I love that Josephine isn’t brand affiliated. I think creating brand loyalty is an even bigger marketing tool than it was in previous decades and I it’s easy to get sucked into it. Pointe shoes should be about what fits you and not who the ambassadors are or what you see other people wearing.

These brands are well-known in France (they are like the most popular, especially Repetto) haha.

I actually have Merlet Divas. I used to always wear Grishko Smart Pointe, but since I dance 65+ hours a week, the shoe would die so fast. My Divas are amazing due to the plastic shank and the gel padding inside. I really wanted you to review the Diva, so thank you so much for this!

Repetto ballet flats were a very popular street-shoe in the 1950s. Audrey Hepburn (who started out as a ballerina) wore them a lot, back then.

Oh ! French pointe shoes ! I honestly thought that Repetto was slightly more popular abroad. Here, in France, you can't really escape it when you do ballet. They don't really work for me however and I didn't really liked the shade of the satin. Merlet, on the other hand, was the very first brand I was introduced to. When I got fitted for my first pair, I was a a bit older than the typical age and had pretty strong muscle already. But the fitter put me in the softest shank in Merlet, which was called the Prelude at the time. Extremely comfortable but I broke them so so fast ! Mine didn't have the purple lining however. Beautiful shoes, some are handmade in Limoges. Thank you for the video !

Miss Josephine!!! I love you’re videos! They helped me know what to expect when I got my first pair of pointe shoes! :)

I used to wear Repettos when I used to dance almost 30 years ago. I still have a brand new pair.

It's amazing how much thought goes into how you choose a shoe for each person! I love hearing all the different considerations, it's fascinating. I wish you were a fitter in NY!

I have no idea why i'm so obsessed with pointe shoes and how they're constructed/fitted/customized/broken in

Never took dance, never took ballet, love watching these videos :)

I love you sitting so close to the camera so we can really see the shoes.

I love my repettos! I find that they are a great replacement for Freeds because they still look beautiful, but they last a lot longer and much more consistent, so no need to worry about makers! I think they’re really great for students who don’t want to be going through shoes every week and they look soooo gorgeous in the SFB girls too!

I wear merlet pulsion at the moment and I really like them. I think merlet shoes are a great option for beginners and to build up strength.

It's always kind of funny to realize that dancers from other parts of the world don't know Repetto ! Repetto is like THE ballet shoe in France. I started with Repettos, when back in the 60s. I still have my vintage white leather flats for that matter, although when I went back to ballet class last year, after a 42 years gap, my teacher suggested I switch to soft, split soles slippers. I bought Capezios Hanami, and I have to admit stretch fabric and split soles are so much more pleasant to work with, so comfortable, and give you a very beautiful line. So my vintage Repettos went back in my archive box, right next to my first pointe shoes, Repettos also ! When I went back on pointe this year, my fitter found the perfect pair for me, not Repettos but Blochs. Fun facts : Rose Repetto started making her son's dance shoes in 1947, in a small shop near Opéra de Paris. So the first user of Repetto slippers was none other that Roland Petit, famous dancer and later choreographer. And in 1956 she created the Cendrillon slippers for everyday wear at the request of Brigitte Bardot, who made them famous by wearing them in And God created woman... Nowadays, a pair of Cendrillon slippers will cost you about 195€, if not more depending on the material.

Can you discuss the particular needs and issues for plus size dancer’s point shoes?

Great to see that you're talking about these two brands - I have a pair of Repetto 206 in the late 90ies, but the lady at the shop back then didn't really know much about fitting and neither did I, so I ended up with something way too hard - a bit later I got Merlet Etoile from another shop, and these were, finally, my shoes. I still have a pair of both but after a 15 year break, my feet have changed. I'm now in Merlet Pulsion, which I like a lot, but I was always confused that you never really hear much of that brand or Repetto at all, it's always Bloch, Gaynor Minden, and Freed ...

After watching this video I went and purchased my first pair of Merlet (Diva HARD shank model). I got them today and seriously they are GORGEOUS! I’m in love. ❤️❤️❤️❤️I’ve tried loads and loads of shoes to try and fit my awkward feet. These shoes create beautiful lines and they don’t hurt on pointe as much as some do. Can’t say enough good things. Definitely recommend them . Thanks for letting me know about these brands xxx

I wear Merlet Diva’s and I LOVE THEM😍 but they run out of stock pretty quickly on discount dance, so I order like two pairs at a time even if I still have an unused pair. They are definately it for me. Great to know you sell them!!! I also take out the gel that’s inside and wear regular toe pads.

