Say
hello to the man who knows exactly how to give us a serious shoe crush
You don’t really need us to point out that,
in the past decade, there’s been a bit of a shoe revolution. From super-high,
bonkers creations to chic, pared-down flats to studded leather high tops, the
spectrum of footwear design is fabulously wide.
Leading the charge of the super-shoe
masters in one Nicholas Kirkwood. His work has been seen strutting down the red
carpet on the likes of Rihanna, Sienna Miller and SJP. Back when he launched
his line in 2004, fresh from studying fine art at Central Saint Martins and
shoemaking at Cordwainers College, he noticed a huge gap in the market – keenly
designed, interesting and exciting shoes.
As he explains, “I hated a lot of shoes at
the time – pointy kitten heels with a bow, or a single strap on the front of a
shoe with a buckle. Apart from Manolo Blahnik, there didn’t really seem to be
the same vision in shoes as there was with ready-to-wear”.
Throughout his studies, he worked at
milliner Phillip Treacy, reinforcing his belief that there wasn’t same
attention to detail in footwear as there was in hats or clothing. His solution?
Divine, architecturally inspired shoes: “I wanted to explore the upper part of
the foot like a canvas – for me; it’s always been about the silhouette and
material”.
Eight years on and it seems he was right on
the money. Last year, he opened an impressive Mayfair emporium and will soon
open another in NYC’s Meatpacking District. Alongside the four collections he
produces each year for his own line, he is creative director of the iconic
Italian accessories label Pollini and has supplied shoes for the catwalks of
Erdem, Rodarte, Peter Pilotto and Roksanda Ilincic. We caught up with him to
hear all about celebrity fans, holidays in Bali and how to walk in high heels.
You were very young when you launched – was that scary?
“I was 23 when I actually started the
label. I had nothing to lose – it seemed so natural to do it, it wasn’t scary.
I’d learnt a lot from having worked at Philip Treacy for five years, so it
wasn’t such a steep learning curve. With my first collection, I didn’t
sell a single pair, but the press liked it, so I knew there was something there
– though I understood that the customer didn’t get it yet. There’s got to be a
balance between designing what you want to satisfy your own creative need and
creating what the customer’s after. For me, there has to be just one detail on
the shoe that makes it a bit different.”
“SJP has worn my shoes a lot. She’s a
great shoe queen” – Nicholas Kirkwood
Do you know how to walk in high heels?
“I managed to squeeze into a pair once and
that was really painful, but they were too sizes too small and I wasn’t used to
walking in high heels! Comfort is definitely important – absolutely. I have a
very slightly wider fit than some other designers, just literally a couple of
milimetres, but it makes a huge difference when you have to stand in them all
day.”
What do you think of “extreme” shoes?
“There was one season where models were
falling over every other show. Platforms and heels got so high; it was like,
‘Okay, time out’. It reached a pinnacle. It’s going back the other way: heels
are not nearly as extreme, there are more single soles and fewer platforms.”
Why do you think we love shoes?
“Unlike any other garment, a pair of shoes
is the one thing that holds you up. You’re relying on them; you need to have
that faith in your shoes. A heel transforms the way you stand: you’re
physically taller; it arches your back, lifts your calves and accentuates all
the right bits of your body. So although they may be restricting in some ways,
they can be quite empowering in others.”
Who have you loved seeing wearing your shoes?
“SJP has worn them quite a lot. She’s a great
shoe queen. And Rooney Mara, who’s really cool – she’s androgynous in a way,
mixed with sweet. I like that contradiction. She’s got such an interesting
look; she’s not another [actress] knocked out of a mould.”
Do you see your shoes at fashion week?
“I try to. You cross your fingers that a
heel doesn’t break or someone doesn’t fall out of their shoe because they’re in
the wrong size. Every minute feels like an hour; I just want it to finish and
nobody to trip over!”
Where’s your favourite place to go in London?
“I live off Columbia Road and there’s the
flower market on Sundays. It gets crowded, but if you come a bit earlier, it’s
nice, or at the end of the day when it’s $8 for 50 roses.”
How do you relax?
“Last August, I went to Bali – my second
holiday in seven years. It was great to clear my head. I didn’t want to go
anywhere that was party central; it was really Zen, up in the mountains and in
the jungle with monkeys.”
