Bridal footwear brand takes next step on path to growth with US operation

Manchester-based bridal footwear and accessories business, Charlotte Mills, is expanding, with stock now available in North America.

The UK’s fasting growing bridal brand has now launched into the US with a US-only website offering free shipping and returns.

Since graduating from London College of Fashion, joining alumni Jimmy Choo, and Sophia Webster, Charlotte and her eponymous brand have been on a mission to create romantic statement shoes and clutch bags accessible to all brides.

The brand is known for its handcrafted shoes with a silver sixpence in each pair and the handcrafted, embossed words on the leather soles, saying: “Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Silver Sixpence in her Shoe”.

Charlotte Mills also provides a collection of matching clutch bags that can be worn far beyond the bride’s wedding day.

Logistically, the brand now has a fulfilment centre dedicated to the US market.

Founder and creative director, Charlotte Mills, said: “Although the pandemic brought on a screeching halt to the wedding industry, as with many others, brides took to the internet to search for direct-to-consumer bridalwear brands.

“With this, we’ve seen a surge in our US customer base crying out for our shoes and accessories, not only for their micro-weddings but from bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and rehearsal dinners to the wedding day itself – when it was safe to do so.

“With the demand, it was the natural next step for us to move into the US.”

Originally from Manchester, Charlotte set her sights on London where she studied at the prestigious Cordwainers – part of London College of Fashion – graduating with a BA (Hons) in Product Design & Development for the Fashion Industry.

It was here that Charlotte first created a bridal footwear collection for her final degree show and joined the list of alumni, including Jimmy Choo, Patrick Cox and Sophia Webster.

Having worked for several years for some of the UK’s best known high street brands, the concept for Charlotte Mills Bridal was still a burning ambition.

Using a business grant, remortgaging her home and gathering all her financial resources, Charlotte launched her eponymous collection in 2014.