I'm so obsessed with this channel and this is the first time I've heard her mention toes like mine!

In france these brands are very very popular, maybe the most popular. At my first fitting the first pair that the fitter made me try was repetto and right after merlet.

I feel like sodanca is a quite well known brand but most people don’t talk about their pointe shoes. I think they are specially good for people with very thin feet. Maybe you could do a video about them, it would be great! :)

omg i have merlet cloes rn and they're most definitely my fav pair of shoes ever they're so so so comfy and workable and they perfectly fir my foot shape I'm in love with them !!

So excited to see Repetto getting some love! They’re my faves!

It's so nice to hear someone talk about Repetto! I wish I could remember the name of the ones I used to love, I think they were the Wilis model, but not 100%. They were asymmetrical so that they had a true left and right shoe and they were amazing. Anyway, I used to try to tell people about this brand and no one had ever heard of them before.

I got my first pair of pointes today, and they were merlets. they are infinitely better than my Grishko Demi pointes( not to shame grishkos, they are great, but they didn’t really work for my feet) the merlet feels so comfortable, im already in love after 5 minutes of wearing them

I love swede tips! My favorite pointe shoes were an off brand with swede tips. I felt so secure in them. I wore them past dead, and I still have them.

Hi Josephine! I am a pointe shoe fitter in Germany and just absolutely love, love love your videos! They always give me new inspiration and whenever I get stuck durong a fitting, i think "what would Josephine do?" ^^ We have actually been carrying several Merlet models over the years and their Belle is a wonderfully soft shoe for beginners with narrower, more tapered feet. Have you ever checked them out? Best of luck and a sunny spirit to you in these troubled times

Used to wear repetto’s over 25years ago. I was at Joffrey when it was suggested I try them since I have high flexible arches/instep, compressible feet, and disappearing heel. Loved them for quite a few years before switching out of need due to where I was dancing and difficulty in getting them.

I just had a first pointe shoe fitting and got fitted in Merlet Belle’s! I have yet to do my first class in them but I did a lot of research before and knew that different pointe shoe brands were very different but I only fully understood it in the actual fitting. I was fitted in grishkos(never went on pointe in those) and then blochs. With the blochs i found it pretty hard to get on the platform and it was a little wobbly, but when i tried on the merlet it was so much better! I could get onto the platform so much easier and i felt pretty secure once i was up there. I can definitely see this similarity with the divas, as they seem to have a very flat and pretty stable platform. Before i went in for my fitting I didn’t really want merlets because i didn’t know much about them, but it just shows how you must keep an open mind for different brands as they were such better shoe for me! Btw im 14 and have been doing ballet since the age of 3. My teacher approved my pointe shoes and i am so excited for my next lesson so i can wear them!😃

Have you ever seen Degas shoes ? The very first pair I wore was a pair of Degas Petit Rat (little rat, term of endearment for young dancers), they're shoes made for beginners. If I remember correctly, they have a very soft shank.

When I got my first pair of shoes I actually tried on a Merlet and I felt really supported it was an amazing feeling! Unfortunately it hurt a bit on my pinky toe, otherwise I would've definitely bought them. So I'd recommend them still.😊

I have been having Repetto for years! And those are absolutely amazing

Thank you for doing merlet! Merlet cloe saves my life when my size of Russian Pointe is out of stock. It's platform is supet flat you don't have to darn it! And I think cloe has the shortest vamp in merlet. It's soft so I expect it to die faster but the current pair is still good. Fingers crossed. ❤️❤️

I don't do ballet, but I often dance on wood floors, and recently fell in love with suede soled shoes! Mine are from a brand called swayd (get the pun). Excellent option for teachers or anyone looking for an alternative to traditional dance sneakers or ballroom shoes, and they also have an amazing assortment of dance boots! They feel so secure when I'm turning, without feeling grippy. I would imagine that feeling would be even more incredible for pointe work

I love Repetto!! I haven’t worn any of their shoes, but they have some really good dance wear and beautiful bags!!

I was fitted into Merlets right before lockdown. Since we stopped dancing for awhile I haven’t actually tried them yet (still killing my Grishkos). Very curious to see how they feel because they are wildly different than Grishkos!

Thanks. A lot of people are telling me bout repetto and merlet so it was nice I got a review.

