Harrods Shoes Magazine AW15 by Harrods online

E N I Z

The runaway success of sneakers – a trend to up your game

Spectacular statement s h o e s a r e t h i s s e a s o n’ s tall story

HIGH AND MIGHTY

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

SHOWTIME Sophia Webster takes flamboyance to a whole new level

V O L U M E 1 A U T U M N / W I N T E R

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EDITOR’ S LE T TER

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CONTENTS

11_GAME CHANGERS

Shoe designs come and go, but some are such standout styles, they hold their ground as the years go by, creating a path well travelled

17_SOLE AMBITION

Nineteen years ago, Sandra Choi was sweeping the ﬂoors at Jimmy Choo. Now – as creative director of the booming brand – she has the world at her feet

20_NO MEAN FEET

Laura Barton deﬁes the laws of physics in sculptural heels

23_WALK THE WALK

Step up to AW15 with high-shine metallics, fringing and exuberant decoration

32_CATCH ME IF YOU CAN

Embellished. Exclusive. Even custommade. Sneakers are on target to be this season’s must-ﬂaunt footwear. Useful, because they bring a dress-down factor that instantly ups your game

24_NEWS

Casadei’s customised heels; Buscemi sneakers; the new Harrods Cobbler service; a mini interview with shoe designer Giuseppe Zanotti

42_HIGH AND MIGHTY

26_LIVING IT UP

From eye-catching pumps to playful platforms, no-one could accuse the AW15 lines of looking down at heel

Rich with detail or ﬁnessed with fringing, statement heels are moving up in the world. Just slip them on, stand and deliver

29_LEATHER BOUND

50_SHOWTIME

Having stepped into shoe and accessory design via ready-to-wear fashion, Alessandra Facchinetti has found her perfect ﬁt at Tod’s

Never one to favour function over fantasy, shoe designer Sophia Webster has taken ﬂamboyance to a new level

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FA SH ION Epoch-deﬁning silver platforms, appearing in Harrods in 1973

GAME CHANGERS Shoe designs come and go, but some are such standout styles, they hold their ground as the years go by, creating a path well travelled

hoes. Such a small word for such a big statement. From childhood onwards, they captivate us with their sense of mystery and storybook connections – one only has to think of Cinderella’s glass slipper or Dorothy’s red shoes. And, as such, there is little in the past 100 years to rival this fashion essential, which not only has the power to utterly transform the way you look, but is also a sharp social signifier. Our very choice of shoes – Céline’s fur-lined sandals, Alexander McQueen’s Armadillo boots or Manolo Blahnik’s Camparis – projects an image of who we want to be. Our body shape changes entirely

By CAROLINE ASOME

depending on what we wear – for example, the arch of the foot may be exaggerated, the hips thrust forward or the bottom pushed out. There’s also an effect on the way we walk and how we stand. Shoes that require us to mince might seem like a modern phenomenon but, as the V&A exhibition Shoes: Pleasure and Pain examines, heels have been segregating society for centuries. And an impact on our gait isn’t just confined to towering skyscrapers: a pair of Adidas Stan Smiths can give us the go-getting edge to spring forth and achieve; while Salvatore Ferragamo Vara pumps can make the wearer feel pulled together, elegant, authoritative even – and still allow us to run for the bus. 11 HOT SHOES

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In recent years, however, it seems that the more impractical, uncomfortable and elaborately decorated the shoe, the more covetable it becomes. Christian Louboutin captured the spirit of the early noughties when he said: “Do I want people to look at my shoes and think, ‘Ooh, how comfortable looking are those?’ No, I want them to think how great they look.” More recently, the shoescape has changed. Flats – increasingly interchangeable with heels – are being worn with eveningwear or on the front row at couture shows. Whether they’ll prove long-standing game changers, only time will tell. But if they do, they’ll be treading in some illustrious footsteps. X

FA SH ION

STEP BY STEP Say “platforms” and the 1970s spring to mind. But it was some 40 years earlier that Italian designer Salvatore Ferragamo began to experiment with cork platform soles, a shape that proved an ideal way to elongate the figure when paired with a floor-length dress. Sardinian cork was a solution to the wartime shortage of wood and leather, so Ferragamo used wine corks to create a lightweight yet sturdy base for a shoe (which could then be disguised with material such as leather). He even took out a patent in 1937 – one of the earliest in fashion history. During Biba’s 1970s heyday, platforms were associated with glam rockers. They popped up again in 1993 when Naomi Campbell fell off her platforms on Vivienne Westwood’s catwalk. It was Yves Saint Laurent’s Tribute shoe, however, designed in 2006 by Francesco Russo, that transformed the platform sole from a style cliché to a sleek choice with leg-lengthening properties. In the late noughties, Nicholas Kirkwood took the style to new heights when he placed Swarovski pearls in soles of his platforms.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT Vivienne Westwood platforms at the V&A; Yves Saint Laurent in 1997; Nicholas Kirkwood sandals £895; Naomi Campbell at the Vivienne Westwood show in 1993; Christian Louboutin shoes £825; Salvatore Ferragamo sandals £840; model wearing Bibastyle platforms; Saint Laurent Tribute sandals £620

