Brand Comparison
Freed of London vs Russian Pointe
Both are handmade, but they come at it differently. Freed of London is a softer, quieter shoe with a strong Royal Ballet association and a maker's mark so you can reorder from the same maker. Russian Pointe is a US company making shoes in Russia, built around a very deep fitting grid across size, width, vamp, and shank for uncommon proportions.
The key difference
Freed leans soft, quiet, and maker-driven with maker-to-maker variation, while Russian Pointe leans firm with an unusually detailed fitting grid for tricky feet.
Which one to pick
Freed of London
Lean Freed of London if you want a softer, quieter handmade shoe and like reordering via a maker's mark, accepting variation and fittings that take patience.
Russian Pointe
Lean Russian Pointe if your proportions are uncommon and you want that deep size, width, vamp, and shank grid to chase the exact fit.
Bottom line
Both ask for patience in the fitting room, just for different reasons: Freed for its maker-to-maker variation, Russian Pointe for its granular grid. Which one wins depends entirely on your foot, so get fitted.
Finding your fit
No comparison beats trying both on. Use this as a shortlist, then let a fitter match the model to your foot. Our complete pointe shoe fitting guide walks through the whole process, and you can read the full brand guides for Freed of London and Russian Pointe.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better if my feet are hard to fit?
Russian Pointe's very deep fitting grid is purpose-built for uncommon proportions, so it is a strong option there. Freed can work too, but expect to work through maker-to-maker variation to find your match.
Are both of these handmade?
Yes, both are handmade. Freed even gives each maker a mark so you can reorder the same hands, while Russian Pointe pairs its handmade build with that detailed fitting grid.