Many things have been said about women and shoes, and one recurring theory is that they cannot live without each other. Designers of past and present fame have always been fascinated with footwear, and the virtually infinite variations on any given shoe certainly fuel the fire.
The shoe world’s new kid on the block is Victoria Spruce, whose incredible creations, featuring sculptural takes on traditional shapes, are turning heads and begging to be seen on many fashionable feet in the years to come.
Before receiving her MA from the Royal College of Art this past July, Victoria first cut her teeth at the London College of Fashion. After working as a footwear designer for a High Street supplier, she decided to pursue a more creative and experimental path and set out to create her own variation on a theme.
Spruce clearly finds inspiration in modern sculpture, architecture and visual arts, whose influence is felt very prominently throughout her debut collection. The small collection features high-heels, platforms and flats in a palette of gray, dusty pink and aqua. The contrasts between traditional and sculptural are heightened by the monochromatic matte and shine materials. Each pair has a unique character, yet the recurring elements in the collection are very strong – flowing lines and fluid movements are created with pleats and curls of shiny plastic, and it takes a while for the eye to understand the flow of each line.
Combining traditional shoemaking techniques with the finest leathers, each style is composed of a plastic divertissement – created through a 3D printing process, which, according to the designer, “could revolutionize the way we manufacture everything” – and a leather element, which resembles that of a more conventional piece of footwear.
Looking at organic shapes, Victoria decided that her creations should not be divided into upper and heel, as it happens with normal footwear, but that they should consist of a single piece molded and twisted to create the desired shape. Each piece can then be synthesized into a flowing, continuous line that springs directly from the anatomy of the foot.
Her creations have already been called “The Future of Fashion,” thanks to her flair for innovation and shape. “I love taking elements of something much bigger and scaling them down to a wearable shoe,” she explains. Surely her intuition and great skill are going to propel her into the upper echelons of great shoemakers. And we, the women inextricably linked to our shoes, will thank her.
– Rosa Maria Bertoli
