What was your career prior to opening the shop?
I worked in advertising for large creative agencies on a variety of products from whisky to shampoo to fashion. Delivering large advertising campaigns for M&S, L’Oreal and Shell.
Why ‘shoes’?
As a child my shoes were incredibly important to me, it was the one aspect of my school uniform I could personalise, if only a little bit. I’ve never wanted the same shoes as everyone else and that’s why I love independent shoe brands. I am most excited about shoe shopping when I’m travelling in Spain, Italy, France because that’s when you stumble across something a little bit different.
How did you come up with the name ‘Made the Edit’?
I love shoes but even now with all the technology finding the best independent shoe brands in the world isn’t easy, so I decided to make my own edit of the shoe brands that I love and that’s how MADE THE EDIT was born.
Who is your favourite shoe designer?
I’ll have to answer this a slightly different way, we started Made the Edit with the belief that it’s possible to have lots of favourite shoe designers, mine tend to be the artisanal ones, the ones who make for the high-end designers but also design and make for themselves. But you don’t get to hear about those because they don’t have large SEO budgets, grand advertising campaigns or celebrity ambassadors.
You have become quite a destination, how are your
products unique?
What we sell is unique in a number of different ways, the edit itself is unique. Our own-label collection is unique to us and we often collaborate with the brands we work with to create styles or colours unique to us too. But, the thing that’s important is we only make in small batches, our model is about the scarcity of individual styles whilst still having the choice of lots of independent brands. Your shoes reflect a little about who you are and we want to offer something a little different so our clients’ choice can be unique too.
How have things changed since re-opening after the COVID-19 lockdown?
I think when you’re in bricks and mortar retail it’s so easy to limit your thinking and ideas to a fixed location. For us, Covid-19 has propelled us faster into how we as a business can start using technology in a more game-changing way.
You and your family are local to the area, what do you love about SW London?
I love the little pockets of London villages. For my family it’s the closeness of everything, having such a well established high street nearby is everything, especially during lockdown. I’ve probably had
the best meals during lockdown because of the local grocery, delicatessen, coffee and bread shop, even in the toughest times a familiar friendly face at your local independent store can be everything.
How have you managed business and a baby?
My husband tells me it’s my stubbornness as well as tenacity that’s kept me pushing forward. Juggling a start-up and having a baby/toddler hasn’t been easy, but I don’t expect it to be. I try to approach life’s challenges with a touch of optimism, try and find the positives in everything. 3 months of lockdown gave me time with Raphy that I’d probably have missed. My passion for the business hasn’t waned despite everything the last year has thrown our way and I’m as determined as ever to create the business I set out to.
Do you have any particular plans for the future of
Made the Edit?
Absolutely. Sometimes I think our plan is bigger than we ought to dream. I read on Instagram the other day ‘adding a date to a dream creates a goal and creating a to-do list for that goal is a plan’. I’m writing a lot of to-do lists at present…
What are your favourite haunts in the local area?
Brickwood in Balham, their banana bread is amazing and such a treat.
You can find the New Autumn/Winter 2020 edit available @madetheedit.com or visit 79 Northcote Road, London, SW11 6PJ.