Women Who Launch: Meet Footwear Designer Florrie Dowley
By
Ina Yulo Stuve
on
2nd June 2026
In this edition of Women Who Launch, Ina Yulo Stuve speaks to Florrie about building the brand she calls “laidback, sexy, and timeless," her go-to picks for summer styling, and where she seeks inspiration.
Over the decades, there are many women who have epitomised the London girl—from Twiggy to Kate Moss, she has shifted her form and evolved with the times. This modern powerhouse was someone who shoe designer Florrie Dowley realised was being overlooked by the ateliers in Italy. “When I started working for Aquazzura, the fashion world was still in a place where women were wearing 6-inch heels and would have a pair of ballet flats packed in their handbags to change into,” she explains. “The modern woman wants something she can wear from day-to-night easily—effortlessness says ‘cool’ more than anything else—and there is something very dated about the idea of changing your clothes or shoes to go to dinner or drinks.”
Taking her years of experience and deep knowledge of how to craft the best shoes in the world, she created her own company, Florrie, a brand that blends artisanal Italian craftsmanship with timeless British design and an unparalleled understanding of the modern London woman.
“We create exceptionally high-quality products that are built to last. I want to design timeless shoes that you will wear again and again, year after year instead of trend-led products that will be worn for a season and then disregarded,” says Florrie, explaining how her designs can be worn with jeans just as easily as a little black dress. Comfort is a key part of her design process, and she talks at length about how she collaborated with a prominent technician—who spent over 50 years working with well-known brands—to go through rounds of iterations before eventually perfecting the structure for her shoes.
“That takes time and money, which many brands don’t think is worth investing in. A handmade shoe is constructed meticulously. If the heel is mounted even a millimetre off, it will affect the balance and therefore the comfort. You should always tap the heel of a shoe before you buy it. If it can easily re-stabilise itself, it is well-balanced. If it wobbles, or even falls, it is badly balanced and won’t be comfortable because your foot will have to compensate,” she says, adding that Florrie shoes have 2 millimetres of padding between the sole and insole to create a cloud-like cushion of comfort.
Florrie recently took her personalised approach a step further with the launch of a new showroom in Holland Park, a move that has proven popular with brides looking for the perfect pair for their big day. Though most bridal shoes are relegated to the back of the cupboard after concluding their duties down the aisle, sustainability is a core belief that Florrie holds dear: “For me, sustainability in fashion is about endurance and longevity as well as best manufacturing practices…we have recently started working with Loom who will dye white satin shoes any colour you like after your wedding.”
If you weren't in fashion, what do you think you'd be doing right now?
I decided I wanted to be a shoe designer when I was 4 or 5 years old, so have never really considered doing something else. But otherwise, it would still be in design of some sort, maybe garden or furniture design. I am obsessive, I get fixated on an idea, and find it hard to think of anything else.
How did your time studying and working in Italy influence the brand you eventually built and the type of entrepreneur you've become?
I moved to Italy because they make the best shoes in the world and I knew I wanted to learn to make shoes from the best. Our brand is based on exceptional quality, and in women’s shoes, that means Italian-made. Italy has such a rich history of art and design, both are valued highly within their culture, and I think living there really helped develop my design language. Italy and England are the two main design influences in my life and I wanted to create a brand that incorporated the best of both of those.
Tell me more about your new showroom and the personalised experience you offer your customers.
I wanted to create a space that gave women the same level of personalised service that they would have from a wedding dress fitting; a place where they I could join them as they tried different styles in a relaxed environment. I encourage our brides to bring a swatch of their wedding dress along with photos so that together we can discuss colour, style, material, and fit. Big department stores can feel impersonal and overwhelming and lots of women told me they had struggled to find bridal shoes. The showroom has been particularly popular with brides, but I would encourage anyone interested in buying a pair of shoes to come in and see the styles in person.
How did the idea for the upcycled denim campaign come about and how are you continuing to incorporate sustainable practices in your business?
I am a hoarder and had a wardrobe full of worn-out jeans that weren’t wearable, but I couldn’t face throwing them away. I took a pair to our atelier in Florence to see if we could turn them into shoes, and together we made our first prototype. Old denim is much softer than new fabric, which really worked in our favour. It behaves very much like leather and it means the shoe is comfortable from the first wear. You can make 5 or 6 pairs from each old pair of jeans, so the first 20 pairs were made from my own jeans and then we went out to our customers and asked them to send us their jeans. We had an amazing reception and have been sent so many pairs.
If someone is new to the brand, which style would you suggest they invest in?
The Matilda sandal is my go-to—I wear it everywhere and with everything. Everyone needs a sleek, strappy sandal and Matilda is just so comfortable. I would suggest gold or silver because metallics go with everything and will tie in with your jewellery. But also, I can’t resist a white shoe, and the Salon D’orsay in white leather works so well under a jean or a flared suit trouser. In the summer, I live in the flat version of the Matilda sandal and the Laura slingback. Both work with denim shorts and look great under a dress in the evening. If I am going on holiday and want to pack light, I take those two.
Is there a particular business skill you're currently trying to master?
Compartmentalising. I love my job and I love our brand, but I think about it 24/7 and would like to learn how to get better at switching off.
Do you have any go-to rituals for sparking inspiration?
I go for an hour walk every morning and leave my phone at home. It is really important for me to have that time to think creatively. I’ll also go to one exhibition a week and at least one antique market or vintage shop. I do it because I enjoy them, but they are so often also a great source of inspiration. I always have a notebook and pencil in my bag because you never know when you will see something that inspires you, and it’s often not when you go out looking for it.
What's next for Florrie?
I am really excited about the next couple of years. The brand has grown an unbelievable amount in the last six months and our customer base has grown with it. That allows us to explore new ideas and collaborations. We have an ankle boot coming out in the autumn which I can’t wait for. I am always looking for the perfect boot that I can live in through the winter. I make all the samples in my size so that I can try them so have been test driving the boot and am so pleased with it. I’m trying to decide the colours now which is so hard. I’ve limited myself to two options but could easily make ten.
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