FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

Designer: Jasmin Larian
Brand: Cult Gaia
LAUNCHED 2012 for accessories; 2018 for footwear
BASE Los Angeles
MADE IN Brazil
BACKSTORY After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technoloy, Larian moved back home to Los Angeles and began making flower crowns and wire turbans just as Coachella fashion was beginning to reach critical mass. She moved to handbags in 2011, officially launching Cult Gaia as a brand.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY “There is a place to make timeless and classic pieces that you can wear everyday that also look like art.”
STOCKISTS The brand has a Net-a-Porter exclusive for the current debut collection (which initially sold out in days) and Lane Crawford has signed on for Spring 2019
SHOE COUNT 11 styles currently and 9 styles for spring ’19
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE The Instagram-famous Ark bag, which gave inspiration to the brand’s artful, open-weave shoes.
SPOTTED ON Jessica Alba, Emma Roberts
NEXT UP Sandals. “I haven’t been able to find that for myself, a good easy slide that doesn’t have a heel.”
INSPIRATION Nature and furniture. For Spring 2019, Larian made molds out of a collection of rocks she found on a recent trip to Iceland.
MENTOR “I just met with Sofia Amoruso. She was able to create a pathway for more women, for more female-led fashion brands. There aren’t really that many, it’s still a lot of men.”
SOCIAL STUDIES 306K on Instagram @cultgaia

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Anita Patrickson
BRAND: Amanu
LAUNCHED: April 2018
BASE: Los Angeles
MADE IN: Materials comes from Italy, and customers create custom sandals that are then built in shop by cobblers within 30 minutes.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “We value simplicity. It’s bespoke and it’s empowering. We strive to use less materials and less waste. It’s inviting and feels like an escape because you can design what you want and what fits.”
CREATIVE PROCESS: “We have 10 silhouettes. I try to cater to beachy, dressy, easy, lazy, throw-on sandals. Something that was a mix and for everyone. It’s cool to see people choose styles that flatter the feet. We’ve been listening to everyone and I’m so grateful to totally connect with our customers in person since we aren’t online.”
RETAIL COUNT: Direct-to-consumer at the Amanu Studio in West Hollywood, Calif.
SPOTTED ON: Salma Hayek, Jamie Chung, Julianne Hough.
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “It’s gone in waves. Style 2 (two-strap slide) was by far the leader. Now Style 7 (a strappy toe-wrap) is the total winner.”
NEXT UP: Heels.
INSPIRATION: “The whole vibe of the shop is inspired by Africa, where I grew up, and my parents home.”
MENTOR: “I went out with Tamara Mellon maybe a year ago. Her saying that this was a great idea and I should do it was a huge vote of confidence.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 69.4K on Instagram @anitapatrickson and 13.2K @amanustudio. “[Amanu] is such an Instagrammable and content heavy experience. There’s a bad ass chick making shoes with hammers. We’ve had so many Insta Stories and that’s been huge.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Mike Amiri
BRAND: Amiri
LAUNCHED: 2014 for ready-to-wear, 2016 for footwear
BASE Los Angeles
MADE IN Italy
BACKSTORY After a career in music, the L.A. native began crafting distressed denim, leather jackets and other rock-and-roll pieces in a basement studio on Sunset Boulevard. He sold his first collection to Maxfield, nine pieces that quickly gained the attention of other retailers, like Barneys New York.
RETAILERS More than 150 worldwide
SHOE COUNT 11 styles for men and 11 for women for fall 2018
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE The suede Bandana boot, a modified Chelsea with a heel.
SPOTTED ON J Balvin, Odell Beckham, Jr., Tyga, Justin Bieber
SOCIAL STUDIES 306K on Instagram @cultgaia

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Louisa and Pookie Burch
BRAND: Trademark
LAUNCHED: 2014
BASE: New York
MADE IN: Brazil and Italy.
BACKSTORY: The sister (who are the daughters of fashion investor Chris Burch and stepdaughters to designer Tory) originally launched their line in 2014 as a full ready-to-wear label but decided to rebrand in 2017 as an accessories only. When we started we had so many categories,” says Pookie. “Stepping back and focusing on two (shoes and bags) is great. It’s important to be proud of what you’re making.”
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “ We are very classic, kind of nostalgic, influenced by art and sculpture and color,” says Pookie.
STOCKISTS: 42 retailers including Brown’s Fashion,, Lane Crawford, Need Supply and Goop.com.
SHOE COUNT: 22 styles for Fall 2018.
SIGNATURE STYLE: The pajama sandal. “It’s a shoe we did since the first season,” says Louisa. “It can look very beautiful in a simple leather but it allows for a little bit of play. This season we did it in shearling and two-tone velvet.”
SPOTTED ON: Jennifer Lawrence
NEXT UP: “I would love to do a sneaker at one point, or a clog or rain boot,” says Louisa.
MENTORS: “Our parents and my stepmom have always been mentors; our dad from a business standpoint and our stepmom from a fashion standpoint,” says Louisa. “It was a constant absorbing and learning and watching (them), long before launching. They both always see the collection and give feedback. We’re pretty lucky to have that.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 43.6K on Instagram @trdmrk