I am camping and cursing because ballet and camping are not a great match... THANK-YOU Josephine 💙💚💛🧡💜

I had a friend who wore Repetto for years but was told she had to find a more "mainstream" brand shoe for some reason, I think it had something to do with going to different places for summer intensive or moving on to a big school in the future. She ended up struggling for a couple of years trying to find something else that actually worked and her pointe work really suffered for it until someone was able to find her another shoe that really did work for her. Hopefully more of these brands that are unpopular in the US will become more widely known and accessible so others who are doing well in them don't have to change.

It was really funny, because my ballet teacher doesn't like merlet and she said she has told ballet emporium stores not to fit dancers from her studio into them and when me and my friend first got fitted, they fitted us in merlet first and they said that my teacher loves them lmao

Repettos were my first pair of pointe shoes back in the mid nineties (they were soooooo tiny) ! And now I have a pair of Merlot Divas circulating among my Capezios! But I have freakishly short toes 🤷🏻‍♀️

merlet was my very first shoe! i'd never heard of it until my fitter brought them out as options, and they were the ones that worked best for baby pointe dancer Corvid KEKW

Repettos are pretty popular here in Brazil bc it's one of the 3 brands we can get from the actual store.... everything besides só dança, repetto and bloch you can only get online or from an independent fitter but either way they are subjected to crazy importation taxes that make the shoes too expensive

Oh lord, before I switched to Freeds at the age of 14 1/2 and then for the rest of my career, I lived in Gambas by Repetto. The Gamba 93 was my every day in the studio training hard-core shoe. I loved them. I have a pretty wide foot that is square shaped, with short to medium length toes and those shoes were so great if you were a student that needed a relatively affordable stock shoe with those dimensions. I don’t think Repetto makes the Gamba line anymore But I think you can still find them online through warehouses that sell discontinued and overstock shoes. They are definitely worth finding if you have a certain foot type, especially if you have white feet, square feet or medium to short toes.

I tried Repetto when I was living in Europe. The model that our studio offered fits beautifully but breaks too quickly on my feet. They were really soft.

Now I realize what I am seeing is darning around the toes of the shoes. Thank you for that video. Also someone commented about dancers that prefer ‘dead’ shoes. I am pretty sure the squishy pointe shoes I saw on a certain Russian dancer were ‘dead’. So much to learn about pointe shoes.

I used to wear Gambas. They are not found in the us anymore.

Enjoyed this review, Josephine. Keep them coming!

I was super intrigued by the Merlet from this video so went to look more into them and saw they have a model called Lisa that has interchangeable/removable shanks! I've never heard of this before and would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Thanks for the clarification on the merlet point shoe. The sizing is a bit confusing but I tempted to buy a pair.

Will you ever come to Texas?❤️

I feel DIVA are really comfortable for me, but I do have medium-short toes and it’s hard for me to go through demi with them. Nevertheless, I tend to have big toe calluses and flexible toes so I feel DIVA is really making me feel stable and supporting my sides to don’t have that much pressure on my big toe. But also my line is not looking that much nicer… But I do dance so much better with them and they last long! So, people told me to try Chloé from Merlet… Would you suggest trying Chloé then? Thank you!

I do dance and these videos are so helpful.

I tried repetto years ago for a performance shoes and the one I tried was too soft! It was gorgeous on my feet and they really pushed me over my box as well. But I went with Russian pointes and blochs in the end.

Thank you.

Yayayay! I've been waiting for a Repetto Review. Thank you!! 😍🥰

Have you seen R Class pointe shoes anywhere? Recently i’ve been seeing a lot about them but I’d never heard of them before or know anything about their quality

Grishko and Merlet are the only brands my local ballet store has, so it's nice being able to see some reviews. Any thoughts on Merlet Adagio?

I’m curious to know what you think of Siberian Swan pointe shoes!

I wore the Merlet diva before for like 3 pairs but they legit lasted like a week. I didn’t hate them but I would never be able to wear them unless it was for a performance 😂

My first ever shoes were Repettos! My fave of all time 😍

It's true, I wear the merlet diva and I really love them they are so comfortable but I think the vamp is maybe a little bit too high for me and the box a little too soft but still pretty nice shoe

Can you talk about the new so danca Electra? And split sole pointe shoes? And possibly the custom gaynor mindens? On last thing... could u talk about a U vamp vs V vamp and how they can change your lines? Thanks!!! Luv ur videos!!!

I love you so mutch thank you for sharing this❤😘

For French pointe shoes brands, I quite recommend Sansha. I've used almost all my years of dancing and they have a lot of different shoes from beginners to professionals.

