Two Fashion Forces Fuse: Iris van Herpen x United Nude

I was both surprised and excited when I received the following press release, given that I'd blogged about both these fashion designers/companies separately and had no idea they'd ever collaborate. Luckily for me (and you) coutourier Iris van Herpen and architectural shoe company United Nude joined forces to release a collaborative pair of wild high-heeled shoes that does justice to both their talents and styles.




The press release:
United Nude, an iconic brand at the intersection between design and fashion is open-minded towards creative talent. After two successful collaborations with Dutch fashion designer Antoine Peters, United Nude and Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen joined forces to create shoes for van Herpen’s Autumn Winter 2010 collection.

The shoes were presented in her catwalk show during London fashion week and the collaboration shall soon be available as a limited edition item, only available at the world’s most exclusive retailers and at the United Nude flagship and concept stores in Amsterdam, New York, Shanghai and Vienna at a retail price of $1,295 USD (EURO 1,000)








The Iris van Herpen X United Nude product is a glamorous ankle bootie with smooth round lines and golden leather detailing on the front and back of the shoe, with three-dimensional characteristics. Transparency, reflections and movements create the effect of visual estrangement.



The construction of the shoe is so complicated and precise that each pair is 100% hand-made with the highest grade Italian kid leather available.



Therefore, the production of this unique product has been kept to the very low number of 240 limited edition pairs worldwide of which 168 are in black with gold and 72 in ivory with gold.




United Nude’s Creative Director Rem D Koolhaas reflected on the collaboration by saying: “I was introduced to Iris after I had admired her work. I offered to make shoes for her, as I know that for fashion designers shoes always come as an afterthought and most fashion designers don’t have the resources to get it all done on time. I think the result of our work together is that of a pure and successful collaboration as her identity and our expertise and craftsmanship are joined in this marvelous product”.

Iris van Herpen
United Nude

Architect Zaha Hadid Kicks Up Her Heels, Or Lack Thereof- Again.

Architect Zaha Hadid has collaborated with Lacoste for a new line of shoes for men and women. Not her first foray into shoes, she collaborated with Melissa of Brazil to bring us her version of molded plastic shoes in September of 2008.

Her shoes for French iconic brand Lacoste are leather, unisex and have Hadid's recognizable twisting structure. The women's are available in purple or black and the men's in black or navy.




In addition, a special limited edition (850 pairs) of boots for women, shown below, will be available at select boutiques like Colette in France, beginning July 20th.




press release:
Lacoste presents a collection of shoes by architect Zaha Hadid. Born from a digital interpretation of the iconic logo of the brand, the shoes are crafted from Italian calf leather and printed in relief realized by heated metal plates. “Wrapped around the foot, these shoes adapt in an ergonomic way to the shapes of the body" explains Zaha Hadid.



ZAHA HADID FOR LACOSTE


The Zaha Hadid for Lacoste footwear collaboration began with a digitized interpretation of the iconic crocodile logo. Hadid’s research team then used this as a basis to explore a series of surfaces with repeated patterns. ‘The design expression behind the collaboration with Lacoste footwear allows the evolution of dynamic fluid grids,’ explains Hadid. ‘When wrapped around the shape of a foot, these expand and contract to negotiate and adapt to the body ergonomically. In doing so a landscape emerges, undulating and radiating as it merges seamlessly with the body.’



To achieve this tactile landscape effect, Zaha’s team designed a series of metal plates depicting the desired wave pattern. These plates were subsequently utilised to apply a combination of heat embossing and debossing techniques to the calf leather, thus rendering the topography in relief. The effect is visible on the uppers, curving around the top of the toe, and on the exterior fascia of each shoe. A similar pattern is replicated on the sole of the shoe, crafted of moulded rubber, which is designed to reflect points at which the foot naturally exerts pressure. The heel itself is the minimum depth possible in footwear construction, emphasizing the slender and streamlined profile of the design.




The shoes also feature the unique Zaha Hadid for Lacoste logo, visibly wrapped around the side of the heel and on the in-sock. The sleek and sophisticated black box which packages the product also bears an embossed version of the same logo. The shoes are unisex in design; the women’s are available in black and purple, whilst the men’s come in black and navy. A limited-edition boot version of the Zaha Hadid for LACOSTE shoe will be available exclusively at such high-end boutiques as Colette in Paris, Dover Street Market in London and 10 Corso Como in Milan in July 2009 as a preview. The main shoe line will be appearing in stores worldwide from September 2009. This exclusive collaboration will be highlighted in store by a suite of bespoke material designed to compliment and enhance the themes and colours of the project.

the above images are courtesy of Lacoste.

This is not the first time Zaha Hadid has designed shoes, in her signature style, she created a collection for the Brazil brand of plastic shoes, Melissa:



above images courtesy of dezeen.

Read all about Melissa shoes here.

Not the only Architect to get into the shoe game, United Nude is an unusual brand of shoes by architect Rem D. Koolhaas and partner, Galahad JD Clark. learn about them here.


above: the Ultra Mobius, another shoe designed by an architect.