With the launch of their new 2022 bridal shoe collection, celebrated British bridal shoe brand Charlotte Mills’ continues to seduce brides with their beautifully crafted (and notably, comfortable) bridal shoes and accompanying accessories.
The coveted British label has been stealing brides’ hearts with their sumptuous array of sole mates since 2014. Renowned for their signature silver sixpence (that comes adorned on the sole of every pair) alongside the beautifully embossed words “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Silver Sixpence in her Shoe”, Charlotte Mills has fast become a favourite amongst modern brides.
To celebrate the launch of their latest line (prepare to swoon, brides), we caught up with the acclaimed designer to chat all things wedding shoes…
#1 What is the story behind the brand? How and when was Charlotte Mills conceived?
“The concept for Charlotte Mills Bridal was conceived when I designed a bridal footwear collection for my final degree show. After graduating from Cordwainers (part of London College of Fashion) my dream to launch my own luxury footwear brand was realised, and fast became a reality in 2014 with the launch of my very first collection.”
#2 Talk us through a typical day at the CM Studio…
“Arriving for coffee and chats with the team is always how we start the day. Then each week is totally different, we have a plan throughout the year which we all sit down and discuss in January, with ideas, collaborations and areas we want to expand in over the year. Then depending on the time of year it depends on what’s happening. Some months we’ll be working on the new collection, or we’ll be looking into new product development or planning events and collaborations.
Last week was spent fitting samples and making amendments for our new collection, with Zoom meetings with the factory to tweak designs to get the perfect fit and aesthetic for each style!”
#3 When creating a new design, what starts the creative juices flowing?
“I get so much inspiration from visiting Spain where our shoes are made. Going to material suppliers and looking for new heels, components, trims, materials and building the new designs from there. We also really listen to our brides feedback and we know what they’re looking for, so this plays a big part in the design process.”
#4 What style details are proving particularly popular at the moment?
“Block heels are what we are known for – brides come to us especially for this – it’s such a signature for the brand. For this season we have developed a new slim curved block heel which is super elegant and stylish.”
#5 How far in advance should brides be looking for their wedding shoes? What’s the beauty of finding them before the dress?
“I would say around 4-6 months before the big day so they have them for their first fitting. Some brides find the shoes first if they are shoe lovers! They can use this as a starting point and then build their look around this. This is how I plan every outfit, dress from the feet up!”
#6 Which designs are proving popular this 2022?
“Everyone is loving pearl trims so we have really developed this for the new collection with lots of options from subtle to all out pearl embellishments.”
#7 What makes CM different?
“The signature CM details… all CM soles are embossed with the traditional phrase “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Silver Sixpence in her Shoe.” A glittering silver sixpence will become your “something old”, the shoes are, of course, your “something new”, the luxury envelope we include (which we hope you’ll return accompanied by a picture of you, mid-celebration and wearing CM) your “something borrowed” and, finally, the exquisite blue detailing of our shoes’ in-sock your “something blue”.”
#9 Do you take inspiration from trends? If so, what’s inspiring you for 2022?
“We love the simplicity of lots of the bridal dresses for 2022 and have created lots of styles to compliment this look in the new collection. Along with pearls – which we are seeing as a big bridal trend again this season – which have been added to lots of styles.”
#10 Name a celebrity or high profile wedding you would’ve loved to have designed the wedding shoes for?
“I adore Blake Lively’s style and it would be a dream to create something for her. They would be super embellished and high with our new elegant slim block heel.”
#11 For smaller, more intimate micro-weddings with fewer guests, what would you suggest in terms of style for the aisle for modern brides?
“We love the short dress trend, they are so perfect to show off your shoes – there are also some great accessories out there so you can have a simple dress and accessorise to perfection. Making the look unique to you.”
#12 Are there any particular past designs that you look back most fondly upon?
“I love all our shoes that feature heart designs. A few years ago we had a pink shoe with love hearts on it called ‘Charlotte’. This was my favourite shoe ever. We actually brought out a very similar one this February 2022 as a Valentine’s limited edition style!”
#13 If you could collaborate with another industry professional or brand who would it be and why?
“I would love to collaborate with Rime Arodaky – her dresses are incredible and sooooo cool.”
#14 Your top tips for brides choosing their wedding shoes are…
Tip 1: “Buy a heel height you’re comfortable with. If you usually only wear mid to low heeled shoes, then that’s the height you should choose for your wedding day. We offer most styles in our high block heel and our low block heel, so you’ll be able to find the perfect heel height for you!”
Tip 2: “Would you like to wear your wedding shoes again after your special day? By choosing a shoe in a different colour (like our pink shoes) you might be more likely to wear your bridal shoes again after the wedding. Perhaps styling them with a lovely dress for a special occasion, or even whipping them out of the box to wear on your anniversaries.”
Tip 3: “Make sure you choose the correct fit! Being comfortable is so important on such a special day. We offer our bestsellers in our wide fit range. We’ve also worked really hard to ensure that our shoes are as comfortable as possible. With features such as our luxurious latex padding, which has a memory foam effect!
The Quickfire Round:
#1 Coffee or tea? “Tea, builders.”
#2 Favourite way to relax? “Spa day or a duvet day with a Netflix series.”
#3 My top restaurant recommendation is… “Loving Ramona in Manchester for the best pizza and smoky pineapple margaritas.”
#4 Favourite book? “I have just read How To Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie – such a good book and really enjoyed it.”
#5 Perfect getaway? “Alicante for a weekend break – this is where our factory is based and such a home from home. The bars and restaurants are amazing and the sunshine always helps!”
#6 The last Netflix show you watched was… ”Emily in Paris – I love this show, such a guilty pleasure.”
#7 Your favourite thing about the wedding industry… “The people – everyone I meet is so incredible, such lovely inspiring creative people. It’s such a nice industry to be involved in.”
#8 Favourite thing about social media? “I love seeing new ideas and creative images – I find this really inspiring.”
#9 Least favourite thing about social media? “The effort the team can put into creating images and posts and the reach is so small, it’s really frustrating.”
#10 Top film recommendation? “One of my favourites is Crazy, Stupid, Love.”
Discover the latest 2022 bridal shoe collection on the Charlotte Mills website.
For more bridal shoe inspiration head back to your day.
Campaign Credits:
Florals: @sassflowers
Venue: @fivefourstudio
Models: @ninaleacaine and @aneelak_1
Video: @lizardfishtv
Veils: @rebeccaannedesigns
Short Dresses: @edmondsonbridalcouture
Pearl Headbands: @victorialpercivial_accessories – Silk Bridal gowns @constellationame
Short sequin dress: @ettieshop
Bridal gowns: @bellissimabrides
Hair accessories: @gigiandolive_
