This week we are shining a light on another one of our incredible local business neighbours, this time in Notting Hill. Designer footwear and accessories brand Penelope Chilvers is a favourite of Kate Middleton and the Countess of Wessex and bodies the term “seasonless style” with her products that never waver in their popularity, no matter the year or season. Championing artesian craft, heritage and all things English, we sit down with the designer to talk about everything from craft, tradition and sustainability.
Born and raised in England, Penelope Chilvers studied painting at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London before receiving a scholarship from the Spanish Ministry of Culture to pursue an MA at Complutense University in Madrid.
Her passion for Spanish traditional craftsmanship began from an early age after spending every school break as a child in Girona, where she first discovered rustic, handcrafted alpargatas. Since then, she’s been striving to recreate the ideal raw-edged, bullhide moccasin, a vision she recalls from her childhood memory, additionally to developing a range of eclectic vibrant styles from trainers, loafers and even heels which sit alongside her iconic pieces, like the designers renowned “Long Tassel Boot”.