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Alan Buanne and Vanissa Antonious
BRAND: Neous
LAUNCHED: 2017
BASE: Originally from Australia, the duo are currently based in London.
MADE IN: Italy. “We can spend six months working on our lasts. We’re really proud off the people we work with though we probably drive them a bit crazy sometimes.”
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “A bold and minimalist aesthetic with architectural block heels and easy elevations designed to fit seamlessly into the modern woman’s life.”
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: The Zygo shoe—inspired by tuxedo dressing—has been the most popular with buyers. All of the brand’s styles are named after rare orchids.
RETAIL: Totokaelo in New York, Dover Street Market in London, Lane Crawford, Browns Fashion and Net-a-Porter. Launching with David Jones in Australia this year.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 23.2K Instagram @neous
INSPIRATION FOR SPRING: “We are always inspired by fluidity and organic forms. For spring we looked at the female anatomy and yoga positions. The heel on our Sobralia mule was inspired by the construction of an ear.”
BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT: Launching e-commerce in June. “It has been a real turning point as we have been able to connect with prospective customers where our wholesale hasn’t yet reached.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Valentina Micchetti and Perla Alessandri
BRAND: Alevi
LAUNCHED: September 2017
BASE: Alessandri is based in Italy and Micchetti is in Los Angeles.
MADE IN: San Mauro Pascoli at Alessandri’s family shoe factory.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: Sexy, chic and feminine shoes that become part of your outfit rather than steal the limelight.
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: The Stella sandal. “It’s named after our friend, model Stella Maxwell. All the styles are named after friends from the Alessandra (Ambrosio) to Bianca (Bati).”
RETAILERS: “The first person who discovered us was Marina Larroudé, fashion director at Barneys. She found us on Instagram and just reached out.” Others include Martha Louisa, Harrods, Level Dubai, Antonioli in Italy and On Pedder in Singapore.
SHOE COUNT: There are 18 styes in the launch collection.
SPOTTED ON: “We started with a mini production line of eight models and gave them to friends and opinion makers. Alessandra Ambrosio wore the Bianca with three different looks so we thought she probably liked it.” Other celebritiy fans include Isabella Fontana, Petra Nemcova and Stella Maxwell.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 16.9K on Instagram @alevimilano.
NEXT UP: One of our new spring ’19 styles is a sandal that is completely nude. “It looks as if you are just wearing anklets like you’re on the beach.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Sunyuul Yie
BRAND: Yuul Yie
LAUNCHED: 2010
BASE: Seoul, South Korea
MADE IN: Korea, with 80% of its leathers imported from Italy
RESUME: Women’s fashion design at Esmod Seoul. “Upon graduation in 2004, I worked as a womenswear designer. One day, I went to help a friend with a shoe design project and fell in love with shoe making which was certainly different from the design of women’s clothing. It ignited a strong desire to continue creating new styles and I decided to start my company and brand.”
RETAILERS: Dover Street Market, Browns, Farfetch, Nordstrom, Harvey Nichols, Moda Operandi, Shopbop, 10 Corso Como, Lane Crawford, Level Shoes
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: The “Y heel,” a chunky heel in the shape of a “Y” that launched in 2015. “People have recognized the brand because of the shoe shape.”
NEXT UP: “Our goal is to partner with a jewelry brand for a collaboration. Right now, we are preparing the YUUL YIE bags collection to be a major focus for 2019.”
INSPIRATION: “I love to buy books about modern art, architecture, sculptures, and vintage jewelry.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: Instagram: 61.1K on Instagram @yuulyie_official

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Ada Kokosar
BRAND: Midnight 00 by Ada Kokosar
LAUNCHED: 2018
BASE: Milan and New York
MADE IN: La Manuelita, in Fermo Italy. The factory is known for producing shoes for Alaia and Prada.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: The line is inspired by the most iconic shoe in the world, Cinderella’s glass slipper, made with PVC wraps for a modern day take on the fairytale. “I always say my shoes are party proof because if you spill a drink on them, it doesn’t matter.”
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: The Shell pump (named for its ruffles that resemble a sea shell.
RETAILERS: An exclusive partnership with Matches Fashion for Fall 2018. For future seasons, stockists will include Browns Fashion, MyTheresa, LuisaViaRoma, Level Shoes Dubai, The Modist and Galeries Lafayette in Paris and Doha.
COLLABS: The brand started last year as a collaboration with Cesare Paciotti. Kokosar also worked with her friend, designer Dodo Bar Or, before going solo this year.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 44.1K on Instagram @adakokosar and 12.4K @midnight_zerozero. “Quite early on I posted a picture of the shell pump in plumetis that I just snapped in my hotel room and it got over 100 likes and was reposted more than 200 times. There was also an overwhelming response from retailers and private customers, it was absolutely gob-smacking.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Luisa Krogmann and Constantin Langholz-Baikousis
BRAND: Aeyde
LAUNCHED: 2015
BASE: Berlin, Germany
MADE IN: Italy
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “We design timeless evergreens and on-trend styles at highest quality for a fair price, whilst valuing sustained satisfaction over quick turnover.”

