Angles Fashion Helios - Review

Angles fashion – a brand that perfectly combines quality craftsmanship and materials with modern and foot-friendly design. The effort that the brand has put into the development and production is reflected in the excellent final product.

Angles Fashion was born in Zlín, a town in the Czech Republic that is strongly intertwined with shoemaking tradition. The desire to produce quality shoes that would fit the natural foot shape of the local Czech population was very strong, so they approached local university to help with the development. The final shape of their lasts is therefore based on the measurements of thousands of feet of the local population.

Today, Angles Fashion is a barefoot brand that has successfully expanded beyond national borders and impresses with its quality craftsmanship and quality materials sourced exclusively from EU countries.

Disclaimer: I was given the shoes as a gift to review, but as always, all opinions expressed here are my own and I receive no compensation if you decide to buy them.

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Table of Contents

1. General

Brand: Angles Fashion
Model: Helios
Colour: Brown
Tested on: woman, medium-wide feet, 26.3 cm long and 10 cm wide, low instep, skinny ankles with narrow heel, fin-shaped foot (see my how to measure guide and foot type) – wearing size 42

2. Material characteristics

2.1 Upper

Angles Fashion offers a wide range of chelsea models, available in three different designs called Artemis, Diana and Helios. All chelsea models are made of leather in different colours and differ in the appearance of the upper (amount of decorative stitching, size of the opening and shape of the side elastic).

The model I am testing is called Helios and has the most minimalist look of the three Chelsea models. The colour in the photo is brown, but the shoes are also available in black and a darker coffee brown colour.

The shoes have elastic material inserted on both sides of the ankle, which makes them more comfortable to walk in and easier to put on, while the material is strong enough to ensure that this stretch is not too big when walking.

What I really like about the Helios is the very clever way in which the pull loop is made. The loop is quite inconspicuous and blends in nicely with the shoe, but it’s also big enough so that putting it on isn’t too difficult.

2.2 Lining

Angles Fashion also allows you to customise the inner lining of the shoe, which means that the Helios model is available in two versions – ‘Klasik’ and ‘Winter’.

If you want to use the shoe in autumn and spring, the Klasik model, which is lined with leather, will suffice.

The ‘Winter’ models (which I have) are lined with thicker synthetic wool and have an added waterproof membrane. The insole is made of the same material as the lining. The thickness of the lining provides sufficient thermal insulation in winter conditions when temperatures are around zero or just below zero. For conditions in Central Europe, this amount of insulation will be perfect for most of the winter.

Note that winter models are slightly shorter due to the thicker lining, but also lose some width and volume.

2.3 Sole

The 3 mm thick sole is made of rubber, which is firmer despite its thinness. More force is required to twist the shoe and the sole is harder to fold in the longer direction. Due to its compactness, the sole does not conform as well to the ground as softer soles and therefore does not give as intense ground feel. However, firmer soles tend to be more durable and last longer.

The sole has a lower profile, making it suitable for use in urban environments.

3. Sizing information

3.1 Length

Angles Fashion does not have a universal sizing chart for all models, so please always check the exact internal lengths under each model.

The Helios is available in sizes 37-42 and sizes from 41+ to 46+, where plus sizes indicate wider models. Sizes 41 and 42 are therefore available in two widths.

I wear the Helios in size 42, which has an internal length of 27.9 cm, but the shoes are slightly shorter than this (approx. 2 mm) due to the thicker synthetic lining. This internal length suits me well for my 26.3 cm foot length, but the extra room also gives me enough room for smaller toes that do not have as strong an slope as the Angles Fashion toebox shape.

See post How much space do we need in shoes if you want to know more about that.

3.2. Toebox shape & width

The Angles Fashion toebox shape has a stronger slope towards the little toe, so this shape is best suited to foot types 1, 2 and 5. Feet with a squarer foot shape (3,6), which have longer smaller toes, and feet with a distinctly longer second toe (4) combined with a longer third toe, may run out of space for their smaller toes, and Angles fashion shoes may therefore not be the most suitable shoe shape for them.

I have a foot shape 4, but the second toe is only slightly longer than the first, so I have no problem with this shape. The smaller toes do not touch the front part of the shoe when walking.

More about different foot types you can read in my post What is my Foot Type?

Helios are best suited for medium to wide feet, but the plus sizes available from size 41 upwards are even wider.

The internal width of size 42 is 10 cm according to the chart, but the shoes feel even roomier and could fit well to feet slightly wider than that too.

3.3. Fit around the instep, heel and ankle

The Helios model is best suited for lower to medium heigh instep. The winter lining reduces this space even further and for my foot type (low instep, skinny ankles) fit in this area is ideal.

The ankle opening is narrower, making the model suitable for skinny ankles. Due to the narrow opening, the model can be tight even for average wide ankles. If you have wider ankles, I recommend you try the other two Chelsea models (Artemis or Diana) where the opening is wider. You can also gain some extra width by choosing an unlined model.

4. Comfort

Soft leather, warm lining and easy to put on. You can’t ask for more. The shoes are extremely comfortable to wear.

5. How and when to wear them?

Chelsea boots look great with many different outfits. You can wear them with jeans, trousers, a skirt or a dress. In short, you can wear them with everything.

6. Price & where to buy

Angles Fashion shoes can be purchased on the official website and are also available in various stores in Europe. Angles Fashion also has an official website in Czech, where you can find more information on individual models than in the English version.

The price for the Helios model starts from 173€.

Their shoes are made to order, so for out-of-stock models you have to wait 5 weeks.

7. Shipping info

Angles Fashion ships worldwide. If your country is not listed, please contact them.

8. To sum up

Angles Fashion are shoes worth waiting for. The winter version of their Helios model is perfect for winter conditions, the design makes them easy to slip on and the narrower ankle opening is perfect for skinny ankles. Those with wider ankles, don’t forget to check out the other Chelsea models from this great Czech brand.