Our Story

ALEFÍA is pronounced uh-le-fii-uh - with the emphasis on the "fii".

Stephanie Petrou Gonzalez is the founder of ALEFÍA World, whose vision came to life at the height of the global pandemic. Stephanie became increasingly frustrated by the the style, quality and fit of the high heels available. They looked great in photos or in person, but once they were on her feet they were often tight, uncomfortable and too high. 

On the other end of the spectrum, she would find shoes she loved by luxury brands that brought her joy when she saw them. They were modern and timeless, but the price point was unaffordable. She yearned for shoes like these to be available to more people at a more affordable price. This was the gap she identified and so the journey of ALEFÍA World began.

Stephanie started researching manufacturers in Italy and discovered that there were artisans who have been making footwear for generations - the same artisans that manufacture for many renowned luxury brands. We are honoured to be carrying on the history of these artisans through Stephanie's designs.

It took Stephanie 2.5 years from inception of the brand to signing off the first range. The signature Stephanie Mule took 3 rounds of sampling to perfect, which is testament to her vision of designing shoes that are beautiful and comfortable to wear. She is uncompromising when it comes to these factors and will pursue rounds of sampling until the shoes are to aligned to her vision. She wants all women to feel incredible in their ALEFÍAs.

ALEFÍA World is a female lead company, and so too are the team bringing Stephanie's designs to life. Our shoes are designed and made by women, for women. Our artisans range from 50 - 70 years old, they come to work, they create art for women's feet and craft them with love.