2) STILETTOS Of all the shoes ever invented, the stiletto is surely the one most closely associated with all-out glamour. Known variously as the needle, pin, flute and spike heel, versions of the stiletto can be found as far back as the 18th century. And by 1954, it had arrived firmly on the fashion scene, when Roger Vivier – largely credited with realising the modern incarnation – encased a thin steel rod in a heel. While the word stiletto (which means “small dagger” in Italian) hints at aggression and even dominatrix fantasies, more recently it has been invigorated with an element of playfulness. This ranges from sexy jewelled styles as seen on the AW15 Balenciaga catwalks and Casadei’s lethal-looking Blade stiletto to Kurt Geiger’s imaginative suede version, in which the heel is reduced to a single gold spike. And those by Christian Louboutin have come to define the stiletto of the past two decades, with the signature red sole offering a now-you-see-it, now-youdon’t flash of sex appeal.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT On the catwalk, Balenciaga shoes £1,085; Roger Vivier at Christian Dior in 1954; Casadei shoes £895; Christian Louboutin's Ballerina Ultima, designed in 2007 for a Paris exhibition; Kurt Geiger shoes £250

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Biba-style platforms and Yves Saint Laurent portrait Getty Images; Naomi Campbell and Balenciaga catwalk Rex Features; Roger Vivier Roger-Viollet/Rex Shutterstock; Vivienne Westwood platforms Victoria and Albert Museum

1) PLATFORMS

FA SH ION

4) WEDGES

Gwyneth Paltrow Alamy; 1940s wedges, Isabel Marant shoes, Louis Vuitton & Saint Laurent catwalk Getty Images; Chanel AW15 Jason Lloyd-Evans; Salvatore Ferragamo ANL/Rex Shutterstock

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT Gwyneth Paltrow in The Talented Mr Ripley; Kurt Geiger London sandals £150; Salvatore Ferragamo in 1955; Charlotte Olympia sandals £795; Isabel Marant Bekket shoes £365; wedges in the 1940s

Step forward (again) Salvatore Ferragamo who, in the late 1930s, invented the wedge heel. Over the following decade, he used it on styles from sandals and pumps to ankle boots. Again, as with platforms, this was a canny way to avoid a shortage of materials during World War II – and a style that was initially popular on the beach was translated to the ballroom. Wedges emerged again in the 1950s, when holidaying abroad was becoming more accessible, as they were the perfect complement to the outfits of the day (think the 1999 film The Talented Mr Ripley). A decade ago, brands such as Marni did much to encourage that gentle rocking motion as we walk, when wedges were spied on the feet of seasoned fashion front-rowers. More recently, Charlotte Olympia’s designs have become popular, with their glamorous and often humorous 1940s vibe. Wedge sneakers – inspired by Rave culture – were all the rage in the ’90s and they enjoyed a resurgence in 2010 when Isabel Marant introduced her hidden-wedge Bekket trainer, a phenomenon that has spawned a thousand copies. Raffia wedges are becoming ever more refined, too: consider Kurt Geiger’s leopard-print strappy style.

3) CAP-TOE PUMPS With its no-nonsense mid-height heel and lack of toe-cleavage, the cap-toe pump is a much-loved staple appealing to women who appreciate its classic look as well as its practical attributes. It first rose to prominence in 1957, when Coco Chanel’s collaboration with Parisian cobbler Raymond Massaro yielded a cleverly designed two-toned pump with a low heel. Legend has it that Mademoiselle Chanel copied the cap toe from the sailing shoes worn by the staff on the Duke of Westminster’s yacht, as she believed the design feature would allow her to play sports without dirt staining the front of her shoes. The beige body lengthened the leg, while its contrasting black toecap made feet appear daintier; not surprisingly, the flattering shoe was a hit. An almost identical homage appears in Karl Lagerfeld’s AW15 collection for the storied house, while brands such as Saint Laurent have taken design cues from the cult cap-toe pump and Louis Vuitton has echoed the timeless style this season.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT On the catwalk, Louis Vuitton pumps £1,060; Saint Laurent SS12; Chanel AW15; Chanel pumps, price on request; Chanel models in 1964

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CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT KG Kurt Geiger shoes £59; Brigitte Bardot in 1962; Jimmy Choo shoes £375; Tod’s shoes £330; Audrey Hepburn in 1954

5) BALLET FLATS Audrey Hepburn and Brigitte Bardot can probably take the lion’s share of the credit for popularising the ballet flat – not least through Roger Vadim’s 1956 film And God Created Woman, for which Bardot wore red Repetto ballet slippers that she had asked Rose Repetto to make specifically. These lightweight shoes evoked a barefoot state in which the feet were freed from stiff leather shoes. Ballet flats became fashionable again in the noughties when pink satin versions were favoured by music artists such as Amy Winehouse. This season, brands such as Chloé, Lanvin and Jimmy Choo have all made ballet flats a staple of their shoe collections. And even fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana – known for its sultry Sicilian attire – send their models down the catwalk in contoured pumps. Albeit the ritziest, glitziest ones imaginable.

