Miss L Fire Spring/Summer 2020 - Color, quality and vintage inspiration 🌸

Mondo Kaos always considers carefully when taking on new brands. There are of course the style and quality to consider, and the question of whether the brand fits into Mondo Kaos' universe? And of course, we have fewer shoe brands than clothing brands.

According to owner Ditte, one of the reasons Miss L Fire made it through the eye of the needle at Mondo Kaos is the fantastic quality that Mondo Kaos can always vouch for, and the shoes from Miss L Fire are the perfect match for our retro range.

Mondo Kaos has been selling Miss L Fire shoes since 2013. Since day 1, they have been a sure winner with customers, who have embraced the shoes in the beautiful colors and wonderful combinations and eagerly await the new models that come every season.

All employees have at least one favorite model, and they are happy to stand up in it for 8 hours straight, even in high-heeled shoes or sandals as the comfort is just that good.

Some of the other models from our Spring/Summer 2020 collection can be seen below:

Founder of Miss L Fire, Lynsey Hand

Founder Lynsey Hand worked in the shoe industry for well-known brands such as Clarks and Office before deciding to start Miss L Fire in 2005.

Lynsey had always had a love of retro and vintage and had noticed that it was impossible to find vintage shoes in larger sizes. She certainly hadn't been able to find any for herself in size 41 (uk7), and with a dream of making shoes in all sizes for vintage-loving ladies, Miss L Fire was born.

Although Miss L Fire was always meant to be a modern twist on a vintage shoe, perhaps along the way, there has been less focus on the traditional retro look and more on Lynsey's own playful, colorful style based on the different styles of the past.

Where are the shoes produced?

Consumers today are far more conscious of sustainability and ethics than ever before and want to know where and how the products they buy are made.

Miss L Fire works with two family-run factories in Portugal and a single company in China, with the premise that shoes are only as good as the people who make them. Therefore, it's obvious to Lynsey Hand and her team that the manufacturers she uses must meet high standards in terms of working conditions and the mantra of quality over quantity. She works closely with the factories, including going down herself to check before the next collection is put into production.

Both Portuguese factories have a small, dedicated team of shoemakers and everything is handmade. Combining both old and new technologies to create the perfect comfortable, 'Made In Portugal' collections.

The company in China started making Miss L Fire shoes 5 years ago and they work with a small, all-female team to create beautifully crafted shoes with attention to detail.

Sustainable production

The climate crisis is on everyone's lips. And unfortunately, the clothing and shoe industry is one of the biggest culprits, second only to the oil industry. That's why we at Mondo Kaos pay special attention to brands that meet certain requirements, in most cases this means at least small productions with minimal product waste. Miss L Fire is a brand that has always been committed to environmentally and socially responsible production.

This means, among other things, a small production of small batches, less overproduction, manufacturing to order, no cheap labor and that no shoes are thrown away.

However, the production of leather shoes is not without its problems, what is Miss L Fire doing about it and are vegan shoes the solution?

Vegan shoes

Miss L Fire receives many inquiries about vegan shoes. But what and how do vegan shoes differ environmentally from leather shoes and are they sustainable at all? These are some of the questions Lynsey Hand has addressed. Leather has been used for centuries as the material of choice as it is durable, breathable and comfortable. Miss L Fire also only makes shoes in sustainable leather, meaning that the leather comes from animals that have been used in the food industry, rather than being bred for leather.

The tanning process is the problem with leather production. A lot of water and harmful chemicals are used, which is why Miss L Fire ensures that tanneries meet the international eco-mark and as often as possible use vegetable tanned leather, which is by far the best for the environment. However, this is still only possible with the more natural colors.

When it comes to vegan shoes, the problem is the material. In the best cases, it's polyurethane (PU), and even the best version has only half the durability of leather, while taking 1000 years to degrade in nature. Yes, 1000! that's not good enough yet.

Alternatives to plastic are of course a rapidly developing area, and Lynsey and the Miss L Fire team are keeping a close eye on new opportunities to produce vegan and eco-friendly shoes in the future.

What we can vouch for

Lynsey produces in small batches so as to never throw away shoes.

The shoes should be of such high quality that they can be reused season after season and should make their owner so happy that they want to take care of them. They are vintage-inspired and perfect for vintage and retro outfits, but thanks to their modern twist and colors, they can also be used in the modern wardrobe.

Here at Mondo Kaos, that's exactly what we do. We love our Miss L Fire shoes and have discontinued models we talk about with longing and hope will return to the range one day. Until then, we're enjoying all the great new shoes.

Love from Team Mondo Kaos ❤️