Your videos are so informative! THANK YOU!!!

I wear Merlet (the Divas), and I wish they were easier to find in North America! With long toes, I love the long vamp and wings... But I pull out the gel in the toes. It's too thick for me!

There are two versions of merlet, I am not a fan of the Diva. The length of the box is too long, but there is the basic merlet that has a wide box and it melts beautifully to the foot, it has lasted me for a while. I dance every Saturday for a few hours in them. So far they have last three months and I need to new pair. But they are something you have to try to see how they feel, because it is different from other people.

I use merlet divas for first time they are comfortable actually but idk if it’s my shoe for life I think I’m gonna change it btw

Can you do a video on pointe shoes for flat feet? I’ve always struggled with trying to find the right shoes for my flat feet and it would be interesting to see what you recommend!💖

ahh i feel like the merlet would be perfect for me only if the vamp was shorter

I love your videos so much! Im so excited to be fitted by you in July! I believe my studios Academy 3 girls get fitted by you! 🤩🤩

my first pair of pointe shoes was the repetto julietta :)

Grew up in the US, and all I grew up on was Repetto. And all I wear are Repetto ballet flats now that I’m not dancing.

Can you review more models of Merlet? E.g. Cloe and Belle

Can you review the new Bloch grace pointe shoes? :)

I love this! Thank you so much. Did you ever fittet the new Bloch elegance with split sole? It would be interesting whats different between a full sole and a split sole on a point shoe.

Interesting that both these brands are French and you mention both these shoes have long vamps & wings. Is that a particularly French thing in pointe shoes? Not a dancer so I'm not looking for a detailed technical explanation - it just struck me and I'm curious.

Our pointe shoes in the 70s had suede platforms. Yes I'm from the dark ages.

My very first pair of pointe shoes were Repettos.

I'm on the edge of my seat with bated breath. Do you foresee doing in person fittings in the near future???

You should do a review on R-Class pointe shoes, Mirella pointe shoes and Wear Moi La Pointe. It'd be really cool to know more about these shoes and brands, and whom better than "The Pointe Shop", Josephine to tell us all about them! They are less spoken of brands and it would be very intriguing as to what your opinion and thoughts on these are!

Josephine - would Merlet work for someone with a longer second toe than big toe? (And with the Merlet, is there mobility for the whole foot?/to roll through and what do you think of SoDanca shoes? I returned to pointe as an adult and got a pair of Gaynor's (which I had always sworn against - on pointe, they feel great, but standing in them, running, trying to work through my feet, my toes just curl and its bad).

Please do Suffolk’s

Wide long toes, I think these shoes are for me!

Any intel on the new Bloch stretchy/relevease shoes?

have you thought about giving online workshop on how to fit pointe shoes? I aspire to be a professional one, but it's hard to get a certificate in my country, Indonesia.. It'd be great if you can! :D

@thepointeshop what do u think of Merlot Lisa with interchangeable shanks???? They have 2 different shank lengths - also do u do online fitting?

What seems to be generally a good shoe for very long tapered toes? I have always had trouble finding one that's narrow enough for tapered toes, but a high enough vamp and wings to support me without sinking.

Hi Josephine, we keep watching all your videos because you are so lovely and informative. We are having lots of trouble finding a shoe for my student daughter. We are looking for a shoe with a very low profile, good for extremely long skinny feet, with long toes. She has been in Chacott, Veronese for the narrowness. Any suggestions?

Hii Josephine I’m a huge fan, I have a question so my big toes are shorter then my second toes and my pinkie toes are very short so when I’m on releve my pinkie toes “float” is there a certain pointe shoe I should try out (I also get a lot of big toe pain on pointe)

I dance in Repettos!

Please, make a video with the best pointe options for short toes. 😊

Can I take ballet classes once a week for 3 years and then get my first pair of pointe shoes? 🩰

OMG HIIII! I would just like to say I really enjoyed this video, it really helps! I hope one day I can get pointe shoes! I do ballet 🩰 I hope I can do pointe one day!

Could you do a review of the brand Stefanov? It is absolutely not a big brand but it looks so good 😍❤️

I would love to hear what you think about SóDança

I currently have the Merlet Diva :)

Repetto is very popular in Japan and NY.

I got my first pair of point shoes yesterday. The lady had me try on sooo many shoes and then she had me try the Alicia Repetto shoes. I haven’t danced in them yet but they feel alright I think. But the box is indeed very hard. Idk if I should try to break them a little bit or leave them like this