ. But it wouldn't be Paris Texas without a health dose of camp – think metallic, leopard-print calf skin and scarlet patent-leather takes on this boho trend.
Nobody's Child
A British brand that has been known for its sustainable, summery dresses since launching in 2015 has pivoted – or expanded, we should say – in celebration of its 10th birthday. A year after the opening of its first bricks and mortar stores, Nobody's Child has collaborated with Poppy Delevingne and launched its first ever footwear line.
Perfectly timed for summer, this shoe drop is a little bit boho, a little bit city chic. Expect everything from square-toed double-buckle flatforms, to elegant strappy sandals and cow-print clogs.
Amina Muaddi
It's hard to believe Amina Muaddi's namesake brand is only six years old: since the designer debuted that first pair of pyramid-heel pumps, they've been an essential component of the partywear category.
Such is Muaddi's popularity, Harrods is currently stocking more 150 pairs of her cult heels, from perspex wedges to a striking neon-orange platform sandal. Whichever you choose, we guarantee they'll become your special-occasion go-to. (You can even win at outdoor weddings, thanks to that deceptively practical heel).
Terry de Havailland X Oceanus
After the success of its collaboration with Annie's Ibiza a few years back, Terry de Havailland has sought out another British, female-founded brand to create more irresistibly playful cowboy boots.
A collection of three candy coloured styles, everything is embroidered with the motif of the moment (which Oceanus has been peddling long before SS25, just saying): sea shells. Made from leather, with the same craftsmanship and quality you can expect from a legendary footwear brand like TDH, these Western boots are on-trend but designed to last – a conversation-starter at festivals and parties for years to come.
Nodaleto
Within two years of launching in 2019, Paris-based Nodaleto had secured 69 stockists worldwide. The shoe brand is best known for its cult Bulla Babies (beloved by Dua Lipa, Bella Hadid and Camille Charrière) but we reckon it's also to thank for the Mary Jane renaissance.
Founders Julia Toledano and Olivier Leone took something traditionally retro-twee and gave it a fresh, punky feel with exaggerated flared heels, square toes and high-shine patent leather in lipstick shades. If you're thinking of investing, rest assured a shoe as unique as this will never date.
Nomaesi
With decades of experience as shoe designers at Chloé (where the duo first met), Jil Sander, Jimmy Choo and Givenchy, Paule Tenaillon and Marine Braquet decided to launch their own luxury footwear label – just with a different kind of price tag.
Insiders will have known Parisian brand Nomasei for years. But, now, the brand's going global thanks to Sarah Jessica Parker, who's worn the label's shoes twice during the promo for And Just Like That. SJP wore the crystal-embellished Strass with a vintage Vivienne Westwood gown to the Season 3 premiere, then switched to the Sonics derbies for an appearance on podcast Call Her Daddy.
Pedro García
One of the oldest heritage shoe brands in Spain, Pedro García is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. It is now run by brother and sister duo Mila and Pedro García (named after his father and his father before him, who launched the company in 1925).
Everyone knows Spanish-made shoes are the best. But it's rare to hear of a company manufacturing goods in its very own factory in 2025; and Pedro García's is still in the small town of Elda, Alicante, where the family firm was founded.
This season we're shopping the crystal-embellished strappy sandals for wedding guest looks, the leather thong slides that feel bang on trend, and any of the cool, cone-heeled designs.
Studio Amelia
There’s a particular viral moment that sent Studio Amelia from a cult fashion-editor name to a major footwear player: at last year’s Met Gala, Kendall Jenner accessorised her archival Givenchy gown with a custom pair of the brand’s signature string-thin sandals.
Indeed, those minimalist kitten heels are a high-summer go-to, but the brand has since expanded into a host of statement pumps and boots that’ll see you through the rest of the year, too. And if you want to get ahead of what we’re predicting will be a major spring microtrend? Enter the brand’s arresting heeled mesh pump.
Mafalda
Mafalda was founded in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2010 by Maria Fernanda Sodre. 15 years later, after global expansion, the designer's shoes are still created in small batches in the very same factories – the brand takes pride in working closely (and on first name basis) with all of these artisans.
The rise and rise of fisherman sandals means Mafalda is having a bit of a moment recently. After all, they're the Brazilian brand's bread and butter. For SS25, though, you can also choose from chunky tasseled sandals, striking monochrome slides and playful cowhide Mary Janes.
Terry de Havilland
We've marvelled at the many stages of Terry de Havilland – from the brand's psychedelic Seventies heyday and subsequent Noughties renaissance (Kate Moss and Sienna Miller couldn't get enough of the brand's retro platforms), to its recent immortalisation in shows And Just Like That and Emily in Paris.
