This season from Milan Fashion Week, a different angle, we are covering Lineapelle. The large trade fair on luxury leather production. The event is something, an education on how to produce opulent products.
Stay tuned for more.
I travelled to Dresden Germany, a historical city in Eastern Germany. Luxury watch maker Glashutte Original has a boutique in centre. Paying a visit I got to see the collection and play with one of my favourite pieces. Here is a hint: my eye travels to color, style, and anything retro 60’s style.
Stay Tuned for more about my visit to Glashutte Original.
A Black and Paper exclusive interview with shoe designer Walter De Silva.
When a man has a love of feminine elegance matched with a skill of design of course he becomes a shoe designer.
A background in car design, how did you move into shoe design?
Honestly, I consider myself a designer, not a fashion designer. I am a car designer, industrial designer. My approach is to design the heel, design the line, the proportions.I like cars and shoes.
I do not follow fashion, I follow my passion, my dream.
Why did you decide to design women’s shoes?
Two reasons: One, historicalreason, my grandfather had a shoe factory in Milan between the wars. In my family everyone spoke about shoes. Secondly, I like night shoes. They have sex appeal on women who wear them.
Should a woman wear a all everyday?
NO! NO! As I said, my shoes are for the night, after 7, starting with a cocktail, then dinner, a drink before going to a disco.
What is your shoe philosophy?
Elegance! Proportion! Sex Appeal! From the elegance and proportion side, I design shoes for them to look like one element from heel to toe, seamless. From the sex appeal side, A woman needs a strong personality to wear my shoes because she is sending out a message.
Is there one famous woman who you would like to wear your shoes?
Sharon Stone.
Why Sharon Stone?
As I said, Personality! Her biography is one of a lady with a lot of experience. Super elegant! Cool! Honest Eyes! I do not know her but she is the type of person for my shoes.
You do not follow fashion, can you explain?
I like fashion. I admire many fashion designers. I cannot say I am a fashion designer. I have a different background. I am a product designer stimulated by different interests.
Are you one of those designers who like to perpetuallycreate?
Creating is is the soul and heart. There is a lot of preparation involved in designing. You have to know where you come from if you want to have a visual reference. Today design is about aestheticas well as problem solving. Once I had a client who wanted to have lights for a certain type of ambient. This project not only involvedtechnologybut transforming it into something special for everyone.The company head was very proud of the final work.
What is the design process?
I think about what would a lady like to wear. My approach is from an architecture point of view. Design is a discipline, architecture is one part. Shoe design is a micro discipline.Functionality is very important.
When was the label founded?
I started Walter De Silva Shoes 2015, presenting one collection per year. My shoes are Created and Made in Italy. Even the boxes are Italian. This means a lot. I have to say “Thank You” to Barney’s New York for launching me in the States. Step by Step more retailers have come onboard from all over the world.
What are the brand’s future plans?
This is our, his wife, is a part of the company, Emmanuelle, is cofounder and CEO, last kid! We have 5. (Laughing) I always introduce new designs in Milan and Paris during Fashion Weeks.
I will maintain 15 styles a year with changes in colors and materials, always for the evening. Perhaps I will add ankle boots in the future.
Check out the video: http://www.blackandpaper.com/2018/06/25/desilva-elegance/
As part of the Black and Paper interview with shoe designer Walter De Silva, we wanted to show you shoes based on his philosophy of “Elegance”.
Berlinale weather, cold. No worries! Being prepared in style is part of the fun. Pringle of Scotland’s cashmere and wool looks have been PERFECT for this occasion.
During London Fashion Week Men’s we met Nadja Solovieva, the creative director of luxury scarf brand Vassilisa based in London’s Knightsbridge area. Black and Paper asked her a few questions about her collection.
When you design a collection, what do you think about?
The brand Vassilisa has an overall unique brand DNA / Concept. Besides each collection has a number of themes of inspiration, which are developed and interlinked, and relate to the main brand concept. It is a typical St Martins method or working by sketch book, these creative processes are not always straight forward to explain to public.
Now you are designing menswear looks, why did you branch out?
We started noticing men increasingly buying our scarves, it has been an organic process of observing the demand.
Your scarves are strong, can you explain these looks?
These scarves are a design-led product, each collection has a story.
What materials do you use in the scarf collection?
We manufacture with the finest mills in Italy, materials are silk, cashmere and modal, this is an amazing yarn, highly ecological, made from beech tree cellulose, which has amazing thermogenic qualities in cold and also most perfect for hot weather. We work with finest materials and craftsmen.
For more information go to: Vassilisa.com
A Black and Paper Exclusive
London based Chinese fashion designer interprets feminine looks using progressive materials paired with constructive elements of design.
A graduate of Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, Xu founded his label in 2014, achieving success with his collection available in many prestigious stores in Asia and Europe.
The young designer showed his Fall 2017 collection in Milan during Fashion Week at the Teatro Armani with support of Mr. Armani and National Chamber of Italian Fashion. Cutting edge denim, braids, and the color blue were the central themes along with leather. The collection showed confidence from a young designer willing to go in his own fashion direction.
As a new designer, how are you planning to attract loyal clients?
My brand is very much based on longevity. We are taking time to really assess who the Xu Zhi woman is, and offer collections that will enhance both their lives and current wardrobes. Also, in continuing developing the house style, we hope to familiarize yet still excite our customer season after season.
You use high quality materials, where are they sourced?
It is dependent on the season, but largely from Italy and France.
How did you feel about being supported by Armani and Camera Moda at Fashion Week?
Incredibly humbling and hugely exciting that, as a young designer, our hard work has been acknowledged.
What inspired the deconstructed looks?
It originally came from the idea of trying to imitate brushstrokes with fabric, and how that could be achieved in different ways. This resulted in the deconstructed element you refer to.
What type of woman would wear look #5?
The Xu Zhi woman. Decisive, commanding and assertive – yet approachable, humble and refined.
Where will your brand be in the future?
I think we’re growing organically – it’s difficult to say where it will be, but I’d like it to be in the closets of the woman we’re trying hard to speak to with our pieces.
Xu Zhi collection can be found in Dover Street Market, London, Lane Crawford Hong Kong, and Opening Ceremony, Tokyo.
The outerwear label presented its latest collection for women and men in February. A number of core lux details were included in this seasons looks from fur linings and trimmings, and stitched patches.
Glashütte Original introduced a new timepiece collection at The 67th Berlinale, Sixities Iconic Square Collection. For the man looking for a cool statement piece, with a splash of color for distinction, this is the watch for him.
There are five models with stunning colored dials; blue, gold, gray, green, and red. Reaching back to its roots, 1964, Glashütte Original designed this collection, inspired by history the brand.
My favorite style, the Blue Dial/face, has an Automatic Movement, off center small second stop with the perfected Glashütte three-quarter plate, skeletonized motor, sapphire glass, and alligator strap, all in a stainless casing with blue and black lacquer degrade effect.
After trying on the different models in the Glashütte Original Golden Bear Lounge at the Berlinale, I liked the Ocean color the most because it is different enough to be noticed but still a classic style. I can wear it for day and night.
The watches are available worldwide in fine stores and Glashütte Original Boutiques.
Glashutte Original is an official sponsor of the 67th Berlinale.
For more information on the collection go to:www.glashutte-original.com