Brian Atwood & Jennifer Lopez__Elle__Oct.08Brian Atwood created his eponymous shoe label in 2001 and has since developed a devoted, cult-like following for his brazenly sexy footwear. The most elaborate skins, the longest fringe, and the most glittering jewels go into his fantasy footwear, which brilliantly illustrates that over-the-top truly begins at the bottom.
The designer's love affair with fashion began in a suburb outside Chicago where he spent hours as a boy gazing at his mother's impeccable wardrobe. That early aesthetic flair led him to Southern Illinois University, where he studied art and architecture, and eventually to New York, where he studied clothing design at The Fashion Institute of Technology. After graduation, he began modeling on the catwalks of Europe, all the while making doodles of four-inch stilettos.
In 1996, Atwood became the first American to be hired by Gianni Versace in Milan. He was promoted to chief designer for women's accessories where he mastered the intricacies of shoe design and created an indelible brand identity for the division.
In 2001, Atwood created his own label dedicated to drop-dead-gorgeous designs filled with detail and unusual contrasts, expertly constructed using only the finest materials. What he calls "The Cinderella Factor" is the instantaneous transformation that occurs on a woman's face as her foot slides into the magical shoe.
The globetrotting designer relishes working in Europe where shoe design is still considered an art. This makes his own fantasy - "making someone dance a little longer, laugh harder and, of course, look better" - all the easier to realize. As Atwood knows better than most, a sexy pair of shoes, even on the rainiest of days, will never let a woman down. [saksfifthavenue.com]
Marielle Satin pumps__$810__[net-a-porter.com]
A Fashionable Life: Brian Atwood
"If I look at someone and their shoes are wrong," the designer says, cringing, "it ruins the whole thing for me. Done. Game over."
It's been just over a year since Swiss luxury-accessories company Bally hired American shoe designer Brian Atwood, 40, to infuse some glamour and vitality into the brand. With a résumé that includes a six-year stint at Versace and a namesake shoe line that draws raves from Hollywood, Atwood knows a thing or two about glitz. As Bally's first creative director since 2002, he's also got his mind firmly focused on giving the brand a new look. "Desirability is the main focus," says Atwood. To begin, he dipped into the 157-year-old company's archives of some 13,000 pairs of shoes for inspiration. After pulling ideas to meld into new designs, Atwood set to work creating special pieces for the modern woman. "It's a very fast-moving consumer," he says. "We have to give them the product that they need." He's off to a good start: recent designs include quilted patent-leather beauty cases and a luxurious shoe bag that holds as many as six pairs of shoes. [Time.com - Mar.08]
Saks Fifth Avenue Presents Brian Atwood (vid)
"I love women to be noticed."
Brian Atwood - official site
Red Patent pumps__$526__[net-a-porter.com]Brian Atwood Shoes, in "Fuck You" Red
Better to be a whore than a housewife:
One’s all fair trade and freedom, and the other’s a leash in the form of a shared bank account.
One’s all love making and passion, and the other is baby breeding punctuated with a yawn.
One’s all fuck-you Brian Atwood shoes in mad red, and the other is I - haven’t - been - fucked - in - five - months terrycloth slippers stained with dull decaf drip from a chipped mug.
Shudder.
Jesus K…are there any shades of gray with you…why does every housewife need to be miserable? I’m sure there are plenty of married hoe-bags out there.
The only shades of gray I know are sparkly silver eyeshadows used as a base for my upscale escort, smoked eyes.
As for happily married hoe bags, you think this is the 21st century and women are free to work and be financially independent and marry whom they please?
You may be on to something. I will consult with my priest, next time we are in bed.
XXXO
K