Last year, the ELLE team couldn't get enough of the metallic Terry de Havilland X Annie's Ibiza cowboy boots, and this season we're coveting the late-Sixties inspired patchwork knee styles.
Charles & Keith
From the red carpet to the stylish streets of fashion week, Charles & Keith has become a mainstay for editors and fashion enthusiasts alike. Founded in 1996 by Charles and Keith Wong, the Singaporean brand started as a single footwear shop and now creates timeless pieces across shoes, handbags, eyewear, and accessories.
As for its stance on sustainability, Charles & Keith has partnered with numerous international organisations that focus on social and environmental responsibility – including the Forest Stewardship Council, The Leather Working Group, and The Textile Exchange.
Damaya
Born in Columbia but made in Italy, Damaya's fetishistic footwear seamlessly blends subversive design with supreme craftsmanship. Designer Daniela Amaya favours architectural details – note the brand’s signature angular heel – and sharp silhouettes, all wrapped up with ankle-snaking ties. For those itching to embrace the new year’s touted return to maximalism, the gothic Mercy boot, with its pointed toe and knee-high lacework, is the ultimate statement investment.
Neous
Neous was one of the first in a wave of independent luxury footwear labels. It was founded in 2017 by former Harper's Bazaar editor Vanissa Antonious, who used her eight-year experience in fashion to inform design, strategy and secure stockists like Net-a-Porter. Six years on, the shoe brand is still beloved for its sculptural silhouettes, architectural heels and avant-garde hardware.
Miista
Female-founded brand Miista has been making its elegant but out-there shoes since 2010. Despite being based in Bethnal Green, the label has its roots in founder Laura Villasenin's home of Galicia, Northern Spain. It's also where the brand built its very own factory in 2020, so it could continue its premium, slow (seven months, to be precise) production and source EU only materials to reduce its carbon footprint.
If it's a bargain you're hunting for right now, shop the label's diffusion line E8 by Miista.
Vagabond
Vagabond is the Swedish footwear brand that's been around since the 1970s, but it first burst onto the UK scene a decade back. After a long period of daintier footwear trends, women everywhere welcomed these new punky shapes and cleated soles, as comfortable as they were cool. Now the brand has expanded its offering to include its signature chunky Chelsea and biker boots alongside more grown-up designs. We love this season's square-toed designs in particular.
Manu Atelier
Manu Atelier was founded by Beste and Merve Manastır (the daughters of one of the oldest hand craftsman and leather goods manufacturer in Istanbul, Turkey) back in 2014. After starting with handbags, within five years the duo introduced shoes to their core collection. It was a pretty successful endeavour, to say the least. They kicked things off in 2019 with the unique Duck boot – spotted all over Insta and on the feet of Jessie Bush and Jeanette Madsen – and are still going strong with equally as groundbreaking designs now.
Abigail Southan is our Senior Fashion Ecommerce Editor and has five years' experience as a writer and editor in the industry. Abigail has a BA in History from the University of Bristol and an MA in Fashion Journalism from Central Saint Martins. Abigail currently covers all things style and shopping across titles including Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, Esquire and Red. On a daily basis, she helps readers buy better with how-to-wear guides, first-person product reviews and deep dives into the latest trends. Previously, Abigail has worked for The Sunday Times’ Style and Fabulous magazine as their first ecommerce writer and was a founding editor of Sun Selects. She has also written for Net-a-Porter, I-D, Man About Town, Wonderland and 1 Granary, and has interviewed the likes of Paris Hilton, Dua Lipa and Christopher Bailey. You can follow Abigail on Instagram at @abigailsouthan.
Roberta Schroeder is the Senior Ecommerce Editor at Harper's Bazaar, ELLE and Esquire, overseeing shopping strategy and content across fashion, beauty, and travel. Roberta has reported on everything from market-leading skincare brands to the world’s most iconic fashion pieces, while also regularly updating a range of shopping guides, including LED masks, heritage cashmere brands and niche new dress brands to know.
Roberta has more than 15 years' experience in the luxury sector, spanning editorial consultancy, trend forecasting and journalism. Over the years, she has worked for global brands including Farfetch, Chanel, and Vogue.
When not testing beauty products, trialling trends and curating content that spotlights the very best in fashion and beauty, Roberta can usually be found trawling resale sites and vintage stores for a long-coveted designer find. Follow Roberta on Instagram at @roberta__schroeder
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