Brigitte Bardot’s Repetto Classics by Jennifer Johnson
Repetto will shortly celebrate 80 years. Born in 1947, fast forward to 2027 and the chic brand is still timeless. The ballet shoes for streetwear were first made famous by Brigitte Bardot.
Kate Moss and her patent-leather Repetto Rose Mary Janes, with a 3cm block heel and a delicate buttoned strap helped her become an unofficial ambassador for Repetto, decades later.
And God Created Repetto
Founder Rose Repetto (who launched her shoes in 1947, designed for her dancer son) was listening carefully, when in 1956, Brigitte Bardot, a former ballerina, asked for a pair of ‘outdoor ballet pumps’ in red that she could wear for her role in the film And God Created Woman.
This became the Cendrillon ballet flat which is now available in a huge range of colours.
Enter the Heels
Sarah Jessica Parker has also worn the classic Repetto ballet shape, but with a block heel. The Paris flagship store was certainly on her shopping list. Alexa Chung is a Repetto fan too.
Karl Lagerfeld collaborated with Repetto from its Perigord factory.
The Repetto Secret
They don’t stretch and run small but go to size 43 to compensate. A ballet string tightens the entire shoe if you wish.
The secret to their success is the ease with which they can be thrown into hand luggage for stars who need something extra.
Men also love Repetto’s designs for fashionable French males. Serge Gainsbourg modelled their Zizi loafer.
How to Wear Them
All the ballet flats are handmade. Bardot wore hers with cropped Capri pants or a full 1950s skirt and wide belt.
Audrey Hepburn was also a fan of flats – hers were from Salvadore Ferragamo whom she befriended filming Roman Holiday in 1954. Like B.B. the beautiful Hepburn wore hers with cropped, tight, Capri pants.
Amy Winehouse preferred ballet flats from Gandolfi and Freed of London. She wore hers with mini skirts , shorts and bare legs until the pink flats were torn and brown – or just with jeans. One of the styles Amy preferred, specifically, was the Satin Aspire ballet shoe.
Amy’s ballets were even auctioned and sold for well over US $2000, scuffed and stained. Read more on this here.
Diana Vreeland’s Big Idea?
Some say the idea for taking the shoes from the stage to the street, was first proposed by famed fashion editor Diana Vreeland in the pages of Harper’s Bazaar.
It came as a result of wartime rationing which restricted the amount of leather shoes that could be made. The first ballet flats were mostly fabric, sometimes including a little rubber for the soles.
There’s no doubt it was B.B. who took the dance shoes from ballet to the catwalks – and on fashionable feet though – where they have become classics.
Chanel only pursued the ‘very flat’ flat in 1957 using an iconic two-toned design, where they worked with her suits.
Balletcore and Beyond
In 2025, the classic Bardot and Chanel round toe has gone square with a number of brands. This takes the original design beyond Balletcore to a more offbeat place.
Worn with scrunched socks and short-shorts, the T-bar flats have also been updated.
If you still long for Repetto, though, ELLE advises to order a half size larger in their shopping guide.
The Repetto Outlet – France
If you are lucky enough to live in France, you may already know about the 50% off Repetto outlet at La Vallee Village. It’s under one hour from Paris.
https://www.thebicestercollection.com/la-vallee-village/en/brands/repetto
Add a pair of fishnets with a seam at the back, think Bardot and away you go.