Once shoes started to be mass produced in the 1920s, footwear gained a much higher profile on the fashion spectrum. And with a trend towards shorter dresses making shoes more visible, they also needed to be selected with more care. T-bar sandals with not too high a heel – and often with buckles and bows to make an interesting statement – became hugely popular, synonymous with the Mitford Sisters, the Bloomsbury Set and ’60s mods. These periods have been referenced by designers including Christopher Bailey at Burberry, Miuccia Prada, Charlotte Olympia, Saint Laurent’s Hedi Slimane and Marc Jacobs during his tenure at Louis Vuitton. Another interpretation of this style is Valentino’s bestselling Rockstud sandal in varying heel heights – it is elegant and sophisticated, but with edgy styling. HMN

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Low-heeled silver T-bar sandals for Twiggy in 1963; Christian Louboutin Salonu pumps £595; the Prada AW14 collection; Valentino Rockstuds £815; Valentino on the catwalk; Alexa Chung wearing T-bars

Caroline Asome writes for The Times, The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The Guardian, Town & Country and Red Available from Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor

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Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, Twiggy and Valentino catwalk Getty Images; Alexa Chung Rex Features

6) T-BARS

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SOLE AMBITION Nineteen years ago, fashion designer Sandra Choi was DH66A:?8 E96 ^@@CD 2E :>>J 9@@ $@H W 2D 4C62E:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 3@@>:?8 3C2?5 W D96 92D E96 H@C=5 2E 96C 766t Credits TK Images

By LINDSAY MACPHERSON

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Long before the brand became a byword for glamour, Choi was grafting away as an apprentice behind the scenes. “I’ve given this brand so much of me,” she says of her close-to-two-decade tenure. Choi, 42, was raised in an environment where hard work was held in high regard. She was born on the Isle of Wight, but at 18 months was sent to Hong Kong to be raised by her grandparents, an arrangement that left her parents free to run the family restaurant. She was introduced to fashion through Japanese style magazines and imported copies of Just Seventeen. But she only seriously considered a career in design when, at 13, she moved back to the UK and began excelling in art class. “It was the one subject where you didn’t have to speak to anyone,” she says. “And I was still learning English, so it suited me perfectly.” Choi felt like a misfit on the sleepy island; she had her heart set on moving to London and attending Central Saint Martins. Then, one day she came across some pictures of John Galliano’s graduate collection. “I saw ost women can this double-breasted measure their life’s milestones in shoes – jacket that was kind the sensible black T-bars they wore when of deconstructed,” she their parents waved them off to school; the says. “It was traditional, frivolous stilettos they bought with their but slightly twisted first proper pay cheque; and the satin courts and quite subversive. they walked down the aisle in. But Jimmy Choo Creative Director Sandra Choi takes it That was when I knew one step further. “Don’t ask me what year or fashion was for me.” At 17, she enrolled month something happened, because I won’t on a foundation remember,” she says. “My world revolves around shoe collections: they’re my markers.” course at the college with a view to doing She’s not exaggerating. When I arrive at a design degree. Her the brand’s central London headquarters parents, she concedes, in a pair of eight-year-old navy Jimmy might’ve preferred that Choo peep-toes, Choi can pinpoint their provenance down to the season. Which is no she pursue a career in medicine or law, but mean feat when you consider that she has they were supportive. To save on costs, they likely designed thousands of pairs. suggested she move in with her uncle Jimmy, I meet Choi just a few days before the a Malaysian cobbler who made custom shoes brand’s SS16 menswear presentation. The for private clients. activity outside her office is frenetic. But “In our culture, when you stay with family, Choi, clad in skinny jeans and spike-heeled you automatically help out,” Choi says. “So boots, emanates calm. I started to get involved in the business in The Jimmy Choo story is, by contrast, a basic way. For two years, I was dealing with tumultuous. If you were only faintly customers, packing and sending out shoes familiar with it, then you could be forgiven and fetching tea. I did anything that needed for attributing Choi’s career trajectory to be done.” to nepotism (she’s Jimmy’s niece) or Choi might have stayed doing just that serendipitous circumstance (she stepped – studying at Central Saint Martins by into co-founder Tamara Mellon’s stilettos). day, packaging up heels in Jimmy Choo’s But both scenarios are far from the truth.

