Can’t Get Enough Givenchy Shoes

I just love these in every way.  I want to admire them from not-too-far (like on my feet), but they don’t have my size anywhere (37).

Tanning Leather

I had to go around to a few different tanneries last month… and every time I go I learn more about the tanning process. I know that it’s GROSS to think about, but I have been assured by some of the most reputable tanneries in Italy that no animal is ever killed just for its skin. This is one of the driving forces in the escalating price of leather. The demand for animal meat is decreasing, so the price of leather will surely be effected. Most large tanneries in Tuscany are in the same town… Santa Croce sull’Arno and they share a water treatment plant to clean the water after the tanning process. In the courtyard at Conceria Polaris (where I bought skins of Articles, Buttero, Fly and Bliss because their hand is so waxy and supple that I wanted to make some boots out of them PRONTO) I noticed that on the bags covering the stacks of “grey goods” (untanned leather) were article names. Apparently as the workers are tumbling, depilatory-ing, and scathing, they are also noting which article each skin is best suited for. Also found out that the “crosta”, or inside layer that makes suede splits is often sold to other tanneries who specialize in suede (like Ambassador, for instance).

Sole Searching for Rubber

Last month in Italy, my friend took me to a place that made my (rubber) dreams come true. A small rubber factory that can do small runs of rubber soles. This is exciting because I usually work with small or upstart shoe collections, and I’m true to working IN ITALY… thus, the minimums and cost  for a personalized rubber mold are usually too high. Voila… a solution better than the typical one’s— like using a “generic” rubber sole that is already developed (and used for someone else) (ick!) or design a work-around, like a rubber welt on a flat-cut rubber tread. BUT NO!!! At this little factory, you can design whatever sole you want, give them sketches of the bottom and sides, your logo & they will make a “machette” (or wood prototype) about in 20 days, then upon approval make a mold in 15 days and for not that much money, you have a personalized, rubber bottom. These are flat molds, not injection molds, and they are perfect for sneaker bottoms.

The “Vito” Boot in Elle July 2008

“Street Style” boot

The Vito boot I designed for Mike&Chris originated as a men’s boot “VISTA” (and is being made in a men’s factory). It morphed into the “VITO” for women late in the season, because I felt a combat boot was essential to the collection we were doing for Fall 08. The social and political season was such that the timing was right for “combat”… (it’s not really a biker boot, Elle). The boot ended up being Mike&Chris’s best-booked style for their first season of shoes. The boot in waxy calfskin with oversized brass zippers and eyelets. The lining is outer-grade lambskin, and there are slits in the lining to put the laces thru so that the boot can be worn folded over. It’s a cool boot that I’m looking forward to wearing with casual and feminine looks. Soon to be in stores nationwide.

Chunky Heels

For Fall 2008 this is one of the shoes I designed for Mike&Chris. The heel was developed from a sketch and used both covered in leather and wood veneer. The particular heel development process was unique because I had to tweak it to accommodate the stiffness of the wood that was going to wrap around the curves and would have to be flat enough to ensure smoothness in production.

I went to Italy for a day, just to make the final heel adjustments with the technicians at the heel factory. From the sketch of the heel, it is created on the computer using a 3-D program. From the computer, a wood block is set up in a carving machine that it’s hooked up to, and it’s carved precisely. After the final shape is confirmed, a metal mold is made and the heel is mass produced in resin. The heel factory also has to make a mold for the top lift (the little plastic nub on the bottom of the heel to protect it from wear and tear). The heel requires different top lift’s for each covering the heel gets, for instance, the wood veneer covering is slightly thinner than leather, so the top lift has to be millimeters smaller to look smooth and fit correctly. 

This style did not sell well and the company abandoned it, a bit prematurely given that just this season Chloe’s heel was hauntingly similar, and in my opinion it’s really hot.