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At the end of the nineteenth century the Pollini family approached the craftmenship of shoes in
San Mario Pascoli. Established by two brothers, Romero and Domenico Pollini, and passed on their grandchildren Vittorio and Alberto, Pollini has grown over the years into a formidable and successful label for both men and women, fuelled by a tradition of fine craftsmanship and innovative styling. After the acquisition of the Pollini brand by the Aeffe S.p.A. Group in 2001 Pollini introduced a Ready-to-Wear Collection to complement the full range of shoes and accessories labeled Pollini and Studio Pollini, which is the line for the younger generation. The Pollini Collections combine the tradition of a superior quality and workmanship with rigorous modern style.
New creative directors
Scottish born print designer Jonathan Saunders graduated from Glasgow School of Art in 1999 with a BA in Printed Textiles, going on to graduate from Central Saint Martin’s in 2002 with an MA with distinction in Printed Textiles, subsequently winning him the Lancôme Colour Awards 2002. In September 2006, he was awarded the Fashion Enterprise Award by the British Fashion Council. Saunders coordinates designing his own label alongside consulting for some of the largest fashion houses in Europe. In September 2007 he presented his ninth on schedule show at London Fashion Week and in February 2008 he presented his first on schedule show at New York Fashion Week. Saunders uses traditional silk screening techniques, developing the concept of engineering prints around pattern pieces. In effect each garment has its own specifically designed print rather that one standard print being used throughout a collection. Saunders uses up to twenty silk screens per design and will have as many as twenty prints within one collection, thus individualising his pieces and creating a visually exciting collection.
An alumnus of prestigious design schools Central Saint Martin’s and Cordwainers, 27-year-old British designer Nicholas Kirkwood launched his eponymous collection in Spring 2005. The collection of architecturally inspired pieces with a blend of genres subverting the relationship between tradition and modernity instantly won the attention of Grace Jones, Daphne Guinness, the late Isabella Blow and Cecilia Dean of Visionaire as well as rave reviews from industry insiders. Craftsmanship plays an integral role in all of Kirkwood’s collections. It is this perfection of craftsmanship itself that has a stylistic value highlighted by the use of geometric forms and strong clean lines all inspired by architectural and sculptural shapes. Nicholas’ shoes are free of excessive decorative elements, the focus always being on innovation of linear forms. Luxurious skins and unusual techniques are omnipresent. Seasonal trends appear unintentionally and are always at the zeitgeist rather than following or emulating it. Kirkwood’s shoe making talent has meant he is much sought after by the design community. Recently French fashion house Chloé employed him to consult on their AW 07 collection. Kirkwood has collaborated with an array of established and emerging designers including Gareth Pugh, Zac Posen, Phillip Lim, Doo Ri, Boudicca, Belstaff, Basso & Brooke and Louise Goldin. The Spring Summer 08 collection won a prestigious AltaRoma Vogue Italia award for accessories design in July and the commendation of American Vogue’s Editor at Large André Leon-Talley as well as Franca Sozzani from Italian Vogue. The collection showcases new developments in Kirkwood’s work as well as a dedicated eveningwear sub-collection, the result of collaboration with Swarovski that will be showcased in a forthcoming exhibition. Nicholas Kirkwood shoes can be found in leading boutiques and department stores around the world including Dover Street Market, Harvey Nichols, Browns, Jeffrey New York, Le Bon Marché (Paris), Podium (Moscow) and On Pedder (Hong Kong). |
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