Move over Rem Koolhaas and Zaha Hadid. The shoe world is drawing more big-name designers to the footwear industry, starting with a collaboration between the famous Brazilian shoe brand Ipanema and the world-renowned designer Philippe Starck.
Called Ipanema with STARCK, the Spring/Summer 2016 collection is a re-envisioning of the modern sandal. Offered in four distinct designs in 12 colors each, the collection is both modern, yet comfortable, qualities that do not always go hand-in-hand (or foot-in-foot?) when it comes to shoes.
The sandals are made of 30% recycled materials and are 100% recyclable. To achieve Starck’s designs, Ipanema adapted its industrial process to be more manual and artisanal, resulting in a production process employing a proprietary plastique injection technique. Available worldwide, the shoes range from $30-$40.
Perhaps not to be outdone by their countrymen, another Brazilian footwear brand, Melissa Shoes, has collaborated with the furniture design duo the Campana Brothers. Inspired by their Baroque furniture collection, the Melissa Barroca x Campana collection are plastic flats that “lend a playful interpretation of Italian Baroque infused with the vibrancy of everyday Brazilian culture,” according to the brand.
In celebration of the latest designs, the Campana Brothers have launched an installation Barroca: The Harmony of Imperfection at Galleria Melissa in London to run through February 2016. The installation features five furniture pieces from the Campana’s Baroque collection, the primary source of inspiration for the shoes. The space is lined with intricate wallpaper bearing the Campana Brother’s signature mesh combined with traditional Rococo motifs of shells, plant tendrils, and cherubs balanced by contemporary references including bones, insects, screws, and scissors.
The line of flats are made from 30% recycled PVC, with portions of the proceeds donated to World Vision, a charity dedicated to lifting children out of poverty. Melissa shoes can be disassembled and recycled, and solid, liquid, and gas residues from the production process are recycled, meaning nothing leaves the factory without being treated, resulting in practically zero waste. Melissa Barroca x Campana is now available at Melissa Gallerias and online at www.shopmelissa.com worldwide. Each pair retails for $98.
Images courtesy Ipanema and Melissa Shoes.