RETAILERS: Net-a-Porter, Moda Operandi, Lane Crawford, Holt Renfrew Canada, Assembly
RETAIL COUNT: 50
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “My personal OMG-moment was when I saw Leandra Medine wearing our Sylvie pink satin mule on Man Repeller last summer. This shoe was born on my living room table and I had no idea it would break though in just six months and create such a big run on the brand.”
INSPIRATION: “I travel a lot and absorb different city vibes, [uniquely] dressed women or sometimes I browse through vintage shops and get into old shapes that I imagine into today’s world. But also fairs and new materials can be very inspiring.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 33.9K on Instagram @thisisaeyde
SHOE COUNT: “In 2018, we tripled our revenues on aeyde.com and increased the wholesale units almost six-fold.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Rei Hongmi Yoon
BRAND: Reike Nen
LAUNCHED: 2010
BASE: Seoul, South Korea
MADE South Korea
RETAILERS: Moda Operandi, Nordstrom SPACE, Browns, Shopbop, Dover Street Market London
RETAIL COUNT: 40
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “An SNS influencer wore the Ring Slim Boots from our FW 17 season first, so that we cab wore the Ring Slim Boots in the 17fw season, the Chinese enclosure introduced me to the brand abroad.
NEXT UP: “We’ve collaborated with SJYP and most recently with Maison KIMHĒKIM and Beaufille. We want to show work with more diverse international designer brands.”
INSPIRATION: “This season is the story about unexpected lines which aren’t mirrored. Throughout our life, happy or sad events appear and disappear. Although some events make us tired, we can endure hard times in our life due to the unexpected ‘minute’ at every turn. That wondrous unexpected minute allows us to change our life into one which is more beautiful and richer. It is also the reason why we continue to maintain our life, waiting for the unexpected. The rich harmony is completed by crossing the unexpected slight lines with the background of a simple silhouette.”
MENTOR: “I don’t have a mentor specifically, but I like Helmut Lang’s work in the 2000s.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 50K on Instagram @reikenen_official
 

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Samuele Failli
BRAND: Samuele Failli
LAUNCHED: 2017
BASE: Milan
MADE IN: Tuscany Italy, in a factory known for working with major luxury brands since the 1960s.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “I strive to create beautiful pieces that are unique like works of art. I never follow a strict theme.”
BREAKTHROUGH STYLES: The Diane caged sandal and Bella mule. “The Diane Sandal was named after Diane Kruger, who actually owns a pair and loves them. Right now, the Bella silhouette is most representative of my aesthetic.”
RETAILERS: Exclusive with Barneys New York in the U.S. plus Antonia Milano, Joseph, Harvey Nichols and online with Matches Fashion. “Most recently we are starting to gain awareness in the Asia Pacific region.”
ADDED THIS YEAR: Martha Louisa and My Theresa.
SHOE COUNT: Average is 2500 pairs per season.
SPOTTED ON: Madonna, Dianne Kruger and Trudie Styler
MENTOR: I used to work for Azzedine Alaia and it was him who suggested I go and launch my own line.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 5.5K on Instagram @samuelefailliofficial
SPRING INSPIRATION: “Shoes worn by beautiful actresses from the 40s and 70s. I designed each piece of the collection thinking of what would make a woman feel sexy and confident.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Rejina Pyo
BRAND: Rejina Pyo
LAUNCHED: her label in 2014 and her own brand shoe collection for resort 2018. Her footwear was previously produced in collaboration with fellow Korean Yuul Yie.
BASE: London
MADE IN: Alicante, Spain and Travanca, Portugal
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: Wearable and practical pieces that combine sculptural elements and subtle femininity. “I don’t really wear high heels myself because I can’t walk in them.”
BREAKTHROUGH STYLES: The Margot pointed slingback in embossed white croc with pebble shaped heel and the Yasmin mule with curved wooden heel.
RETAILERS: Approximately 90 retail partners worldwide including Europe, USA, Asia, the Middle East, and Australia. Pyo did an exclusive capsule with Net-a-Porter earlier this year.
RETAILERS PICKED UP THIS YEAR: New for 2018 are Lane Crawford, My Theresa, Browns Fashion and Hudson’s Bay.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 139K on Instagram @rejinapyo. “Instagram is a great tool for community building, it is great to have a two way communication with our customers as this helps us to stay relevant as a brand.”
INSPIRATION FOR SPRING: “Without giving too much away, you can expect to see a lot of fun and color. Inspired by old photographs and iconic films, the collection is infused with vintage references but with a modern day twist.”
 

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Zineb Britel & Laura Pujol
BRAND: Zyne
LAUNCHED: 2016
BASE: Casablanca, Morocco
MADE IN: Casablanca “We have opened our own cooperative where we exchange ideas and techniques and offer embroidery and beading training.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “The word Zyne means beauty in Arabic.”
STOCKISTS: Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-Porter, Lane Crawford, Level Shoes
RETAIL COUNT: 32
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “Our Raffy slipper has been hugely successful having been seen on the likes of Eva Chen, Rocky Barnes, Caroline Issa, Chiara Ferragni and more, and sold out on Net-a-Porter within one week.”
NEXT UP “We are currently working on a new collaboration with the Egyptian brand Okhtein on a new raffia bag and a brass embossed heel. For SS19, we are introducing a collection of kitten heels with satin and Swarovski embellishments and a handmade intricate woven raffia work.”
INSPIRATION: “We’re constantly looking for new materials and ways of working them. In the past year, we’ve been exploring raffia (something that’s been worn by fishermen here in Morocco for centuries), and how we can use it in our ‘Zyne’ way. The raffia sandal has been a surprise hit! We started with one experimental style and it has now grown in to an entire range thanks to the popularity.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: Instagram: 28.3K on Instagram @zyneofficial
 

