Female Founded: Dear Frances

What was the lightbulb moment that made you decide to start Dear Frances?

It was more a growing conviction that the shoes I wanted to wear didn’t quite exist yet. I was drawn to concepts that felt balanced in tradition and modernity, a sense of proportion and contrast. I wanted something that could feel directional without being dictated by a trend, and luxurious without being overly precious.

What did you feel was missing from the footwear world when you launched the brand? Has that changed since?

I wanted to create pieces that became part of a woman’s life; shoes she could return to rather than replace when the season changed, reflecting how she moved through her life.
Dear Frances began with that instinct: to make beautiful pieces with a longer perspective. When we launched, I felt there was a space between fashion and permanence that hadn’t really been explored. So much of footwear was either highly trend-driven or rooted in tradition, and I wanted to find a language in-between. One that felt modern, feminine and directional, but with a sense of restraint. Those founding ideals have not changed.

Dear Frances turns ten this year. What do you know about running a business now that you wish you could tell yourself when you were starting out?

A grounding, slower pace brings a consistency that is key to longevity. There is a tendency in the early years to believe that everything must happen immediately, from the next collection, the next market, the next milestone. I’ve learned that building something with integrity takes time, that clarity is more valuable than speed.

The footwear market can be particularly trend-led, yet Dear Frances has built its identity around pieces intended to endure. How do you keep a design feeling relevant without allowing the trend cycle to dictate it?

We design from instinct rather than reaction. For us, relevance comes from an ease of wear, which is a very Italian attitude. I’m much more interested in refining a silhouette until it feels lovable, like second skin.

A purity of form informs a lot of my design process, like many things in life, the best concepts are the original, stripped back to their essential form. Much of my design process is instinctual and can come from human form, furniture and how a woman actually wants to feel when she gets dressed.

You’ve described Dear Frances as being for women “embracing growth and maturity”. What does that woman look like to you today, and has she changed as you and the brand have grown?

She has become more herself, as well do.
I don’t think of her in terms of age so much as a growing sense of self. She knows what she likes, but she is still curious. She doesn’t dress to be seen; she chooses things because they resonate with her. I think that becomes more pronounced with maturity, you become less interested in collecting and more interested in selecting. Less concerned with what something says about you, and more interested in how it makes you feel.

As a female founder designing predominantly for women, do you think being your own customer gives you a different perspective on what women actually want from their shoes?

Yes, I know she wants to feel at ease in what she’s wearing while having her own point of view, because that’s what I want too. I also understand the tension between wanting something beautiful and actually wanting to live in it. A shoe can be beautiful, but if you don’t want to wear it again tomorrow, something has been missed. We must bridge that gap.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a female founder, and what has it taught you?

It has taught me that confidence isn’t always about having the answer. Sometimes it’s about being comfortable with not knowing yet, and having the conviction to keep going anyway.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given you, in business or otherwise?

To take your time and trust your vision.

After a decade of Dear Frances, what still excites you about making shoes?

I love making shoes, and the more I do it the more I love it. There is still so much to discover within something so familiar.
A shoe is a small object, but it carries an extraordinary amount of importance regarding form and function. You can change a proportion by a few millimetres and completely alter the feeling.
I’m still fascinated by that. And then there is the making itself: the hands, the materials, the patience and precision involved in creating something that will inevitably become part of someone’s life.

Lastly, what do you hope the next 10 years of Dear Frances will bring?

More depth and even more knowledge of our women.
Ten years from now, I hope we’re still making shoes that women keep, live in and return to. Creating that sense of permanence is a meaningful measure of success.

Make sure to shop our Dear Frances favourites below!