The Cendrillon by Repetto, a Shatteringly Timid Icon

This story is none other than that of the Cendrillon by Repetto, that left the stages of the opera to triumph in town and that, even today, reaps the applause and favor of women everywhere. Indeed, the Cendrillon is available in every possible color, with its fluorescent and pastel shades in parallel with basic colors like black, red, and white. This multitude of colors available is all on top of a diverse selection of materials: varnish, goat hide, velours, crystal, mekong, veal leather, lamb hide, or goat leather. Indented right to the toes, adorned with a small cotton bow that actually allows you to adjust the shoe on your foot, high heeled or down to earth, the Cendrillon perfects any outfit with its timeless vibe that’s always right on point with the latest fashions.

It’s difficult to discuss the Cendrillon, however, without first discussing the history of Repetto itself, since it’s this shoe that gave the brand its triumphant renown. Indeed, it was in 1947 that the founder, Rose Repetto, had the innovative idea to sew the sole of a dance shoe backwards before flipping it back around to relieve the overburdened feet of her son, classical dancer Roland Repetto. This technique, called “cousu-retourné”, was a revolution for dancers because it allowed them to better cushion shocks. This new ballet flat would be an immediate success thanks to the notoriety of Roland Repetto, and would be worn by starred dancers of the Opéra Garnier such as Béjart, Noureev, or Baryshnikov, although it’s success was limited to the dance world.

It would take until 1956 for the Cendrillon to achieve its destiny of an icon. This is when the film And God Created Woman first came out; in it, Brigitte Bardot personally requested to wear a pair of red varnish ballerina flats. The revolution was in motion; the Cendrillon was born. Ever since, women have adopted the shoe to achieve elegance all while maintaining a certain comfort; this is how the ballet flat became an inevitable classic. Afterwards, other emblematic women would wear these ballet flats such as Audrey Hepburn or, later on, Angelina Jolie and Sofia Coppola.

Today, the Cendrillon embodies all the values of the brand and its founder, for whom savoir-faire was primordial, one of the keys to success. The “cousu-retourné” method hasn’t changed and is done by hand in the brand’s ateliers in Saint-Médard d’Excideuil by specialized artisans with a respect for tradition. The second key to the brand’s success definitely resides in their efforts for perpetual innovation, as evidenced by the great variety of styles available, but also the ability to customize these ballet flats in the Ateliers Repetto.

The Cendrillon by Repetto carries with it the memory of this unique story, hardly befitting of an icon, perpetually imbued with classical dance, fashioned by tradition, without lacking for modernity or freshness, allowing women to dance on the stages of the city sidewalks like starred ballerinas at the Opera.