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

Designer: Carrie Forbes
Brand: Carrie Forbes
LAUNCHED 2012
BASE California
MADE IN Morocco, where each shoe is made by hand. A pair of sandals takes a day to produce. “You’re only as good as your resources.”
CV After founding and designing a woven handbag company in 1991, the California native moved to Florence to learn the leather bag trade inside and out, working for luxury brands like Fendi and Salvatore Ferragamo. “I had 60,000 km a year on my car because I was traveling to all of these factories in Italy. It was a gold mine in learning artisanal crafts.”
SHOE PHILOSOPHY “I am attracted to anything handmade. My grandmother had a very unique style that influenced me; she encouraged me to have my own eye.”
STOCKISTS More than 77 worldwide, including Bergdorf Goodman, Net-a-Porter, Matches Fashion, Level Shoe and Le Bon Marché.
SPOTTED ON Jessica Alba SIGNATURE STYLES The Salon and Naima, minimal flat slide sandals that highlight the brand’s hand woven raffia technique.
GOALS “I want to go into handbags again and add a resort colleciotn of clothing.”
INSPIRATION “For me, Salvatore Ferragamo is the pioneer of creativity and talent in the shoe sector, a brilliant craftsman not only design wise but also for comfort, someone to learn from on so many levels.”
SOCIAL STUDIES 7,874 on Instagram @carrieforbesinc
 

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Carmen Cerrillo and Charlotte Janaïna Calixte
BRAND: Dondoks
LAUNCHED: 2018
BASE: Paris. Calixte is French/Brazilian and grew up in the city and Mexican Cerrillo has made it her adopted home. The girls met around 10 years ago dancing at the Paris Lido cabaret; both still work there.
MADE IN: Brazil. Everything is handmade and hand-sewn by artisans in Porto Alegre in the south of Brazil, at a socially responsible factory where workers’ conditions are above the national average.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “Dondoks is a sunshine brand so we produce two collections a year exclusively for spring and resort. Because it’s always summer somewhere.”
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: The best seller is the Frida, a pointed flat sandal with hand-stitched petals made from the organza used for ballet tutus.
RETAILERS: Includes Moda Operandi, Printemps and L’Exception in Paris, Shop Splash in Miami.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 4.3K on Instagram @dondoks_paris “We’re surrounded by very talented and beautiful friends – photographers, models and fellow dancers who help us create constant content. We really enjoy the social media part of the job and love to put our colorful and joyful DNA into our feed. Our hashtag is #dressupyourfeet .”
INSPIRATION FOR SPRING: The new collection is called Tutti Frutti. “We were inspired by chic beach destinations like Capri. It’s more dressed up and we used patent leathers in soft shades of lavender and mint.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Sabina Gyosheva, Denitsa Bumbarova and Valentina Bezuhanova
BRAND: By Far
LAUNCHED: 2016
BASE: Between Bulgaria, London, Paris and Australia.
MADE IN: Production began in Bulgaria, but as the brand has grown, shoes are also produced in Portugal and Spain.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “They are cool and easy, but also when you wear them you feel confident. With all of our shoes we try to think outside the box and make shoes that are super soft and comfy.”
CREATIVE PROCESS: “It’s a family business. We’ve been best friends for 15 years and we’ve thinking about this for a very long time. We just wanted to create something we love. Mainly Denitsa is the designer, but we are constantly in [contact] and it’s definitely collaborative.”
RETAILERS: Net-A-Porter, Moda Operandi, Level Shoes, David Jones, Gaia.
RETAIL COUNT: About 100. “We are predicting that by the end of the year it will triple. Our strategy is to hit a combination of bigger accounts and then at the same time include cool, smaller boutiques.”
SPOTTED ON: Jessica Alba, Chloe Grace Moretz, Kate Bosworth, Alicia Vikander, Dakota Johnson
BREAKTHROUGH STYLES: Mules and boots
NEXT UP: “We are going to show our biggest collection yet in September in Paris with almost 200 pairs — if a color counts as a style.”
INSPIRATION: “The 90s and early 2000s, we are obsessed. We are inspired by Friends and Sex and the City.”
MENTORS: “We don’t know anyone in the fashion industry. Our customers and editors are mentors to us. We are market driven, we listen and we try to adapt and be better. We are laid-back and it’s a plus for us.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 126K on Instagram @byfar_official. “From the beginning, we understood how Instagram was important for brands like us. We started in Bulgaria where there is no fashion scene. Our main channel for communicating with absolutely everyone is through Instagram. It’s the main driver for us.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

