Am I alone in thinking that the shoe stores look the same as they did last year? I've just returned from the GDS shoe in Dusseldorf and whilst I've seen some interesting new ideas, there is lots of same ole same ole shoe designs out there. Such as washed leather, distressed, raw stack wedges, vaquetta and veg tans (but thankfully very few gladiators - phew!)
Why is this? Well in case you didn't notice (LOL) we're in a recession. We recessionista designers are going to have to think more creatively, because our clients don't have much budget for new heels, new lasts and new upper patterns, they cost too much money that our clients don't have!
This is one of the skills of a designer - to be creative with what you already have. I've always thought it is much easier to design for the luxury market. You can do lots of new lasts, new heels, your budget is unlimited. Your customer also has a huge budget. She probably won't be thinking, 'cost per wear.' Hell she probably won't even be walking in them, preferring to use a limousine, so you will be able to specify nubuck soles that don't wear that well, because it won't matter, (something that the Daily Mail got it's knickers in a twist about recently).
So I was interested to see this new shoe designers work, exhibited at GDS. He did get creative with what he already has, he designed these shoes by taking classic brogues, cutting them up and re-pieceing the uppers. Brilliant! For more visit http://www.mistercheng.com/
