The quest for the perfect flats: Repetto
For the longest time I have been searching for the perfect flats. So you can imagine how excited I was when I received an email from MyTheresa that their Repetto classic black ballerina’s were on sale. I had my eyes on them for so long but always found them a bit too expensive. Years ago I tried on those timeless nude/black flats from Chanel. Obviously they were much cheaper at that time but at €450, I didn’t dare spend that much money on a pair of flats. Don’t ask me if I regret it, LOL. Anyway, they’re even more expensive now than they were back then, so I don’t even consider them an option anymore.
The search continued and Repetto caught my interest. They ticked all the right boxes; classic, elegant and I’m a sucker for heritage stories. These would be it. Well, they arrived last week and I feel disappointed. Worn, they look delicate and dainty. The overall fit is lovely. The leather feels wonderful and the sole feels nice and sturdy (I have read complaints about the thin leather soles but these are a newer version with rubber soles).
My one and only issue is that toe cleavage. I didn’t expect the vamp to be that low. I looked up some images on Instagram and read a few reviews before I ordered them but none of them mention the low vamp. Any readers with Repetto experiences? Is there any chance of getting rid of that toe cleavage once the leather softens up? I don’t want to send them back but I have to be realistic. If this is how they will look, it is very likely that it will continue to bother me.
Maybe I should rename this blog: the chronicles of a fastidious shopper.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
I love the toe cleavage and think they look great on you! But if you don’t love them (or the toe cleavage) you should probably return them.
Thanks. You’re right! I still have a few days left to decide, thankfully. If I’m still doubting them next week, they’re going back for sure.
I am wearing an older pair of Repetto flats at the moment (probably the BB style which preceded the Cendrillon) and the toe cleavage is mostly covered. Have you tried adjusting the tie at all? It’s supposed to tighten the fit which would also push your toes further inward if they are not already. I’ve had Repettos for a long time and have never paid attention to the toe cleavage as I don’t mind it.
Oh, thanks for the tip! I’ll give it a try 🙂 I guess your experiences as good since you’ve been wearing them for a long time. That’s good to hear.
I believe there were two types of this particular ballerina – Cendrillon (your pair I suppose) and High Cendrillon with full toe cover. Unfortunatelly the High Cendrillon type hasn´t been available at the Repetto online store for a while (I was considering to buy it), so probably it´s discontinued.
I actually got the Lili’s. I’m not sure what the difference between these pairs is, I’m afraid. Maybe I should have done some extra research. Just from looking at them, they don’t look very different. Except that the Lili ones have a rubber sole.
I saw on the Repetto website this description of the Lili shoes: “Rubber sole ballerina Broad Low-cut trimmed with grosgrain.” I would say that they are supposed to show toe cleavage since they are called low-cut as opposed to the Cendrillon which is a normal cut.
I’d love to know if you ended up returning these! I have about five or six pairs of Cendrillons, and they are by far my favourite ballet flat. Admittedly, you can slap a sole on them and they’ll last a good few years, but once the thread on the back of the heel breaks, there’s no going back. I LOVE them, but they’re not shoes you can repair over and over again.
The Cendrillons have a much higher vamp than the ones you’ve pictured above! I don’t have ANY issues with the vamp on my Cendrillons, whereas I struggle with the Porsellis, which I’ve also tried.