Helena writes:
Menthe et Grenadine is an online children’s shoe store that pledges to offer good quality, affordable shoes. I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to try out a pair of shoes for my eight-year-old daughter Millie.
The company is owned by Christian & Katharina von Massenbach, who embarked upon professional shoemaking to help address the difficulties that parents face in finding children’s shoes that are healthy, affordable and good quality. The store’s first collection was launched in 2011. The company is a member of the Society of Shoe Fitters and is committed to foot health and correct footwear. Menthe et Grenadine uses European family-run factories that employ traditional shoe-making techniques to create each pair of shoes, and every detail of each design has been carefully selected for that particular style.
The website has a dedicated shoe-fitting section for each design, with very simple instructions that enabled me to accurately measure Millie for her shoes. She has been trying out Menthe et Grenadine’s Adelaide style, a traditional and feminine Mary-Jane design. The shoes are made from brown suede-leather, with soft calfskin lining and insoles. They have riptape fastening and a rubber sole.
My first impression was that the shoes appeared to be very sturdy and well-made, although I wondered if they may in fact have been too shallow inside to wear comfortably, however Millie found them comfortable and easy to wear from the first time she tried them on. My other concern was that the colour and style of the shoes might not appeal to Millie, because they look quite different from what she would usually choose. However, she liked them as soon as she saw them, and she wears these shoes when she attends the Brownies every week, because they go well with her brownie uniform, as well as with most of her dresses, leggings and shorts. I almost wish that they were a little darker in colour so that she could get away with wearing them to school, because she finds them so comfortable. These shoes have now been worn outside on a regular basis for several weeks, and they still look brand-new.
The styles available from Menthe et Grenadine’s online store are very varied in colour and design and there should be something that will appeal to every parent and child. Having specific fitting instructions for each style has worked very well for us because it takes away the uncertainty about sizing that usually goes along with buying shoes for children online.
As a mother-of-three I estimate that I have bought around fifteen pairs of children’s shoes during the last twelve months. These have come from various retailers at a cost that I do not like to think about, and some have lasted far better than others. As a parent-consumer I personally love the designs and ethos of Menthe et Grenadine and I am confident that the shoes are well-made to a consistent standard and are of good quality. I also feel that the shoes are reasonably priced and I am hoping that the store will have something suitable for my son when he starts school.
Adelaide shoes are available from Menthe et Grenadine for £44.95
