Michelle Obama Makes British Shoe Designer's Day

How Janan got Michelle Obama in Cocorose shoes

Janan Leo, our 31-year-old Founder and Creative Director of British ballet shoe brand Cocorose London, is thrilled that Michelle Obama has accepted, as a personal gift, a pair of Cocorose London Buckingham style leather foldable ballet pumps with signature travel purse.

Honestly, as you can imagine It is a huge, and very personal, honour for me that Mrs Obama has accepted a pair of my shoes as a gift. I never imagined I would be privileged to have America’s First Lady wear one of my designs. Its what you work so hard towards, that one day this could happen. 

Michelle Obama the inspirating first lady 

I, like so many of us, am huge admirer of Mrs Obama’s style and of the First Lady’s uplifting message to young people. As a young entrepreneur, she is regularly asked to speak to young people, encouraging them to have confidence in themselves, and to work hard, so that they, too, can turn their dreams into reality.

To say I'm over the moon is an understatement. There was a lot of hard work in trying to make contact - can I thank Linda Mindell-Carvel - with Mrs Obama. The First Lady is in London for the Opening of the 2012 Olympics, was so graciously accepted.

Have a look further at our latest collection of leather ballet flats