Shoemaking Art

Due to my new shoes closet bought this weekend, I am still feeling like Cinderella! No, I did not loose any shoes and no white knight found it, but I could speak forever about shoes. So, imagine yourself being as famous as Marlene Dietrich or Elizabeth Taylor! Where will your shoes be designed? I’m telling you where: at Massaro! Apparently it all starts with a meeting and a discussion, “where the client references images and inspiration, then their foot is measured and a wooden last.Three meetings, three weeks (or, sometimes three months!) and 30 hours later, the masterpiece is complete.” Your own tailor-made shoes!

At Massaro, fourteen skilled men and women, together with their young apprentices carry on the tradition of craftsmanship, preserve the lost art of shoemaking and produce the famous shoes for Chanel’s haute couture. So, if you want to admire the timeless collection of Chanel shoes, Massaro is the right place as they keep all the shoes ever made for Chanel, including Coco’s original two-tone sandals.

“This is the iconic shoe created by Massaro for Coco Chanel in 1957. Rejecting the stiletto heels that were in vogue at the time, Chanel advocated the small 6 cm heel; the beige kidskin upper lengthened the leg, whilst a black satin toe made the foot appear smaller. The back strap has some room because when women walked all day their feet would swell up. It was really designed for women. Anything that Coco Chanel developed was really catered to women’s needs.“

So, “Massaro is the only name that is allowed to be stitched into the shoe next to Chanel’s“.

“Massaro has done everything from the extremely avant-garde to the classic tweed pump”

“Silver lamé runway beauties” together with some of Karl’s sketches: “Every season with Chanel, Karl sketches a total look – everyone from Lesage embroidery to Massaro will really work with the sketch. It’s an ongoing conversation between the studio, the atelier and Massaro to really bring to life what Karl wanted out of the sketch. Then, it’s the same process as with a private customer and they start with samples.”

I only once had my shoes tailor made for me and that was a special dance shoe for my tango class, but we all have to agree that I can not compare that experience with a Massaro one!

Source: The Coveteur

Haute Couture vs Prêt-à-porter

The two terms are usually used in the fashion world. However, little we know about such difference.

Haute Couture or High Fashion represents expensive and exclusive clothing for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses, often using time-consuming and hand-executed techniques.

Not every fashion designer can produce the couture collection. They have to get an official permission from the Syndical Chamber for Haute Couture, which is based in Paris. According to the agreement, designers have to show their collections twice a year and not less than 35 outfits in one collection. That rule makes the Couture collection more desirable.

An evening dress can cost around 40,000 dollars and a suit not much less. Most of the clients are celebrities or royal families or very rich people. Experts estimate that there are no more than 300 clients for the clothes.

I chose some of Dior Haute Couture:

 

 

Prêt-à-porter or Ready-to-wear are clothing made in standard sizes. Traditionally, they are made for ordinary people. These collections are aimed to satisfy the demands of masses. Of course, the material and the intensity of labor of the ready-to-wear collections are much more moderate than the couture collections. Hence, the price are more approachable to the mass media.

Almost each Fashion house produces ready-to-wear collections. They bring a lot of money and clients, because of a quicker and bigger volume turnover, also, they cost less and many people can afford them. In the meantime, they look adorable as well. Ready-to-wear clothing is casual, informal and practical that you can wear it daily.

I chose Oscar de la Renta (the first two pictures) and Dior Prêt-à-porter: