Flore Mirabeau

“Most of my childhood memories are linked to shoes,” says Solange Strom, Founder of Flore Mirabeau. “My first one was stepping into Bally of Switzerland in Geneva after our annual ski holiday. My mother swore by Bally’s and I would get a new pair of their patent-leather Mary Janes every year. I was 6 years-old.”

Flore Mirabeau Founder Solange Strom, photographed by Arline Malakian.

The fascination with footwear grew as Solange did, following her into her teens. “When I was 14 and going to school in downtown Lyon, I’d pass by an elegant shoe store every day to look at this gorgeous pair of burgundy-red loafers. They actually looked exactly like Gucci’s classic flat loafer. I kept asking the sales lady to save them for me until I had enough money to purchase them. When I bought them and showed them to my mother, she said, ‘these look really good for 50 francs.’ That was the allowance she gave me. I never admitted to her that they had cost me three times that price!”

Despite Solange’s passion for beautiful goods (she had dreamed of becoming a clothing designer), her father thought it wise for a young woman to have a more stable job so she studied medicine before moving to Canada, where she worked in the pharmaceuticals field, transitioned into retail and eventually became the North American CEO for a renowned French shoe company. “It was then that I realized there weren’t many high-quality shoe companies creating flawlessly fitting, yet stylish shoes for professional women like me.”

In 2016, at the age of 54, she launched Flore Mirabeau, a name that combines the feminine (flore for flower) with the masculine (Mirabeau is a famous bridge in Paris). She says, “The brand was inspired by the elegance of the ’50s Dior woman but adapted to the 2020 woman: she works, raises her family, does philanthropy and, above all, travels and needs to have a curated wardrobe with quality pieces that go with everything. Shoes must be as functional as they are stylish.”

I can’t emphasize enough how comfortable Flore Mirabeaus are and that is saying something because I was useless at wearing heels until I discovered these – they really are a joy to walk in. And – too much information – I have bunions (sorry!), but these shoes both accommodate them (no pinching) and help hide them. This is very much by design as Solange endured multiple ankle surgeries when she was young (she was a competitive figure skater) which made it difficult for her to find shoes that fit and impossible for her to wear a heel higher than 6cm.

Just before launching the brand, she attended a colleague’s wedding and it cemented her plan to create comfortable shoes that look amazing. “I felt really short during the church ceremony and wondered, ‘are all young people way taller now?’ But later when the dancing started, I fit right in… all the young ladies had switched to ballet flats because they couldn’t bear their high heels!”

I just love the way the look – so cool, yet classic – I can imagine someone like Sofia Coppola wearing these. They feel very French and timeless, and in an age of fast fashion, incredibly timely. “I always favour quality over quantity. I’ve actually never shopped at Zara or H&M,” says Solange. “Sustainable means buying better quality pieces with timeless designs that can last a lifetime.”

Flore Mirabeaus are made in limited quantities, in Italy, in a small family-owned plant near Venice where each contributor is paid a fair, living wage. “It is key to work with people who do the best job possible and are able to earn a decent living doing so.”

Then there are the delicious colours, from the moody, dusty emerald Madeleine pump to candy-apple red Adele. “The Adele is my favourite. It reminds me of the Bally patent-leather Mary Jane of my childhood but in a much more grown-up version. The block heel is super steady, and its rounded toe is very comfortable. It’s the shoe that allows me to walk all day without suffering at all.” My Julia Deep Black Pumps, and my bunions, agree!