Designer: Matteo Ciampalini
Brand: Matteo Mars
LAUNCHED Fall 2018
BASE Florence, Italy
MADE IN Tuscany, Italy
CV Ciampalini has logged more than 18 years in the industry, learning the ins and outs of production at Sergio Rossi and later moving into design at Antonio Berardi and Pucci. He’s also done collaborations with Elie Saab and Iceberg. Last year, the brand was one of eight to take part in the Swarovski and Vogue Talents project, in which each designer was asked to create a piece using crystals and the theme of “sparkling water.”
SHOE PHILOSOPHY “Everything is based in movement. Matteo is my first name, something close to me, and Mars is something from far away.”
STOCKISTS The brand launches this month exclusively on Net-a-Porter
SHOE COUNT 12 styles for Fall 2018
SIGNATURE STYLE The Naked Ala, a pump with a plexiglas heel and a leather wing accenting the heel.
INSPIRATION “The American TV commercial.”
MENTOR Antonio Berardi. “He was the one who introduced me to design, and I was there for nine years. He really helped me to push myself and always look for something better.”
SOCIAL STUDIES 979 on Instagram @matteomars_firenze

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Elvira Panagiotopoulou
BRAND: Phi-Male
LAUNCHED: 2018
BASE: “I was born in Greece and raised in Paris, now I live between Milan and Athens.”
RESUME: London College of Fashion, Cercal and Instituto Marangoni. Panagiotopoulou has worked at luxury brans like Balmain and has another shoe label called Di Gaia.
MADE IN: Hand-made in Alicante, Spain, “Where there is a great tradition for espadrilles.”
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: Easy to wear summery espadrille sandals with pop vibes and playful embroideries. “The brand name is a play the word ‘female’ using the Greek letter Phi which symbolizes creativity and balance.”
BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT: “Our sales collaboration with Barneys in NY. They came on board soon as the brand was launched.”
RETAILERS: 13 stockists in Europe and USA including Barneys in NY, Los Angeles, Beverly hills, high end boutiques in Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Geneva, Cyprus, Athens and Belgium.
MENTOR: René Caovilla creative director Edoardo Caovilla. “In January, I won the Vogue Talents ‘Knowledge & Innovation: The Future Footwear Generation competition. The prize was a year’s mentorship with Edoardo.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 1.1K on Instagram @phi.male
INSPIRATION FOR SPRING: “The Italian dolce vita mixed with Greek stereotypes. You will see Vespa motor scooters and gelatos.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Taro Ishida
BRAND: Taro Ishida
LAUNCHED: Fall 2018
BASE: London, though the designer lives in Amsterdam
MADE IN: Italy. “We cherry picked some of the best Italian suppliers,” says Ishida. “We use a ‘Presso Fussione’ technique to give distinct 3D shapes to some of our patterns. It gives the optical illusion whereby the shoes seems higher than they actually are.”
RESUME: A degree in architecture from TU Delft, but the designer moved to Milan and Tokyo to study shoe making, first at Ars Sutoria and then under master bespoke shoemaker Misawa Noriyuki.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “There is something undeniably architectural about shoes. I have always had a fascination with high heels and the way a woman’s demeanor and attitude changes when she puts on a pair of heels.”
RETAILERS: Exclusive with Moda Operandi
SHOE COUNT: 14 shoes across six styles
SIGNATURE STYLE: A detail on the toe that uses hand faceted semi-precious stones.
GOALS: “I want to expand wholesale, open our own stores, launch custom, bespoke and bridal lines and expand into accessories.”
INSPIRATION: “The embroidery is very much influenced by the Spanish baroque.”
MENTORS: “Artisans and craftsmen in Italy whose skills have been passed on for generations.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 2.6K on Instagram @taroishida

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Jennifer Chamandi Boghossian
BRAND: Jennifer Chamandi
LAUNCHED: 2016
BASE: London
MADE IN: Parabiago, a small village on the outskirts of Milan. “It’s a little gem and the ultimate shoe heaven. My manufacturer Lorenzo, after whom I’ve named my pump, runs a three-generation family-owned atelier.”
BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT: “Amal Clooney wearing my classic Lorenzo Pump four months after my launch was an extremely proud moment.”
RETAILERS: Harrods, Browns Fashion, Farfetch, Level Dubai, On Pedder Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore. The brand launched with Level Shoes in February and Net-a-Porter came on board in this this year which was an incredible milestone and I also launched with Level Shoes in February.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 4.2K on Instagram @jenniferchamandi
BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT: “As of 1 August 2018 I have been granted a Patent in the UK to protect my signature Eye of the Needle strap mechanism, certifying it as an ‘invention’ entitled ‘Improvements relating to Footwear.’”
NEXT UP: Opening a pop-up in London’s Old Bond Street on September 14. “It’s an incredible opportunity to have my first standalone space on such a mythical street.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Chris Wichert & Johannes Quodt
BRAND: Koio
LAUNCHED: 2015
BASE: New York
MADE IN: Italy
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “We had a passion for high-end craftsmanship and felt frustrated with the prices of traditional luxury brands so we wanted to make high end luxury sneakers without compromising on the quality. We also wanted to build a strong brand that speaks to the millennial customer where we are largely online and offline as well. Our shoes are inspired by growing up in Europe. It has a minimalist aesthetic and the shoes are very versatile.”
RETAILERS: Beverly Hills Hotel, J. Crew, Farfetch
RETAIL COUNT: “Our e-commerce started growing first. [We have retail shops] in Soho in New York and Los Angeles. We are also about to open two pop-ups in New york in the West Village and Williamsburg, and we are opening a flagship in Venice Beach, Calif. in mid-September. We have plans to open another store most likely in Chicago later this year. [Overall] we are in 15 doors.”
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: The Capri.
NEXT UP: A new fashion runner, which launched in August. “It’s a new silhouette and we have been prototyping it for the last nine months. We are certain this will be a new staple for our brand. We wanted to merge an athletic design with high-end craftsmanship and material.”
MENTORS: “We built an advisory board of people who had experience in this space, including Neil Blumenthal from Warby Parker and Ken Pilot who ran Gap.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 58.6K followers on Instagram

