>> I'm having a bit of a shoe week at the moment with plenty of shoe bits and bobs sitting on my computer to go up. This Bally and Central Saint Martins collaboration, whilst it was unveiled back in February, is actually going to be going into the Bally store in London on the 8th which flows pretty nicely from Chau Har Lee's graduate collection hitting Selfridges and now we have three students who have yet to graduate and their designs actually making it to shop floor.
Fifteen Central Saint Martins students from the fashion design MA course chosen by Louise Wilson (she once complimented me on my skirt and I think I replied with a quivering/quaking 'Thaaanks…') to submit shoe designs for Bally. Five of them were then taken to the next stage to develop their designs at Bally's workshop in Switzerland and Italy into a prototype and now three of them have made it to shop floor. Reads something like a Project Runway/Catwalk challenge (remember when Barbour ended up selling a Project Catwalk design…) except for a student who's yet to even graduate, the thrill of having a design produced and sold by an international label is probably tenfold. I know I'd be the first to jump around like a dork in the store going "That's MAAAAAAAAAAAA shoe… " and perhaps even discreetly moving it about to err…make it more prominent.
I actually particularly love that Bally were the chosen shoe partner. My mother is a fashion lover of the classic sort – trenches need to be Burberry or Daks, school shoes need to be Clarks, scarves/jumpers need to be cashmere and shoes needto be Bally. I alas haven't inherited those exacting set of rules but I have nicked a few pairs of Bally loafers/pumps from her that are indeed the sturdy sort of shoe that make me feel efficient and pragmatic. Add the architectural designs that purposely accentuate a certain part of the foot by the students and you get shoes that are inherently Bally in character but updated to stand out from the more classic designs by Bally.
I particularly the 'sturdy' boot designs by Estefania Cortes and William Hendry that are chunky without being overly utilitarian. Two more to add to the beginning of this season's 'boot' list…
Design by Charles Youssef
Design by Estefania Cortes
Design by William Hendry
What a great chance for them, they have certainly produced some interesting shoes!x
http://thegirlbehindthemasque.blogspot.com/
Wow incredible shoes! I love the structure and the drawings. What an amazing opportunity for the students, i wish them luck!x
stylejunkiejournal.blogspot.com
that is such an amazing oppurtunity for them!
charles youssef’s designs are my favourite
http://ssecondskin.blogspot.com/
They’re all so beautiful!
hi,
I’ve been a secret reader since 2006 and I have to say your work is a great inspiration. Especially, when it comes to shoes. Here I have found lots of inspirational designers. I’m a newbie in the footwear industry and I love to search about it more and more. Here in Brazil we have great fashion school, but not so many related to footwear graduation, and I think those schools didn’t wake up for this type of colaboration like Central aint Martin for Bally… We have a long way to grow.
Here is my shoe-blog (you won’t get a word cause it’s in portuguese) anway: http://milpares.wordpress.com/
Ca
Great blog. Love the sketches and the shoes look amazing yet lethal! After a night in those you could certainly do with a pair of our Rollasoles (www.rollasole.com) to soothe your weary feet!
Hendry’s and Cortes’ have to be my favourites. Such a good project as well as there is so much talk of how hard it is for all London’s amazing graduate designers to get their designs out there…
ivestiti.blogspot.com
Such creative designs!
Ooooh, I love Estefania Cortes’ boot! What a brilliant idea the colaboration is – I cannot imagine how the students must feel – what a coup!
Charlotte xx
http://stylerail.blogspot.com
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This is so interesting seeing the designs come to life and the final product! Beautiful shoes.
xoxo,
http://www.etsy.com/shop/rebelbellevintage
I really like the one designed by Charles Youssef !
By the way, I’m giving a vintage spirit giveaway on m blog, so go ahead, have a look 😉
Love,
Adelythe
http://hummingbird-cocoon.blogspot.com
I love it in theory,and good on Bally for doing this project. I’m sorry to say i’m not that keen on the designs themselves. The Charles Youssef designs remind me too much of lotus shoes… That probably says more about how much lotus shoes disturb me rather than anything else though I suppose
I like Bally too: maybe it has something to do with that I found a perfect pair at take-free section of recycling centre and don’t have to be sad because I don’t have to afford them haha!
& Great collaboration they did, I wouldn’t mind two last pairs for myself at all…
that’s absolutely gorgeous!!
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I had the chance to see the collection with my own eyes in February and was positively blown away.. the designs, the materials used made them look so lush yet approachable, u really wouldn’t think it was student material. wish them best of luck!