Hackney HQ by night – were it not for Tamara Mellon, an ex-Vogue accessories editor who had seen potential in Choo’s burgeoning business after commissioning him to produce shoes for fashion shoots. Mellon proposed that they become partners – with her overseeing manufacturing, PR and marketing, and Choo designing offthe-shelf shoes, assisted by Choi. “Suddenly this opportunity just presented itself,” Choi remembers. “I was still pretty young, so I thought, Well, if I only do this for a little bit, it won’t be a problem. I’ll just go back to school when I’m a bit older.” But early on, it became obvious that Choo needed to spend more time with his couture clients, so Choi had to start designing. For the next few years, she worked behind the scenes creating vertiginous-heeled and vividly coloured confections, while Mellon – the glamorous and well-connected business brains – focused on brand-building. A limited marketing budget meant they had to think creatively; one awards season, the pair stationed themselves in a Los Angeles hotel suite, where they customised shoes to match celebrities’ gowns. “I remember my mum saying to me, ‘What on earth are you doing at the Academy Awards?’,” Choi laughs. Soon the brand was riding the wave of the late-nineties accessories boom, becoming the go-to heels for everyone from Meryl Streep to Sarah Jessica Parker – and a household name in the process. But, while business couldn’t have been better, there were disagreements between Choo and Mellon. When Choo eventually left the company in 2001, Choi was forced to choose between her uncle and her mentor. She decided to stick with Mellon. A decade later, Mellon also left, and Choi was again at a crossroads. She stayed on and, a few years later, was appointed creative director. Despite the fact that she never harboured ambitions for the top job (“It just happened; I wasn’t like, Yes! Finally I’ve got my hands on it,” she says), Choi is far from a token X

“For two years, I was dealing with customers, packing and sending out shoes and fetching tea. I did anything that needed to be done”

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figurehead. “I’m not the person who created Jimmy Choo, so I want to be respectful. But slowly I’m putting my stamp, my signature, on it,” she says. “But sometimes decisions are hard to make, because it’s a huge machine.” The scale of the Jimmy Choo empire – which has expanded to include bags, fragrances and sunglasses – is dizzying. And, under Choi’s watch, it is growing exponentially. Last year’s annual revenue was almost £300m, an increase of more than 12 per cent from 2013. Many of her new launches – a collaboration with the artist Mat Collishaw; a made-to-order service that allows customers to choose heel height, material and motif – continue on the same path that Mellon set out. But Choi is not afraid to shake up the status quo. Her first major change was to broaden Jimmy Choo’s appeal by focusing on flats, boots and sneakers – a brave step for a brand known for sky-high stilettos. “That’s been a breakthrough,” she admits. “Of course, when you think of Jimmy Choo, you immediately think of sexy, strappy heels – and that’s fine. But we can’t just pretend that the world outside isn’t changing. Women don’t want the same things they did 20 years ago. Personally, I prefer everyday – but still luxurious – shoes you can run around town in.” The perma-glamorous persona of Choi’s predecessor used to define the aspirational image of Jimmy Choo (Mellon even starred in the company’s advertising campaigns). But Choi – a mother of two – prefers to keep a lower profile. Luckily, her designs speak for themselves. Her latest collection was partly inspired by her mother-in-law (a former ballerina) and features pale pink sandals with crisscrossing straps that take their cues from bondage lacing. “It’s pretty and sexy at the same time – feminine with an edge,” Choi explains. “I like bringing together unexpected elements.” A case in point is a recent accessories collection, Choo Hound, starring whimsical sketches of a big-on-Instagram Bull Terrier named Jimmy Choo. “I contacted his owner (illustrator Rafael Mantesso) because I was curious why this bloke in Brazil would call his dog that. I mean, it’s not the coolest thing to shout across the park,” she laughs. “Fashion is a serious business, but it should be fun too. And if we can create shoes that are memorable in the process, then why not?” HMN

NO MEAN FEET By LAURA BARTON

“I’m not the person who created Jimmy Choo, so I want to be respectful. But slowly I’m putting my stamp, my signature, on it”

FROM TOP Jimmy Choo Rosana shoes £525, Trapeze sandals £595 and London sneakers £435. Available from Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor

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Each season, the shoe designers of the world congregate to devise a test of sorts to discern womankind’s ability to walk in a procession of lovely-yet-bewildering styles – platforms, kitten heels, ultra-thin stilettos, witchy toes, wedges and winkle-pickers among them. This is not a Cinderella story – for where is the challenge in one measly glass slipper? Rather, I think of it as a Lord of the Ringsstyle quest, at the end of which the prize is a pair of comfortable bedroom slippers. This season, the gauntlet falls in the shape of sculptural heels, a rare instance of fashion meeting form. For instance, when wearing Charlotte Olympia’s Mid-Century shoes, you may find yourself – if not searching for a snooker cue – confounded by the science of your own footwear. How, you might ask, can the weight of a human be supported by a stack of spheres? Where shoes are concerned, the normal laws of physics do not apply. This has allowed FROM TOP Charlotte Christian Louboutin to Olympia Middream up a pair with a Century shoes £725; wavelike heel, safe in the Christian Louboutin knowledge that, however Decoupadiva shoes £795; Nicholas precarious they may Kirkwood shoes look, the wearer is never £595; Valentino in danger. Still, for those boots £780. Available of us who crave more from Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor stability, it might be wise to wear a heel that’s arty, but considerably closer to the ground. Nicholas Kirkwood’s prism-heeled pumps or Valentino’s midheight boots will be enough to persuade the shoe community that you have chosen to accept this season’s mission while ensuring your footing remains firm until spring. Laura Barton is a feature writer for The Guardian. She also writes for Q, The Word, Vogue and Red

