If, like me, you think that shoes are like works of art, meet Kitty Cooper and her delicate and glamorous designs. Using only vintage fabrics, she also takes her inspiration from the shapes and styles of past eras. Her expertise comes from several years dealing vintage clothes and accessories on Portobello Road and other London Venues, where she couldn’t help but notice how beautiful things were cared for in the past, and reworked. Her mission, as stated on her website, is to provide a glamorous alternative to traditional « eco-styled » footwear. In short, « ethical doesn’t have to be ugly », does it?
Her collection for this season is so delightful, it will just make you wish spring was there already!
The Luke model is made with bright pink 1950’s cotton with a floral print, very classical yet modern shape and a 11 cm high heel.
For Nanti, the designer has used sumptuous light green 1960’s curtains, contrasting with electric pink silk wrapped around the heel.
The Didicoy shoes are made from beautiful white and blue graphic printed cotton, with vintage hessian heel and platform.
Rich are the perfect nautical shoes for wannabe pin-ups, with stripped vintage fabric, embellished with pearls and 1930’s bakelite skylark buttons and a contrasting hessian heel.
There’s even a pair with 1910’s French Galeries Lafayette ribbon rand bow!
All these litlle gems, made by a family business in East London, are available at www.kitty-cooper.co.uk
Laurie Guillem