Top Pointe Shoe Brands for Perfect Pirouettes

Finding the perfect pointe shoe is an essential journey for any ballet dancer, as it impacts performance, comfort, and safety. With a plethora of pointe shoe brands available on the market, selecting the right pair can often feel overwhelming. Each brand offers unique features catering to various foot shapes and technical needs, making personalized fittings a crucial part of the choice. Below, explore some of the best brands for pointe shoes that dancers around the world trust and love.

Illustration of pointe shoes

Best brands of pointe shoes in 2025

Bloch

Bloch is a renowned brand in the ballet industry, particularly celebrated for its high-quality pointe shoes. Known for their traditional yet versatile design, Bloch pointe shoes are handmade using materials such as natural leathers, cotton fibers, and satin, ensuring a unique and customized fit for each dancer. Despite the environmental impact of their production, Bloch remains a standard in many ballet schools and companies, including the New York Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet. The shoes, though not eco-friendly, are valued for their craftsmanship and the fact that no two pairs are completely the same. However, the rapid wear and tear of these shoes, lasting only a few performances or practices, highlights the need for more sustainable manufacturing practices.

Capezio

Capezio is a renowned brand in the ballet shoes market, particularly celebrated for its high-quality pointe shoes. Founded by Salvatore Capezio in 1887, the company has over 130 years of experience and has been the official shoemaker for the Metropolitan Opera House since 1892. Capezio's pointe shoes, such as "The Pavlova," have been praised by leading ballerinas like Anna Pavlova, contributing to the brand's success. The company has also innovated dancewear, introducing spandex into their products in the 1960s, and has been featured in prominent magazines like Vogue in 1949. Capezio continues to be a preferred choice among dancers globally for its craftsmanship and dedication to quality. You can find more about their heritage and products on their official website.

Grishko

Grishko, founded by Nikolay Grishko in 1987, is a renowned brand in the ballet world, celebrated for its high-quality and innovative pointe shoes. With over 35 years of experience, Grishko offers more than 20 distinct pointe shoe models, catering to a wide range of foot types and dancer experiences. Their shoes are made from natural materials like jute, linen, and cotton, ensuring breathability and safety for dancers. Grishko's pointe shoes are favored by numerous ballet schools and professional companies globally, and they have been official sponsors of prestigious dance competitions such as the Youth Grand Prix and World Ballet Competition. Their latest model, the "Tamara," is a testament to their commitment to excellence and innovation. You can explore their variety of pointe shoes on their official website.

Freed of London

Freed of London is renowned as one of the world's leading producers of pointe shoes, maintaining a significant market share of approximately 50% since its founding in 1929 by cobbler Frederick Freed. The company, now owned by Onward Kashiyama since 1993, continues to manufacture nearly 250,000 pairs of handcrafted pointe shoes annually, with two-thirds made to individual dancers' specifications with accuracy to within 3 mm. Freed's shoes are prized for their high degree of customization and use of natural, biodegradable components. Professional ballet companies, including the Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Royal ballet companies, rely on Freed shoes for their dancers. Each pair is meticulously crafted to support the dancer's foot and prevent injury.

Gaynor Minden

Gaynor Minden is a renowned global brand, celebrated for its innovative and durable pointe shoes, which last 3-5 times longer than traditional pointe shoes. Founded in 1993 by Eliza Minden, the company has expanded its production from the USA to Europe since 2020, with factories in Massachusetts and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Gaynor Minden pointe shoes are used by almost every major ballet company worldwide, including the American Ballet Theatre, Royal Ballet, and Bolshoi Ballet. These shoes feature American-made, high-tech internal components such as polymer shanks and Poron Performance cushioning, and are handmade by skilled shoemakers. The brand offers a wide range of fitting options and customization, making it a preferred choice among professional dancers.

Sansha

Sansha is a renowned brand in the ballet industry, celebrated for its innovative and high-quality pointe shoes. Founded by Frank Raoul-Duval 35 years ago, Sansha has been at the forefront of dance shoe innovation, including the creation of the first split sole ballet slipper. The company offers a diverse range of pointe shoes, with eight divisions and numerous models to cater to different foot types and expertise levels. Sansha's commitment to quality is evident, with less than 0.5% of their products experiencing issues. Their shoes are hand-made, ensuring meticulous attention to detail and excellence.

Suffolk

Suffolk is renowned as one of the best producers of pointe shoes, offering handcrafted shoes made in England and Russia from the finest materials, including satin, leather, and their exclusive paste formula. Their pointe shoes are designed to fit modern foot shapes, with nine different width fittings and the option for custom measurements. This attention to detail ensures a precise fit, catering to dancers from beginners to elite professionals. Suffolk's commitment to fair-trade practices, quality materials, and personal service sets them apart in the industry. Their shoes are engineered for longevity and aesthetic appeal, making them a preferred choice among professional companies and dancers worldwide.

Repetto

Repetto is a renowned brand in the ballet shoe industry, particularly celebrated for its high-quality pointe shoes that combine French savoir-faire with exceptional craftsmanship. The brand offers a customization service, allowing dancers to order custom pointe shoes with a lead time of approximately 15 days. Repetto's pointe shoes are designed for unique suppleness and freedom of movement, making them a favorite among professional and aspiring ballet dancers. The brand's atelier services are available in select boutiques in France and Brussels, highlighting their commitment to personalized and precise shoe creation. Repetto's presence in the global ballet shoe market is significant, with the market expected to grow substantially from 2024 to 2031. For further insights, visit their Questions and Answers page.

Russian Pointe

Russian Pointe, often confused with but distinct from other Russian brands like Grishko and R-Class, is renowned for its high-quality pointe shoes that cater to the precise needs of ballet dancers. Grishko, a leading Russian company, produces 32,000 to 37,000 pairs of pointe shoes per month using only natural materials, and its shoes are sold in over 60 countries, with the United States being its largest market. R-Class, another prominent manufacturer, has been at the forefront of pointe shoe development for over 30 years, with over 200 artisans hand-crafting shoes tested by Bolshoi ballerinas. These Russian brands have successfully overcome initial stereotypes and trust issues to gain global recognition, with professionals accounting for only 10% of their buyers, while the majority of sales go to ballet schools. Their commitment to quality and innovation, including the use of nanotechnology, has solidified their position in the global ballet shoe market.

Mirella

Mirella is a renowned brand in the pointe shoe market, known for its high-quality and durable products that cater to the specific needs of ballet dancers. The brand is part of a growing market expected to see significant expansion, with the global ballet apparel market projected to reach USD 43.13 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 11.50% from 2024 to 2032. Mirella, along with other key players like Grishko and Gaynor Minden, has been innovating in materials and design, enhancing the comfort and performance of pointe shoes. For instance, modern materials used by such brands have shown to increase the durability of pointe shoes, with some lasting up to 268,646 cycles in fatigue testing. Mirella's commitment to quality and innovation makes it a preferred choice among professional and aspiring ballet dancers. For more details about the market trends, visit the Ballet Shoes & Pointe Shoe Market report.