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STREET-STYLE SUCCESS

The sneaker trend is here to stay, and who better to enjoy the ride than a pair of designers who have been sneaker geeks all their lives? Two years ago, Jon Buscemi and Rob Heppler decided to make their dreams come true by designing their first footwear collection. They duly combined New York street style and Italian craftsmanship, with each shoe the result of 24 hours’ skilful labour, and it’s proved a winning formula. The Buscemi brand – whose AW15 styles come in a palette including off-white, burgundy and midnight blue – now has a cult following among sneaker lovers across the world. From top £641, £538 and £680. Available from Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor

BLADE TO MEASURE

What’s better than a beautifully made stiletto? A beautifully made bespoke stiletto, of course – and Cesare Casadei has introduced an in-store service enabling shoe lovers to have his muchloved (but slightly confusingly named, as it has a stiletto heel) Blade Pump customised. It’s possible to select colour, heel height and material (options include crocodile, napa leather and silk satin), as well as embellishments that range from glitter to Swarovski crystals; the shoes are then made by the Casadei team in Italy to the brand’s exacting standards. Just to crank the giddiness up a final notch, the soles are carved with the new owner’s initials, and a Polaroid of the bespoke pumps is signed by Casadei himself. From £660. Available from Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor

SHOE-VENIR So, you’re the proud owner @7 >2?J 362FE:7F==J 4C2ñ65 pairs of shoes. But once you’ve put them through their paces, where do you go when your Louboutins need some love and your Isabel Marants require some running repairs? The answer is The Cobbler on E96 :ñ9 =@@C H9@D6 >28:4 mending expertise can help them look as good as new.

AN INTERVIEW WITH

GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI By LINDSAY MACPHERSON

A former DJ, Giuseppe Zanotti started his career in footwear design freelancing for the likes of Roberto Cavalli, Christian Dior and Azzedine Alaïa, before launching his own label in 1994. He talks to Hot Shoes about super-luxe sneakers and why it’s so important that his shoes are made in Italy. “I started my career sketching shoes at home. Soon, just drawing them wasn’t enough, so I created prototypes using leather, paper and fabric, with modelling clay for the heel. I still remember the first shoes I made – a pair of white-leather gladiator-style sandal-booties. I was 20 and I designed them for my girlfriend. She didn’t like them at all. When I became a freelance designer in 1981, I caught the attention of many fashion houses. I was doing what I’d always dreamed of but, 13 years later, I felt ready for a change. I bought a small shoe factory in my hometown of San Mauro Pascoli and began producing my own designs. The Giuseppe Zanotti woman is self-confident, irreverent and extremely sexy. Nobody could have predicted how successful luxe sneakers would become. When I started designing them, my goal was to create shoes that were young, modern, cool and comfortable. Kanye West was the first to wear them and he helped to kick-start the trend. Our emphasis is on creativity and fine craftsmanship. I invested FROM TOP Giuseppe in my own factory Zanotti sneakers £805 and £640. because the concept Available from of “made in Italy” is so Harrods Shoe intrinsic to my idea of Heaven, Fifth Floor luxury. Now I know that every shoe has been made by skilled artisans using the finest materials.”

The Harrods Cobbler, Fifth Floor

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TONGUE IN CHIC To bring a sense of joie de vivre to their shoe collections, designers are increasingly harnessing humour, surrealism or avant-garde embellishment. The fur-festooned Karlito sneakers and multicoloured, fringed driving shoes from Fendi are perhaps the most eye-catching, but there are many less extreme examples. Consider Christian Louboutin’s squiggly-heel Beloved courts, which follow the tried-and-tested formula of business at the front/party at the back. Then there are Sophia Webster’s Chiara Wing suede boots, which seem uncharacteristically understated until you spot the metallic butterfly wings at their heels. Joining Charlotte Olympia’s bestselling kitsch Kitty shoes this season are surrealist face-motif metallic platforms and Mondrian-style ankle-strap wedges. Miu Miu’s glittered slingbacks are guaranteed to raise a smile, but perhaps the most playful of all are Dolce & Gabbana’s patent Mary Jane pumps – from their paean to motherhood AW15 show – which have pink lipsticks encased in their acrylic heels.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT Sophia Webster boots £585; Miu Miu shoes £525; Christian Louboutin stilettos £675; Charlotte Olympia ﬂats £415; Dolce & Gabbana Mary Janes £1,650; Fendi sneakers £1,100

