British shoe designers to watch out for

British shoe designers are on the rise, pushing their designs to the limit to create unique cut designs. One of the biggest new British shoe designers to watch out for is Terry de Havilland.

Terry de Havilland was introduced to the industry through his parents, both shoemakers from the East End of London. He has been involved in shoe design and manufacturing since the 1950s.

A secret marriage and a stint in Rome saw Terry caught up in the social turmoil surrounding the filming of ‘La Dolce Vita’. He became engrossed in the glamor surrounding this movie with stars like Ava Gardner and Anita Ekberg, who later turned out to be great inspirations for him.

In 1960 Terry returned to London to help with the family business and it soon became apparent that he had a unique talent for designing and pattern cutting. With Terry’s drive and flair and the creation of winkle pickers, the family business prospered. His big break came when Annie Traherne, fashion editor for Queen magazine, discovered his talent and decided to support his career.

Terry made a three-tiered snakeskin wedge sandals, showed them to his friend Johnny Moke, and bought them for his boutique in Kensington. The shoes were a huge success and became regulars on the Rock n Roll scene, including Bianca Jagger, Cher, LuLu and most memorably David Bowie.

In 1970 Terry de Havilland took over the family business due to the death of his father, caused by an accident in the factory. Terry de Havilland’s styles gained recognition and the customer base grew and grew. In 1972 he opened his own ‘Cobblers to the World’ store on Kings Road in London Chelsea. It was the first of its kind with mirrored walls and oversized chandeliers, a far cry from the unglamorous Doc Martin trend that was being embraced at the time.

Terry emerged with new partners in 2004 to relaunch the Terry de Havilland brand to critical acclaim from the fashion press and retailers. His collection is now stocked by many of the world’s best retailers.

Today, Terry’s designer shoes can be seen on celebrities such as Amy Winehouse, who has been seen in her “Pop Art” style, with each shoe painted by hand. Other celebrities who have been seen wearing her designs include Kate Moss, who wore a black pair of her peep toe wedge sandals, as well as owning many of her designs, Mischa Barton, who wore her gold leather wedge sandals, and Keisha from Sugababes, who has been seen in her butterfly wedges.