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 2024, and plenty of styles to indulge in too. Hot on the heels of the 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 Miista 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 trend.