LIVING IT UP

FLAT MATES

From eye-catching pumps to playful platforms, no-one could accuse the AW15 lines of looking down at heel By LINDSAY MACPHERSON

FROM LEFT Aquazzura ﬂats £395; Manolo Blahnik ﬂats £650; Dolce & Gabbana pumps £545

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There was a time when evening footwear options fell into two camps: classic ballerinas or towering taxi-only shoes. But in the past few seasons, a new breed of special-occasion shoe has emerged. Enter the statement pump. Unlike the polarising “ugly-yet-functional” trend (kick-started by Christopher Kane’s SS12 pool sliders), the new flats don’t forgo polish in favour of podiatric practicality. The delicate lace scarlet pumps at Dolce & Gabbana, for example, are decorated with Baroque-style brooches, while Manolo Blahnik’s jewel-toned satin Hangisi flats feature glittering gemstones. One early proponent of the evening pump was Edgardo Osorio, founder of the Florencebased shoe brand Aquazzura. “Every time I met a woman wearing flats, she would apologise for not being in heels,” he explains. “I wanted to create flats that were just as sexy as heels, flats you don’t need to say sorry for.” This season he has launched an array of flats that don’t forsake glamour, from bottle-green or crimson lace-up pumps to low-profile black ballerinas, all designed to look great with a cocktail dress. Music to the ears of flat-shoe devotees.

T R END ROU NDU P

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE Fashion designers aren’t generally fans of the middle ground – favouring full-on maximalism one season, monastic minimalism the next – but in the AW15 collections, the mid-calf boot was a clear hit. A highlight on the Parisian catwalks was Isabel Marant’s multi-buttoned, military-style block heels and Lanvin’s tasselled suede boots, which chimed with the ’70s feel of patchwork furs and Moroccan embellishments. In London, Stella McCartney’s mid-calf boots (made from an ethical non-leather material) were teamed with classic tailoring, while Alexander McQueen’s red Perspex-heeled boots provided the perfect partners to Sarah Burton’s gothic dresses. But perhaps the most compelling propositions were in Milan, where Valentino’s Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli paired sleek ’70s-style black boots with everything from bohemian minidresses to Op Art outerwear. Proof, if it were needed, of just how versatile a hybrid can be. Even labels that don’t show on the catwalk were in step: Kurt Geiger London’s russet python-print boots being a perfect case in point.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Lanvin boots £1,045; Alexander McQueen boots from a selection; Isabel Marant boots £755; Kurt Geiger London boots from a selection; Stella McCartney boots £605; Valentino boots £1,020

BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS Sky-high shoes are so intrinsic to our idea of femininity that it’s a shock to find out that it was men, not women, who first adopted high heels, back in the 16th century. Since then, all manner of styles – from cowboy boots to moccasins – have made the leap across the gender divide. When Nicholas Kirkwood launched his inaugural men’s collection in 2013, he noticed that the smallest sizes were snapped up first; as a result, his womenswear collection now includes a standout selection of menswear-influenced styles including sleek smoking slippers in metallic leather and pared-down loafers in hound’s-tooth check. Androgyny was also on the agenda at the AW15 shows. New Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele showed a genderblurring collection, with male and female models wearing the same fur-lined horsebit clogs. Michael Kors, meanwhile, sent out clean-lined mannish separates accompanied by brogues. But not all borrowed-from-theboy styles are pancake flat. Stuart Weitzman’s take on traditional tasselled loafers has a slimline wedge heel, while Stella McCartney has reconfigured patent dress shoes and lace-up loafers into star-print flatforms.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Gucci clogs £650; Nicholas Kirkwood shoes £300; Michael Kors Collection shoes from a selection; Stuart Weitzman loafers £375; Stella McCartney shoes £655

Available from Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor; and harrods.com

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SEPTEMBER 2015

ABOUT FACE

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all change for new-season beauty

Sneaker Wars: get ready to up your game To play, download the September edition of Harrods Magazine in the Harrods app for a chance to win your own hot shoes Subscribe now for free magazine.harrods.com/app

PROV ENA NCE

LEATHER BOUND Having stepped into shoe and accessory design via ready-to-wear fashion, Alessandra Facchinetti has 7@F?5 96C A6C764E ]E 2E *@5\D By LINDSAY MACPHERSON

