Behind a glass case in Zurich, eight pairs of tiny flats shine like sugared almonds. They once belonged to Audrey Hepburn, and they have found a fitting home at Day, a Swiss shoemaker founded in 1935. In 2017, owner and designer Licio Greco bought them at Christie’s in London, when the actress’s family auctioned part of her personal wardrobe. Dating back to 1960, the pairs are a European size 39. Greco calls Audrey an absolute icon, and his brand keeps her favorite shoe alive. Its soft ballerinas still come in a rainbow of colors, just like the ones she collected.

Why Audrey Hepburn Loved Ballet Flats

Before Hollywood, Audrey trained as a ballet dancer in London under Marie Rambert. Flats kept that graceful posture alive offscreen, matching perfectly with her cropped cigarette pants. Later, she spent her final decades in Tolochenaz, a village near Lake Geneva, making the Swiss connection even sweeter.

Day’s Ballerinas, Handmade in Tuscany

Today, Day offers around a hundred ballerina styles in every shade imaginable. Each pair is handcrafted in small Tuscan workshops from butter-soft goat leather, flexible enough to bend like a dancer’s slipper. In 2024, the brand also released a limited edition in eight colors inspired by Audrey’s originals.

How to Wear Ballet Flats Like Audrey

Borrow her favorite formula with slim cropped trousers and a fitted black turtleneck. For fall, a pair in camel or burgundy brightens a gray coat. On weekends, add a full midi skirt and walk as if the curtain were about to rise.