[2] Under his stewardship H. & M. Rayne took a stake in Genesco – then the largest shoe company in the world – secured licensing deals with Bergdorf Goodman and Bonwit Teller and encouraged British designers to embark on franchising.

Having served a long apprenticeship in making shoes at the family firm, he was also a skilled designer – Jean Muir described him as the best British shoemaker of his age.

[5] An interview shortly before he took up his role as chairman of the BFC also noted his facility with other card games: "He is the Sky Masterson of Mayfair.

Opening a store in Bond Street in 1920, Joseph cashed in on the trend for shoes as a fashion (rather than simply practical) item and by 1928 the company had become a PLC.

[7] Edward Rayne was educated at Harrow School but left at the age of 16 because his eyesight was threatened by cataracts in both eyes.

[7] The thick pebble glasses he needed for the rest of his life also became his trademark – an obituary writer compared him to Mr Magoo, while Colin McDowell described him as looking like a character from a Surtees novel.

[4][8][9] He was excused from active service in the war because of this, and began a long apprenticeship at H. & M. Rayne's factory in King's Cross.

His obituary in The Times noted that he would arrive at 7.45 am every morning to learn the 200 steps required to make a pair of high-end shoes.

A pair of flat pumps with a bow originally designed for the actress Gertrude Lawrence remained the company's best-selling line for 50 years, worn by society and theatricals alike.

[14] Rayne enlisted the help of leading stage designer Oliver Messel for the new Delman shoe store that opened in Old Bond Street in 1960.

[18] While high-end and haute couture were part of the company's pedigree, Edward Rayne always had an eye on the more mainstream direction of fashion – he was the first to display Mary Quant shoes in his flagship store, placing them alongside those of Roger Vivier.

Courtaulds was a major boost – funding IncSoc for a decade – but Rayne also brought in the foreign orders, chartering a plane from Paris to capture the US buyers who had hitherto bypassed London.

He would later say that British designers didn't capitalise on all the opportunities brought about by the Swinging London publicity: "As a country, we blew the sixties, threw them away!

[6] After IncSoc petered out, Rayne formed part of the self-appointed collective – along with Vogue editor Beatrix Miller, former war correspondent and diplomat's wife Lady Henderson, Jean Muir and Terence Conran – who enlisted the support of the British government and high-profile figures for the promotion of British fashion; this included assistance from Princess Diana, who became a high-profile clothes-horse for British designs, handed out awards and hosted a reception at Kensington Palace to celebrate fashion's high flyers.

Norman Hartnell used to send Christmas cards bearing the inscription: 'to the cobbler from the Little Woman Round The Corner'.