A Hampshire footwear designer with more than 20 years’ industry experience has launched her own brand, combining the principles of barefoot footwear with the appearance of conventional lifestyle trainers.
Jo Martinez, based in Ringwood, has created Wingate Studio after a career designing and developing shoes for established brands, independent labels and start-ups.
Her debut collection, the Purbeck 8, features a wide, foot-shaped toe box, a flexible sole and a zero-drop design, meaning the heel and forefoot sit at the same height. The aim is to allow more natural foot movement without the technical appearance often associated with barefoot shoes.
‘I’ve spent my career designing shoes, and I’ve always believed that good design should be about more than just how something looks,’ said Jo. ‘So many of the shoes we wear are shaped by fashion trends rather than the shape of our feet. I wanted to create something that brought those two worlds together, shoes that give our feet the space and freedom to move naturally, but that also look stylish and feel completely at home in an everyday wardrobe.’
Jo trained at Cordwainers College in London and has worked with footwear manufacturers and suppliers around the world. For her new collection, she collaborated with specialist last maker Springline to develop a bespoke mould around which the shoes are constructed.
The brand’s name has a family connection. While researching her ancestry during lockdown, Jo discovered that her great-great-great-grandfather, Joseph Wingate, had been a shoemaker in 19th-century Gloucester.
Wingate Studio also incorporates an environmental commitment. A small turtle appears on the sole of each shoe, reflecting Jo’s lifelong interest in marine conservation. The company pledges to donate $1 from every pair sold to SEE Turtles, a charity supporting endangered sea turtles and efforts to remove ocean plastic.
The collection made its public debut at the Barefoot Expo in October, following more than two years of development.
‘After more than two years developing the brand, seeing people actually trying on the shoes was such an exciting moment,’ said Jo. ‘There’s something quite surreal about watching someone pick up a shoe that started out as an idea in your head, put it on and walk around in it.’
The Purbeck 8 is available to pre-order in black or white leather and tan or burgundy suede, priced from £120 to £125, with the first stock expected in December 2026.
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