Dear Frances
Established · $400-$700 · London, United Kingdom
Italian-made footwear with minimalist lines and architectural restraint, made to last well beyond the season.
Think: Made-to-last footwear, clean lines, tonal.
The buy: the pared-back boot
What to buy
the pared-back boot
Categories
Occasions
Why Dear Frances is worth it
Dear Frances makes pared-back shoes by hand in Italy, and its sheer mesh ballet flat turns a plain classic into something sleeker and sexier.
Every pair is handmade in Italy in soft nappa, suede, calf hair or patent, with leather linings, padded insoles and slim stacked heels. The shapes are restrained and exact, almond toes, thin soles, a single strap or knot, and the sheer mesh styles add a near-bare look that sits as easily with tailoring as with jeans.
Dear Frances picks
View All Picks →
Is now a good time?
The sale pattern
From 13 months of sale tracking.
Dear Frances discounts about every 27 weeks, and it's been 19 weeks.
- Runs a sale
- about every 2 quarters
- Last sale
- 4 months ago
- Typically claims
- 50% off
- Deepest claimed
- 50% offMay 2025
About Dear Frances
Jane Frances and her husband Scott O’Connor founded Dear Frances in London in 2016. Jane, born in Sydney, studied footwear design in Milan and learned the craft inside an artisan shoe factory near the city.
The label pairs that Italian workmanship with a London designer's restraint: clean, slightly directional flats, boots and loafers, and a sheer mesh ballet flat that became its calling card.
- Founded
- 2016
- Founded by
- Jane Frances and Scott O’Connor
- Based in
- London, United Kingdom
- Made in
- Italy
- Made of
- Italian leathers and sheer Italian mesh, with leather linings and soles
- Shipping
- Ships to the US from its US or UK warehouse, delivered duties paid, in 1 to 3 days; express shipping is $18, free over $300.
- Where to buy
- Dear Frances's own site · Our Dear Frances picks
What shoppers say
From reviews and try-on videos, in our words.
- Fit
True to size but on the narrow side, as Italian sizing tends to be, so between sizes or with wider feet, go up one. Owners say the mesh flats fit like a glove.
- Quality
Most owners praise the craftsmanship and comfort; a few report leather peeling or straps giving way within days on slides and sandals.
- Shipping
US orders ship delivered duties paid from its US or UK warehouse, usually in 1 to 3 days, so nothing is due on arrival. Express shipping is $18, free over $300.
- Returns
Full-price pairs return free within 14 days. Sale pairs can't be refunded: you get one size exchange or store credit (in California, an exchange only). Archive pairs and styles marked Final Sale can't come back at all.
- Care
Keep pairs in their dust bags, brush suede, polish leather with a soft cloth and keep them away from moisture and direct heat; shoe trees help them hold their shape.
What Dear Frances is made of
- Natural
- 76%
- Plant-based
- 0%
- Synthetic
- 24%
Works most in: leather and synthetics
From the material listed on 110 pieces · 100% of the range lists it · Checked October 2026
Dear Frances in our edits
View All Edits →
If you like Dear Frances
The buy: the barely-there sandal
Minimalist sandals and flats handmade in Tuscany, where clean lines and ultra-light construction make restraint feel modern.
The buy: the perfect 90s heel
Minimalist footwear with clean lines and square-toe precision, Berlin modernism made for daily life.
The buy: the low leather heel
Feminine leather shoes with sleek restraint, footwear actually designed to be walked in.
The buy: the handcrafted mary jane
Minimalist flats, mules and mary janes handcrafted in Argentina, made to order or in small batches.
Dear Frances, answered
- What is Dear Frances?
- Dear Frances is a women's shoe label designed in London and made in Italy, known for minimal flats, boots and loafers, and for its sheer mesh ballet flat.
- Is Dear Frances a good brand?
- Yes. We like it for restrained, well-made shoes: handmade in Italy in good leathers, with leather linings and soles, and a mesh ballet flat that owners say fits like a glove.
- Where is Dear Frances from?
- London, where it's designed. Every pair is made by hand in Italy.
- Who founded Dear Frances?
- Designer Jane Frances and her husband Scott O’Connor founded it in 2016.
- Does Dear Frances run true to size?
- Mostly, but it runs a little narrow. If you're between sizes or have wider feet, go up a size.
- Does Dear Frances ship to the US?
- Yes, delivered duties paid from its US or UK warehouse, so nothing is due on arrival. Express shipping is $18, free over $300.
- Where can I buy Dear Frances?
- On the brand's own site, or through our Dear Frances picks.
- When does Dear Frances go on sale?
- Across the 3 sales we have tracked, Dear Frances has run one about every 2 quarters. The last one was about 4 months ago.
- How much does Dear Frances discount?
- Their sale emails consistently advertise about 50% off. We have not measured it on the rack.
- What is Dear Frances made of?
- Across the 110 pieces we could read in October 2026, the material is about 76% natural and 24% synthetic. The most common materials are leather and synthetics.
- Which brands are like Dear Frances?
- If you like Dear Frances, look at Emme Parsons, Aeyde, Poeve and Zou Xou.