I do love a good pair of shoes, but the ones I’m getting the most compliments on at the moment aren’t even on my shoe rack. They exist, in my house anyway, only in postcard form, stuck on a pinboard in my study. ‘Adorable’, ‘Ooh, where are those from’ and ‘Cute!’ are just some of the comments they’ve received. The pair in question are butterfly sandals from Papillon, a gorgeous children’s shoe company which recently opened a new, flagship store on London’s Marylebone Lane.

Alas, I didn’t even make it to the opening party. But I know a woman who did, the shoe-crazy, and very chic, managing director of silk linen bedding company Gingerlily (check out Charlize Theron and Gwyneth Paltrow wearing nothing but a Gingerlily sheet on recent covers of GQ), who took along her three-year-old daughter.

Talk about putting your best foot forward. The opening of Papillon’s flagship store was a seriously glamorous event. We were treated to cupcakes galore, face painting, and the sight of London’s most yummy mummies oohing over teeny footwear. There were even live chicks to cluck over. Thank goodness I’d thought to change out of my gym kit – this was a seriously dressed-up event, with perfectly painted nails peeping out of Jimmy Choos, and tapping on Anya Hindmarch handbags (well, one of Papillon’s co-founders is the handbag designer’s sister). Not to mention a batallion of six-year-olds skipping around in fairy outfits and Caramel cashmere.

The shoes are cute as could be – Mary-Janes, ballerina flats in metallics, velvets and suede, and party shoes with traditional button fastenings. Needless to say, my three-year-old was in heaven, even before she was given a goody bag containing marshmallows and fruit jelly sweets (naturally flavoured, with no fake colouring, naturally).

These are shoes that will keep mums as happy as daughters – and as many of the designs go up to a size 40, you can match your look to your daughter’s). There’s nothing garish about the designs, and they’re in colours that look pretty as sugared almonds and would appeal to even the most candyfloss obsessed little princess. The boys’ range is just as traditional; classic loafers, super-soft lace-ups and – fab for mothers with boys and girls – unisex trainers in muted colours.  And all the styles are designed to care for little feet so that children won’t hit their teens blighted with bunions.

Check it out the next time you’re on a shopping trip – I might well be there, trying to fit into the butterfly sandals. 98 Marylebone Lane, London W1U 2QA (020 7486 5530).