In May 2004, Emmy Scarterfield launched Emmy London on her own, making only bespoke bridal shoes for the luxury UK wedding market. She calls it a niche within a niche, and I love how specific that is. Every pair of Emmy London shoes still carries a trace of that start.

 

Emmy trained at Cordwainer's College and designed in Milan for Giorgio Armani and Bottega Veneta before building her own label. As a child she pushed wooden blocks into her socks to play at high heels, which feels right for someone who now cares so much about the last, the mold that sets toe shape, heel height and the whole silhouette. Every pair is designed in London and handmade by shoemakers in Portugal, and each gets a small crystal on the sole. If you want to keep going, Damson Madder Raincoat: The London Label That Made Rain Gear Playful is the one I would read next.

 

Block heels are where I would begin. The Josie in cherry red suede is the one for a gray coat and a dark knit, a single bright note in October. The Josie in saddle brown suede works with olive trousers and tights. The Harriet in black suede has an ankle bow and a d'Orsay cut, and the Harriet in powder blue suede, with its ankle tie, is the softer cousin. The Mia in black suede is the court I would hand a friend who needs one shoe for a long day, and the Mia in ivory on a low block is the quiet one for a civil ceremony.

 

The Florence in ivory with its satin bow and the Stella sandal with an ankle strap round out the family. Test any block heel by standing still for a full minute: the heel should sit under you, not behind you.

The brand became better known for its court shoes than for bridal alone, and the pointed stilettos show why. Emmy's own shorthand is comfort and beauty in the same shoe, so even the high heels get padded insoles and a considered last. I went deeper on a related idea in Bridal Shoes: From Queen Victoria's Satin Slippers to Today's Pearl Heels.

 

The Rebecca is the dressy one. In black patent leather it is made for a slip dress and sheer tights, and in candy red suede it is the shoe I would put under a plain camel trench. The Claudia comes in black leather and in silver, both on a straight mid heel; the silver one turns dark denim into a dinner outfit. The Tess in black suede and in navy suede has a slim low heel, which is the sensible answer to a day that starts at a desk and ends somewhere with candles.

 

In my fashion dreams, she is walking home in the Florence in powder blue suede, the satin bow a little crumpled, a long coat open over a gray dress. The Florence in greenery, a deep green suede, sits on a slim 85mm heel, and I would pair it with chocolate brown tights.

 

Slip a finger behind the heel and walk across a hard floor before deciding on any pointed shoe. If the toe pinches when you stand, the heel height is wrong for you. What I would skip: bright suede on a wet day, because it asks for more care than a commute allows.

Emmy says her shoes are made to be worn well beyond the big day, and the flats make that easy to believe. A flat still needs a considered last, and these are shaped like their heeled cousins.

 

The Lulu pointed flat in black leather is the one I would wear with cropped trousers and a white shirt. In chocolate brown suede it suits a wool skirt and a rust sweater. The Cece ballet flat has a small bow at the toe, in black or navy leather, and it is the gentlest way into an office dress code. The Zoe in black suede has a satin ankle bow and a crystal buckle option, a flat for someone who wants support at the ankle.

 

The Penny loafer in dark chocolate suede and calf leather, with its tassel, belongs with straight-leg jeans and thick socks for weekend errands. The May flat sandal, in tan or ivory leather with an ankle strap, is a late-season shoe I would tuck away for spring, or carry on a trip somewhere warm.

 

Check the vamp, the part over your toes, before you commit. It should lie flat without gaping when you walk. What I would skip: ivory leather sandals in the rain, because pale leather shows every splash.

A bespoke pair at Emmy London can take four to five months from sketch to shoe, and the embellishment begins as a color-coded flat drawing that is then hand beaded and fitted to a three-dimensional shape. Brides today can choose a color for the crystal on the sole, which I find rather romantic.

 

The Isadora has floral embroidery sweeping along the foot on a slim mid heel. The Mirabelle is a peep-toe T-bar in ivory suede with beaded accents on a high heel. The Gabriella comes in two versions: the Pearl has pearl beading, and the Crystal is inspired by the ripples of the Douro river in Porto. The Harriet with beaded pearls is an update to the brand's Harriet Sash Bow style.

 

For plainer dresses, the Tess in ivory suede on a low heel, the Claudia in ivory on a straight mid heel and the Rebecca in ivory on a high straight heel are the clean pointed courts. In our fashion dreams, a bride in a satin slip crosses a stone courtyard in the Rebecca, and the crystal on the sole winks only when she lifts her foot.

 

There is a practical point for ivory suede: the brand suggests skipping suede protector before the day, so the shoes can be dyed afterward for rewear. What I would skip: ordering your size without a swatch of the suede, because ivory varies against a dress.

Emmy has designed shoes for brides and for guests, and this last family is where evening looks collect. The ideas are simple: a strap, a bow, a slim heel.

 

The Katie slingback has a buckle strap and low block heel, in misty rose suede and in ivory suede, and I would wear the pink one with a gray wool dress. The Anna in gold leather is a pointed slingback on a kitten heel with a sweeping strap, made for a black velvet skirt at a December party. The Stella sandal in gold leather sits on a low block with an ankle strap.

 

Mules lean dressier. The Ruby in ivory suede is a clean peep-toe mule on a slim mid heel, billed as a shoe to wear again. The Georgina in black suede and in ivory suede, with a bow on a slim 85mm heel, would be my pick for a long black skirt. The Honor Pearl has a pearl strap on a stiletto kitten heel, and I would keep it for something close to a wedding.

 

Before buying a slingback or mule, try the strap with the sock or sheer hose you plan to wear, and walk down stairs. What I would skip: a mule for a day of walking, since the heel has nothing holding it.

Pick the heel height you can stand in first, then the color. If I were choosing one, it would be a Josie or a Harriet block heel in a color that already lives in your closet.

 

After that, add a flat, like the Lulu or the Cece, so you have something for the long days. If a wedding is on the calendar, order a suede swatch and take your time.

 

Emmy began in 2004 with bespoke bridal shoes only, and the crystal under the sole is still the detail I would look for last. It is the sort of secret a good shoe should keep.