After stints helming Gucci and Valentino, Alessandra Facchinetti hit her stride when she was appointed creative director of Tod’s women’s collections in 2013. Today, Facchinetti’s fresh spin on the house’s codes is attracting a new generation of fans. When did you become interested in fashion? The first time I thought about fashion design was during my time at art school. I was considering a career in sculpture but, towards the end of my course, I changed direction and went on to fashion school in Milan instead. It felt natural, so design must have been in the back of my mind. I started in the industry at 20 and I’ve never stopped. Does art inspire your designs? Fashion design and sculpture are similar, in that they both involve three dimensions, so my interest in the latter is helpful. Art is important to my work and life. I collect art books and, when I travel, the first thing I do is check out new galleries and exhibitions. Working out how to translate that inspiration into silhouettes and shapes is exciting. How have you been influenced by the companies you’ve worked for? Every place I’ve worked – from Valentino to Moncler Gamme Rouge to Gucci – has influenced me, but Prada started everything. I had the great fortune to begin my career there in 1994, working mostly for Miu Miu, and I consider that to be my luckiest break. I learned everything I know from Prada; I was like a baby before that point.

ABOVE Designer Alessandra Facchinetti; RIGHT, FROM TOP Tod’s Gommino Lacetto £280 and Gommino Macro Clamp £298

You’ve taken on some demanding jobs; are you drawn to a challenge? Yes, I love a challenge. Sometimes that means I put myself in a difficult position, but being challenged is what gives me energy. What attracted you to Tod’s? I liked the idea of working for a family business, and one that was so rooted in tradition and Italian craftsmanship. Tod’s has quite old-fashioned values, and that’s rare X 29 HOT SHOES

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in our industry. I like the way the employees are treated, and the warm atmosphere. It’s a special place. I also love the fact that Tod’s has very old factories where things are still made by hand, yet it embraces new technology, too. Were you given a brief when you joined? No. I felt as if there was a blank page in front of me. Of course, I always had the Tod’s history in my mind, but I was given a lot of creative freedom. Shoes are so important to Tod’s, so that’s what I started with. Before Tod’s, everything I did stemmed from clothes and silhouettes, but this time I began with the shoes and everything else followed. Now I design from the feet up.

Tod’s Gommino Heaven Frangia Spilla £340; the Gommino style is reinvented every season

Was it daunting to try to reinvent Tod’s best-known shoes? No. Even when I was designing ready-towear collections at other companies, I liked to have a bit of history or a reference to work with. I try to reinvent the key Tod’s shoes – the moccasins, the lace-ups and the Gommino driving shoes – every season. How do you work with the company’s craftspeople? Leather is not easy to work with, so I talk to the artisans frequently. They’re incredibly passionate about their craft, and open to ideas and innovations. Together we aim to give leather a new lease of life. We’ve developed new patterns and textures, made the material lighter and introduced new colour processes. The team can translate any idea I have. I also work closely with our teams in the factories, because shoes are technical products. Sometimes, I start with an idea that isn’t really feasible, but our technicians always seem to make it work. I’ve learned to compromise, too; a shoe has to be beautiful, but it’s more important that it’s functional.

won’t date after just one season. We’re in a moment where fashion is moving very fast, and I think people appreciate beautifully made things that stand the test of time. My aim is to design something that will still look fresh years after you buy it. Sometimes, after a show, we’ll notice we’ve created a style that taps into a trend, but it’s never planned.

“You can buy moccasins anywhere, so I work hard to make sure that Tod’s shoes are the right ones”

Do you follow trends? I don’t think trends are relevant for Tod’s, because our customers want something that

What’s the most important thing to consider when designing shoes? Comfort is crucial, obviously, but it’s the little details that count. They’re particularly 30 HOT SHOES

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important if you’re working with a design that’s classic, because you have to be careful not to change the style too much. I spend a lot of time researching new finishes and playing around, making the tiniest design tweaks. You can buy a pair of moccasins anywhere, so I have to work hard to make sure that Tod’s shoes are the right ones. What have you learned from working with Tod’s President Diego Della Valle? I’m constantly learning from him. He’s an incredible person and very generous [in 2011, Della Valle began funding a €25m restoration of Rome’s Colosseum]; he’s a great ambassador for Italy. I really appreciate that he teaches you to trust your own opinions and ideas, so you feel secure. HMN Available from Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor; and harrods.com

FA SH ION

Embellished. Exclusive. Even custom-made. Sneakers are on target to be this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s must^2F?E 7@@EH62C +D67F= because they bring a 5C6DD 5@H? 724E@C E92E instantly ups your game Photographer JONTY DAVIES

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Fashion Editor VICTORIA GAIGER

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FROM LEFT Rachel Gilbert top £625 and skirt £2,675; Balenciaga sneakers £405; Badgley Mischka Couture gown £4,775; Dior sneakers £950

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THIS PAGE Dolce & Gabbana dress £4,090 and sneakers £925; OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT Elie Saab gown £3,475; Prada sneakers £650; Monique Lhuillier gown £3,225; Casadei boots £1,610; J Mendel gown £7,925; Giuseppe Zanotti boots £1,400 34 HOT SHOES MAGAZINE

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FA SH IO N FASHION TREND

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SHOE HEAVEN MAGAZINE / VOLUME ONE