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Silvia Avanzi
BRAND: Gray Matters
LAUNCHED: 2016
BASE: Italy
MADE IN: Italy
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “Shoes are sculptural objects besides fashion accessories. I always appreciate footwear with a distinct identity, form and color palette. About five years ago, I felt there was a need in the market for a modern interpretation of the mid-heel, a shoe height typically resonating with an older or conservative target. Gray Matters was born and since then we focus on that idea.”
RETAILERS: Totokaelo, Dover Street Market, My Boon, Lane Crawford
RETAIL COUNT: 50
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “Our Mildred and Micol styles have quickly become our signature. When Sienna Miller and Dakota Johnson wore them during the same month it was definitely a breakout moment.”
NEXT UP: “We collaborated with Korean designer Yune Ho to develop a one-of-a-kind style that captured both brands’ DNA. We always partner with set designers and artists to showcase our collections with a unique and memorable aesthetic.”
INSPIRATION: “I often think of shoes as ‘a dress for our feet.’ I enjoy looking at clothing and thinking of how it can be translated into shoes. And of course, New York is a wonderful place to find inspiration: galleries, museums, individuals etc.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 31.6K on Instagram @graymattersnyc
SHOE COUNT: Three collections per year with about 10 styles each, in five color ways.

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

Designer: Loza Maléombho
Brand: Loza Maléombho
LAUNCHED 2009 in NY then relocated 2013 to Abidjan
BASE Abidjan, Ivory Coast
MADE IN Abidjan, Ivory Coast. “All of our shoes are handmade from top to sole by a team of 4 artisans in our workshop.”
SHOE PHILOSOPHY “Statement sandals or heels: A traditional African influence with a modern twist.”
RETAIL COUNT 5 retailers: Lozamaleombho.com, Alara Lagos, Merchants on Long, Lago54, Kay ann Gallery, Marché Rue Dix New York (in TK month)
SPOTTED ON Beyoncé, Solange Knowles, Young Paris, Serayah
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE “There were a few: Blogger Claire Sulmers posted the first sandals I’ve ever designed via her blog and Instagram, Fashion Bomb daily. There was Solange Knowles, who requested and wore items from RTW, and Beyoncé, who featured some of my designs in her video “Formation.”
SOCIAL STUDIES Instagram: 13.9k @lozamaleombho; Facebook: 15.5k, Twitter: 2k

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Tobias Cox
BRAND: Mulo
LAUNCHED: 2012
BASE: London
MADE IN: Handmade in Portugal through a 100-step process, using locally sourced materials from Portugal and Italy. The brand’s linen braid comes from a Japanese trimming company.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “I had the idea to take the traditional espadrille and upgrade it to a proper shoe. That was the genesis.”
CREATIVE PROCESS: “I spent two years refining the product. That entailed sourcing and custom components. The last is based on an Oxford and from the design point of view, that’s the DNA for all of our products. We wanted to do was imbue what was really a casual style with the shape and the formality of what the Oxford brings. It allows the shoes versatility. It’s a formal starting point but they are made in a way that can be worn up or down. It’s a departures from traditional espadrilles.”
RETAILERS: Mr Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, Aman Hotel Group, One & Only Resorts, United Arrows.
RETAIL COUNT: 60 total around the world
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “The espadrille. The success has been on focusing doing one thing really well and not losing sight that’s our strategy and key to our progress.”
NEXT UP: “We are focused on men’s, but we have ambitions and plans to introduce women’s product.”
INSPIRATION: Spring 2018 focused on a muted color palette and Japanese prints.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 5.6K followers on Instagram @muloshoes

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Suzanne Rae Pelaez
BRAND: Suzanne Rae
LAUNCHED: 2011 for ready-to-wear; 2016 for shoes
BASE: Brooklyn, New York
MADE IN: Mostly Italy, with sneakers produced in China.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “I want comfort and practicality with a sense of playful and whimsy,” says Rae Pelaez. “There’s juxtaposition. They can be quirky. The shoes helped put us on the map and now shoes are the majority of our business.”
CREATIVE PROCESS: “We work in this feminist dialogue and exploring what that means. I’ve been interested in the feminist movement for many years now and it’s constantly evolving. It’s the foundation of my brand. I’m trying to show the value of fashion through a feminist lens.”
RETAIL COUNT: More than 30, including Opening Ceremony, Martha Louisa and Fred Segal.
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “Our Mary Jane is really popular. It seems to be very versatile with enough character defining style. Our second would be the d’Orsay.”
NEXT UP: “Entering into a next phase of expanding internationally.”
INSPIRATION: “For spring ’19, I was thinking about my daughter. I want to focus on the value of the female sphere. The colors of the collection are pink, blue and green and are super saturated pastels like child fantasy colors.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 12.8K on Instagram @suzanneraebk

