If ‘Scandinavian sleek’ is the aesthetic you aspire to, you’ll likely know of Flattered, the ultra-chic Stockholm-based shoe brand that has since branched out into handbags and other accessories. Known for its simple lines, soft leathers and focus on comfort, the label once known for its ‘indoor footwear’ – crafted as a stylish alternative to Scandinavian slippers, or house shoes – has since grown into a go-to brand for quiet luxury with a modest price tag.
Flattered’s classic ‘Anna’ ballet flat, which is still a core design today, was dreamt up by founders (and married couple) Hanna Tisner and Gustav Lidén, who noticed that stylish indoor slippers were customary for Scandinavian men at the time – but not for women.
Gustav has said: “Hanna had been looking for the perfect ballet flat for the longest time – until she finally decided to create one herself. We both thought it would be a good idea to start with an indoor shoe because they were made mainly for men at the time. We saw that as a missed opportunity.”
That was back in 2013. Today, Flattered is famous for an extended line of footwear from loafers to mules and boots – and more recently, an in-demand collection of handbags which are on par with the likes of The Row in terms of silhouette.
Even better, Flattered uses only Leather Working Group certified leathers to craft its pieces, which are produced in factories in Italy, Portugal and Spain. Refreshingly, the brand is honest about its goals and where it can improve – from upping its usage of silver and gold-rated tanneries to reducing inclusion of chrome-tanned leather, which it states it does still use for the linings of its products. This transparency is undoubtedly still a step forward, and each product can be tracked to the factory it was produced in, with information about the workforce and working conditions.
I’m particularly impressed by Flattered’s commitment to sustainable packaging, too, which is completely plastic free – each element, from shoeboxes to tissue paper, is broken down with information on materials and suppliers on the brand’s website.
“All decisions are conscious decisions, made for an outstanding, long-lasting product,” Gustav previously told Scan magazine. “The shoes and bags are made by hand, crafted with meticulous attention to detail to maintain the highest degree of quality and authenticity – aspects that would normally increase the price tag substantially, but thanks to our digital development, we can keep them lower than those competitors selling products made in similar ways.”
The brand has undoubtedly seen significant success thanks to its online presence, from its own ultra-chic Instagram page to loyal coverage from minimal style influencers such as Emilie Lindmark and The Anna Edit, who has championed the now very popular ‘Malva’ slip-on flats – which have become a Flattered signature.
“Our customer is a strong, modern woman who is aware, awake and knows what she wants. She believes that fashion is more than something to be worn and disposed of after one season – she knows that true quality means something better,” creative director Anna Johansson has said of the Flattered woman.
With a 2025 collection that’s already selling out, I predict even more big things for Flattered on the horizon…
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