Canadian designer Tracey Neuls creates hand-made footwear that's genuinely distinctive from anything else you'll see out there right now: her current collection includes, for example, shoes with burnt wooden heels, pumps with painted-on shadows and perhaps most controversially, everything in the range is designed with comfort and wearability in mind.
In time for London Fashion Week, Neuls is giving British shoe-lovers the chance to sample her work first-hand, as she's opening a pop-up shop at 1-5 Exhibition Road, right next to the 'fashion tent' in Kensington. Shiny Media's Isabelle O'Carroll caught up with Tracey prior to the temporary shop's launch to ask her a few probing questions about her work.
Read on after the jump for the interview.
Was it intimidating setting out on your own as a business or did it feel natural?
It absolutely felt natural. From the beginning ( 9 years old!) I had always had a passion for footwear that continued into adulthood. Some of my early employment, Nike in particular, gave me very good training to manage a product from inception to shop. Design comes very easy for me, but it is the other stuff like running your own business that is so necessary to know. I also had very supportive suppliers working with me that allowed me to focus on design and building the brand rather than finding funding.
How do you go about making a shoe which manages to be timeless and original?
I value good lasting design over frivolous trends. I am inspired by brocante as much as modern architecture and small everyday things that people don't normally value. I see inspiration in everything except other footwear.
Your shoes have a slight orthopaedic feel to them, which I love, are you inspired by medical shoes in any way?
I like comfort. The thought that a woman today has to take a taxi to where she is going because her shoes hurt is crazy. I also really like the shape of the foot. Clothing is developed to fit the body and enhance its shape yet, we stuff our feet into shapes that don't even resemble them. All of these things together plus an appreciation for the odd might result in some shapes that are slightly orthopaedic - in a sexy way. haha
What's next for Tracey Neuls?
"HOMAGE", to be unveiled at the show, is a break from using leather - a range of colourful rubber replicas of classic TN_29 best sellers. Comfortable, and technically accomplished, with personal touches including fabrics, lace and stripes inserted into the rubber at the moulding stage, the shoes come at most accessible price yet, whilst remaining true to the innovative craftsmanship that we are known for. The trial season will be in our shops and select shops in London such as Dover St. Market and Palette.
