Chanii's Story

With three generations of the footwear industry within her family, from a young age it was pretty clear what Chanii B designer and owner, Chantal Pilon, was going to end up selecting as a career. 

Born in Calgary, Chantal has fond memories of working in her family owned shoe shops, from eating lunch in the stock-room on tables made from shoe boxes to competing with colleagues to make the most sales. Her passion for shoes and innovation was apparent from the beginning. 

This passion was furthered when Chantal relocated to London, studying at the prestigious Cordwainers College, now London College of Fashion. She studied amongst the best tutors and classmates who have gone on to huge influential roles in the industry.

Chantal's levels of enthusiasm, creativity and adaptability set her apart from the rest. If you're ever fortunate to see her camera roll you'll see where the inspiration for Chanii B comes from. All of her designs and her personal life give a quiet nod to her upbringing and being wrapped in the arts. From her love of music, expressed through her two son's names, to travelling the world and taking in all of the sights and experiences she can gain. Look closely, you might be able to identify the inspiration in some of her designs.

Fresh out of University, she was head hunted by Clarks where she traveled the world as one of their Senior Designers. From the UK to the USA, New York soon become home for Chantal. Now the Director of Women's Design for Kenneth Cole, she spent a further 5 years creating beautiful shoes for women worldwide. 

Despite adoring her job and all of the fantastic memories and opportunities it provided, Chantal couldn't help but notice the industry was lacking wearable originality. There was a shortage of designs that would allow women to truly express themselves without compromising on comfort or quality. Welcome to the early days of Chanii B.

Just over seven years ago and a flight back to the UK with her British husband, Chantal began sketching shoes exactly as she desired and the rest is a history that you can discover through our products. 

The styles here might change from year to year, but one thing that will always remain constant is to provide our customers with shoes they can look and feel on top of the world in. Shoes that will last and be loved for years, just ask our customers who have been along the journey with us right from the start!