Shoe designer Jane Winkworth started her career in 1968 with her first small collection of ballet inspired footwear made by Gamba and Annello and Davide.
In 1989 Jane launched the original and now world famous international brand French Sole which grew from the humble origins of a Mail Order company based in Jane’s home in Markham Square, Chelsea, in London to the first store in Fulham and then to Sloane Square and onwards to Marylebone and the famous Kings Road in Chelsea with an outlet store in prestigious Weybridge in Surrey.
Huge press coverage followed Jane in 1993 when the late Princess of Wales bought twelve pairs of Jane’s ballet flats and then became a regular and devoted customer until her death. The Princess had taken two new pairs of shoes with her to St Tropez on her last trip and Jane regularly visited Kensington Palace to take shoes to the Princess. Jane supplied all the Princess’ ballet flats for her official trips to Hong Kong and to Argentina and also for the private visit to Pakistan with Imran and Jemima Khan.
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