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Mickey Ashmore
BRAND: Sabah
LAUNCHED: 2013
BASE: New York
MADE IN: Turkey, made by hand and sourced locally. “We’ve grown the operation by starting the Sabah Fund, which is a training program for people to learn to hand stitch shoes.”
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “It’s inspired by a traditional Turkish shoe, [but] we are New York-based brand and our shoes are global and our customers are from everywhere. In addition to being beautiful and high quality, there’s a lot of versatility and utility that comes from them. Whether you think about that from a fashion perspective or a daily life perspective, it hits on all of it. They age beautifully, you can replace the soles, they never smell and they are well made. It’s a casual simple shoe and they are good value. It’s unique. Our approach is old school.”
RETAIL COUNT: Direct-to-consumer, with five brick and mortar locations and 30 to 40 pop-up shops a year across the U.S. “It’s a destination. Our business is strong online, but it lives and thrives offline. We like to interact with our customers.”
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: The Sabah
NEXT UP: “We will open a shop or two next year. Our focus is on serving our customer.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 35.9K on Instagram @thesabahdealer. “Our following has slowly accumulated. We don’t advertise. We let the shoes and our service speak for itself. We don’t have an influencer strategy. It’s a digital word of mouth.”
 

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

Designers: Anabelle Tsitsin
Brand: A by Anabelle
LAUNCHED 2017
BASE Milan, though the Israeli native designs from her Tel Aviv studio
MADE IN In the Parabiago region outside Milan.
BACKSTORY Tsitsin studied at the Ecole de Beaux Arts and has a degree in business administration, but she started her label in 2016 with no previous experience. “I think I have something new to offer this market.”
SHOE PHILOSOPHY “Classic silhouettes with uber glamorous accents.”
STOCKISTS Moda Operandi for Fall 2018
SIGNATURE STYLE A heel shaped as the letter ‘A’ is a design element carried through many of Tsitsin’s shoes. “That was the first shoe I’ve ever designed.”
INSPIRATION Everything from the Eiffel Tower to Kryptonite from the Superman series. “Everything that I see and experience finds its way to my creation.”

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Danilo Giordano & Stephanie Roy-Heckl
BRAND: Dahlia Selva
LAUNCHED: June 2018
BASE: New York
MADE IN: Florence, Italy
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “There something to be said about very feminine shoes,” said Roy-Heckl. “They never go out of style. Using your sexuality as a tool for empowerment and as a tool for self-confidence — we are trying to make that aspect cool and approachable. The idea is so stick to our DNA and talk to any demographic with an variety of price points and assortment,” said Roy-Heckl.
RETAILERS: Nordstrom.com, Hu’s Shoes, Saks Fifth Avenue Mexico.
SPOTTED ON: Olivia Culpo
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: The Frills For All shoe
NEXT UP: “I want to make history,” said Giordano. “We want to make women feel beautiful.” Roy-Heckl added, “It takes time to build a brand. I’m excited to see our shoes on celebrities and influencers and to see how that affects our business.”
INSPIRATION: “I’m inspired by women and art and ballet,” said Giordano.
MENTORS: “The best mentors are the people in the factories. They know how to make shoes and they can make your product better.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 640 on Instagram @dahliaselva
 

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNER: Heesung Choi
BRAND: Seven All Around
LAUNCHED: 2017
BASE: New York
MADE IN: Portugal
RETAILERS: Exclusively at SevenAllAround.com for now.
RESUME: Choi was one of the founding employees of Rag & Bone, where she worked for eight years. Most recently, she was head of design for Public School.
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “The model (and my friend) Jihye Park was wearing our No.9 Red Suede Classic Slingback Sandals, and they happened to match her Chanel lip color beautifully. The combination of the sling-backs with her make up was so chic, and people really seemed to take notice. We also got a lot of traction from fans of Chanel beauty since they also seemed to love the color of our shoes.”
NEXT UP: “We are working on a collaboration with a fully-fashioned knit shoes technical company called Nodo from Seoul for our next collection. Sustainable materials are key for our new collaboration.”
INSPIRATION: “Living in New York provides endless creative stimulation, but I’m also deeply inspired by my travels. In fact, I would say it’s the melding of those two: taking what I observe and experience in the cultures of cities all over the world and integrating those elements into a New York lifestyle.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 2.6K on Instagram @sevenallaround
 

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: David Rimokh, Elie Azran & Evelyn Ungari
BRAND: RtA
LAUNCHED: The brand launched in 2013 with shoes in summer 2018.
BASE: Los Angeles
MADE IN: Footwear is made in Italy, while other items in Asia, U.S., Portugal and Turkey.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: “Footwear is the natural progression. It’s a key component of what rounds up a lifestyle brand. It’s the holy grail.
BREAKOUT STYLE: “The combat boot was something that has been relevant in the fashion scene for 20 years. I needed to be able to relate to the shoe. We probably went through 60 sample trials. It took almost nine months to get it done.”
RETAILERS: Net-a-Porter, Harrods, Barneys, FWRD, Maxfield and Kirna Zabete. “We have our second retail store opening at the Wynn Plaza in Las Vegas.” RETAIL COUNT: 450 worldwide.

SPOTTED ON:Fergie, Hailey Baldwin, Gigi Hadid, Cardi B

NEXT UP:“The goal with shoes was to tip-toe with a big statement. Putting together an assortment is going to be quite the challenge, and our goals are to do the rollout for fall ’19.” MENTOR “My dad had a shoe business in the ‘90s, so growing up it was my dream to do shoes. When we had the opportunity to do footwear with RtA I could talk to my dad about it and be able to get his input,” said Azran.

