Stepping inside opus, is like passing into an oasis of shoe heaven. It seems to be a world away from the hustle and bustle of its Northcote Road home. Set up by Bernie, a former stockbroker and her partner, who spotted a gap in the market for a quality independent shoe boutique in “Nappy Valley”, opus offers increasingly discerning women, something different and delightful.

The shop itself is a beautiful bijou affair, all white with splashes of colour in the form of a red armchair by the fire and a red carpet, stretching from the door and inviting you in from the outside. This provides the perfect backdrop for the objet’s d’art themselves; the shoes, bags, belts and jewellery on display. The collection has been picked on the basis of personal taste, with little thought being given to current trends/fashions. The result is an ecclectic yet entirely wearable mix. It provides long welcome relief from the increasingly generic shoe-fare available on the high street.

Most of opus' shoes are manufactured in Italy, Spain or France, which is noteworthy in a time when bigger names are outsourcing or moving their production to the Far East. Well known designers that are available at opus include Lulu Guinness, Beatrix Ong, French Sole and Rodo, amongst others. opus is open 7 days a week and is proud to be a recommended business in the Independent Store Guide.