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FA SH IO N FASHION TREND

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THIS PAGE, FROM LEFT Raoul gown £1,199; Hogan sneakers £430; Elie Saab gown £5,250; Givenchy sneakers £640; OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT Andrew Gn gown £4,599; René Caovilla sneakers £925; Ports 1961 gown £899; Stuart Weitzman sneakers £400

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FA SH ION

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SHOE MAGAZINE / VOLUME ONE

FA SH ION THIS PAGE La Mania gown £2,900; Gucci sneakers £600; OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM LEFT Ports 1961 gown £1,525; Christian Louboutin sneakers £1,095; Ports 1961 gown £899; Louis Vuitton sneakers £575; Stella McCartney gown £2,575; Tod’s sneakers £610 Hair RICHARD SCORER at Premier; Make-up MICHELLE CAMPBELL at Frank Agency; Nails KIM TREACY at LMC Worldwide using Chanel AW15; Models AMANDA WARE and ROMY DE GRIJFF at Elite and MIRANDA N at Next; Fashion Intern TWINKS BURNETT; Photographer’s Assistants ADAM FUSSELL and NATHANIEL TRIBBLE; Digital Operator AARON GAIGER Available from Eveningwear and International Designer, First Floor; Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor;

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and harrods.com

X WATCH Download the Harrods app to get ahead of this season’s game 39 H O T S HH O O TE SS HMOAEGS A ZVI O N EL U M V EO L1U MAEU T1 U MANU T /U M T E1 R5 2 0 1 5 WN I N T/ EW RIN 20

FA SH ION

HIGH MIGHTY and

(:49 H:E9 56E2:= @C ]?6DD65 H:E9 7C:?8:?8 DE2E6>6?E 966=D 2C6 >@G:?8 FA :? E96 H@C=5 FDE D=:A E96> @? DE2?5 2?5 56=:G6C Photographer MATTHEW EADES / Deputy Fashion Editor POPPY ROCK

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THIS PAGE Harrods of London jacket £3,950; Wacoal pants £42; Christian Louboutin shoes £675; OPPOSITE PAGE Elie Saab cape £9,650; Gianvito Rossi shoes £1,485

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FA SH ION THIS PAGE Dennis Basso coat £36,000; Salvatore Ferragamo shoes from a selection; OPPOSITE PAGE Gucci coat £10,550; Salvatore Ferragamo shoes £680

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FA SH ION THIS PAGE Michael Kors Collection coat £6,400; Wacoal pants £42; Balenciaga shoes £1,085; OPPOSITE PAGE Fendi coat £18,350; Christian Louboutin shoes £695

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THIS PAGE Dennis Basso coat £26,000; Sophia Webster shoes £430; OPPOSITE PAGE Harrods of London cape £5,550; Wacoal pants £42; Jimmy Choo shoes £595 Hair KEIICHIRO HIRANO at David Artists using Bumble and Bumble Make-up CAROLINE BARNES at Frank Agency using Hourglass Model TALLULAH MORTON at Premier Photographer’s Assistant JOE MURPHY Digital Operator ROLAND GOPAL-CHOWDHURY Available from Dennis Basso, International Designer, Lingerie and Superbrands, First Floor; Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor; and harrods.com 49 HOT SHOES MAGAZINE

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SHOW TIME Never one to favour function over fantasy, Sophia Webster has E2<6? ^2>3@J2?46 E@ 2 ?6H =6G6= :? 96C =2E6DE D9@6 4@==64E:@? BY FLEUR FRUZZA PHOTOGRAPHER MATTHEW SHAVE

Credits TK Images

How can one tell when an emerging talent has truly arrived, when a rising star has reached her zenith? Perhaps by a trophy cabinet much like the one Sophia Webster has presumably had to invest in to house her haul. Webster, a former protégée of footwear magician Nicholas Kirkwood, won the British Fashion Council’s prestigious NEWGEN Award for her first three seasons, as well as its Fashion Forward prize for her AW14 and SS15 collections. Alongside these, she was named the 2012 Condé Nast Footwear Emerging Designer of the Year and received the 2013 British Fashion Award for Emerging Accessories Designer. And, on top of all of this, the designer has found the time to work on collaborations with J Crew and Victoria’s Secret. Unfortunately for Webster’s trophy cabinet, the confident irreverence of her latest line will do little to ease its burden. The AW15 Freak Like Me collection is inspired by the circus and all things carnival – cue feathers, glittering gems and pompoms galore; outsized bows and candy-cane heels; and vibrant prints and butterfly wings. One of the collection’s key styles is the Yasmina Pom Pom, a silver-caged stiletto sandal with fluffy multicoloured spheres. It seems to say, “Me? Oh yes, my star has well and truly risen.” Sophia Webster Yasmina Pom Pom sandals £760. Available from Harrods Shoe Heaven, Fifth Floor 50 HOT SHOES

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