SOCIAL STUDIES 55.2K Followers on Instagram @rtabrand

SHOE COUNT: 300 pairs of the limited run of unisex combat boots for women; 200 for men.

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

BRAND: Alchimia di Ballin
LAUNCHED: 2016
MADE IN: The brand is owned by and produced at the Ballin factory in Fiesso d’Artico in the Veneto region of Italy.
SHOE PHILOSOPHY: Just like the name, the concept is based on transformation with innovatively designed heels and unusual materials.
BREAKTHROUGH STYLES: The brand was an early champion of the slouch boot in 2017 and gained traction with its Titan and Kari styles.
RETAILERS: The label launched specifically for the United States with Barneys New York and later at Hirshleifers and Intermix. It has since experienced international success with stockists including Browns London, Bon Marche in Paris, Lane Crawford, SKP Beijing and Salam in Doha and Qatar. Most recent stockist to come on board is Martha Louisa.
SPOTTED ON: Both Bella and Gigi Hadid have already worn the label’s fall 2018 quilted Daphne puffer booties. Other fans include Karlie Kloss and Beyoncé the brand works with stylists like Mimi Cuttrell, Karla Welch, and Zerina Akers.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 2.7K on Instagram @alchimiadiballin

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

Designer: Mariela Schwarz Montiel
Brand: Antolina
LAUNCHED Spring/Summer 2017. “It was more like a test to see how the beautiful Paraguayan fabric fits with my concept of shoes. The [actual] launch was the Spring Summer 2018 collection last year,” says Schwarz Montiel.
BASE Headquarters in Italy; designed in Paris
MADE IN Shoes are produced in Venice, Italy and handmade fabrics sourced from Paraguay
BACKSTORY “I studied Fashion in Berlin with Vivienne Westwood [where] I had the opportunity to work with shoes through a small German manufacturer that has a factory in Venice. I spent lot of time in the factories learning how to make a shoe. I [also] got the opportunity to work with brands like Yamamoto, Bally and Gucci. Apart from Antolina I’m designing for various brands as a consultant.”
STOCKISTS Barney’s, Martha Louisa, 10 Corso Como, Al Garawi
INSPIRATION “People, cultures, stories and love [for] this extraordinary art of doing shoes.”
MENTOR(S) “Giuseppe Baiardo is my mentor and partner in this since the beginning. He is the most passionate and talented person I know in this business. Giuseppe helped me to overcome all production issues, as this is a very artisanal product. [The brand was] built from zero infrastructure to producing in Paraguay and at his factory in Venice who have mastered my favorite Antolinas.”
SOCIAL STUDIES Instagram: 6.9k @antolinaparis

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

Designers: Latif Nawab and Janet Yeung
Brand: iRi
LAUNCHED 2017
BASE New York
MADE IN Italy
SHOE PHILOSOPHY “Optimistic, energetic and playful in a modern way.”
STOCKISTS Direct-to-consumer via the brand’s website. “As demand for our shoes has increased sharply, we are cautiously launching the wholesale business, but this is a secondary focus for us,” says TK.
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE “Having both Gigi and Bella Hadid wear our shoes on many occasions helped us tremendously. During this period we also launched our Combat Boot, which really gave us traction.”
NEXT UP Two new styles in September and a campaign for Collection 5. “It will be shot on a unique and interesting artist,” says TK designer.
MENTOR(S) “We have a letter from Mr. Phil Knight (whom we wrote to when we launched the business after reading his book, ‘Shoe Dog’). He was super gracious and let us know that he is available for any business questions we have. We haven’t asked him anything yet, so are saving that for when the time arises. If there was a mentor we could choose, he would be the one.”
SOCIAL STUDIES Instagram: 12.3K @iriinnyc, Facebook: 6.9k

FN’s 2018 Emerging Talent

DESIGNERS: Carolina Santos & Ana Santos
BRAND: Alameda Turquesa
LAUNCHED: 2013
BASE: Portugal
MADE IN: Portgual
BACKSTORY: “In 2013, my mum handmade bracelets for me and my sister. Once I published a photo on social media with the bracelets I got a lot of messages about it (at that time, my Facebook page had around 30k [fans] so a lot of people shared it). A few days later, I told my mum, ‘we are going to make a business out of it.’ And so we did! We sold a lot of pom pom bracelets that summer so when I told the family ‘let’s put mum’s bracelets in a shoe,’ no one called me crazy because we all had the same vision — to make beautiful shoes, that looked like jewelry for our feet.”
RETAILERS: Moda Operandi and the brand’s site
SPOTTED ON: Chiara Ferragni, Eva Chen, Caroline Issa
BREAKTHROUGH STYLE: “Anna Dello Russo and her team from Vogue Japan reached out asking for samples of our iconic pom pom sandals for an editorial. [After that] she wore our sandals on her Instagram and tagged us, which was like a dream come true.”
INSPIRATION: “We are both women with the same blood and same taste but from two different generations, with different passions, so I think we look for inspiration in one another. We both love colors and textures and like to make extravagant pieces.”
SOCIAL STUDIES: 128K on Instagram @alamedaturquesa