BLITZ presents
The Freshman Class
Shining new stars in the world of contemporary
BLITZ presents The Freshman Class: an edit of designers that are the shining new stars in the world of shoes and accessories. Highlighting a broad range of creatives whose aesthetics vary wildly, but who all share one trait, these are the coolest kids in class.
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Ateljé 71 David Giordano, Co-Founder
- What is your brand’s spirit animal?
- Panther – sleek, elegant, fast and predominantly black.
- Describe your muse
- Intellectual globetrotter with tomboy sensibilities.
- What was your ‘Aha!’ moment?
- It was more like an ‘Aha!’ three months. After I left my last brand, I took some time off and went on a Zen trip to the Caribbean. The initial concept started to really come together and mentally, there was no turning back so when I returned home, we went full speed ahead.
- Three words to describe your brand?
- FFF – Fashion, forward, functionality.
- What ‘Most Likely’ were you in high school?
- "To Be Distracted", my ADD has since been focused to design.
Creatures of Comfort Jade Lai, Founder
- What is your brand’s spirit animal?
- Marcel the shell.
- Describe your muse
- Smart, individual, confident and stylish. A little bit Joan Didion, a bit Bianca Jagger. She is admired for their intellect as much as her beauty; she likes to dress in mannish clothing but will only be described as feminine; she lives in the present but likes to dream about the future; she likes to wear white and drives a white vintage 1963 Cadillac Eldorado.
- What is your favourite part of the designing process?
- Everything! But I really enjoy choosing materials and colors for the collection. That part is just purely joy and emotions.
- Why bags?
- I like that it is an object that is highly functional and that you tend to use everyday, sometimes years.
- Three words to describe your brand?
- Modern, clean, relaxed.
- What “Most Likely” were you in high school?
- "To Travel The World In A Hot Air Balloon.”
Filling Pieces Guillaume Phillibert, Founder
- What is your brand’s spirit animal?
- Our spirit animal is the dragon, as we’re always challenging ourselves and are willing to take risks.
- Describe your muse
- She’d be a mix of the two most important women in my life, my girlfriend and my mother. My muse has that duality to her that’s present in these two women; the confidence, independence and drive to take over the world whilst never forgetting and staying true to their roots.
- What was your ‘Aha!’ moment?
- My ‘Aha!’ moment happened whilst I was studying architecture. I’d saved up for ages to buy a pair of white Dior Homme trainers, as they were really expensive and I thought I was ‘The Man’ wearing them, until I went into the city, only to run into eight other people who were wearing the very same pair! At that point, I decided I was going to design my own sneaker, one that was affordable yet still exclusive.
- What is your favourite part of the designing process?
- Definitely when we receive the final sample, it’s a physical object that is a manifestation of all of the hard work that has come before it. It’s amazing when you see something that inspires you, then you do an initial sketch and then a couple months down the line you have the finished product.
- What “Most Likely” were you in high school?
- If you’d asked me, I would have said that I was most likely to become an architect. Even at a young age I’d always be drawing buildings or playing with Lego with my granddad. He was an architect himself and I aspired to be like him.
Frances Valentine Kate Valentine Spade, Founder
- What is your brand’s spirit animal?
- Dog.
- Describe your muse
- Kate Moss and my mother. People who truly and genuinely dress for themselves, and not for others.
- Top three favourite people that have worn the brand?
- Kate Foley, Leandra Medine and Brooke Shields.
- Why shoes?
- I have always loved shoes. They are very much like jewellery, sculptural and intricate.
- Three words to describe your brand?
- Sculptural, personal, emotional.
- What “Most Likely” were you in high school?
- “To Be The Nerd.”
Meli Melo Melissa Del Bono, Founder
- What is your brand’s spirit animal?
- The giraffe! Just like the giraffe, I stand tall and always looking ahead to grow and evolve.
- Top three favourite people that have worn the brand.
- Olivia Palermo, Liu Wen and Kate Bosworth
- Why bags?
- My love affair with bags began as a child. I would watch women in Lipari, the island I was raised on in Italy, carry these beautiful wicker baskets around with them. One day I received one of my own, we were inseparable and I would find any excuse to take it out with me.
- Three words to describe your brand
- Timeless, curated, sophisticated.
- What “Most Likely” were you in high school?
- Back in high school. I had a different style to many of the other girls but I think that’s because I was influenced by my two older brothers as well as my mixed Italian and British heritage. I found it fun to experiment with fashion and still do.
Stella Luna Capucine Safyurtlu, Creative Director
- What is your brand’s spirit animal?
- The Cheetah: not only because of its beautiful and graceful way of moving through a space but because it knows how to elegantly and patiently control a situation, knowing exactly when to make its move (just when you least expect it!).
- Describe your muse
- Josephine Baker. Because she showed us how joy, beauty, sensuality and glamour can be paired with intelligence and convictions.
- Why shoes?
- As a woman, I saw a need for the type of shoe designs that I wanted to wear for all the moments of my life - from work to evening, to special events. I knew what I wanted but often could not manage to find it. It’s a joy to create the shoes that I feel meet the needs of a fashionable young woman’s closet.
- Three words to describe your brand.
- Femininity, confidence, joy.
- What “Most Likely” were you in high school?
- “That’s easy: “Most Likely To Work In Fashion.” Nobody who knew me then is surprised to see what I’m doing now. I knew from the earliest of ages, that I needed to be involved in fashion from working at Vogue Paris under Carine Roitfeld to now designing shoes.
Strathberry Guy Hundleby, Managing Director
- What is your brand’s spirit animal?
- The hummingbird encapsulates the spirit of Strathberry as it embodies the joy of life and lightness of being.
- Describe your muse
- Audrey Hepburn in the movie Funny Face - the story of the shop girl catapulted to fame is endearing and charming. Audrey’s strength and intelligence shines through in her performance, as she graces the screen.
- What was your ‘Aha!’ moment?
- We were inspired to start Strathberry after being captivated by the craftspeople we encountered whilst travelling in Spain. We admired their traditional approach, and the care and attention that went into making every piece. Our greatest ‘Aha!’ moment was when we first designed the Tote and the leather sample was complete; we knew the sensibilities of Strathberry had been forged.
- Why bags?
- Bags allow the wearer to be creative, and perhaps more bold than with clothing. In designing a bag, functionality has to be considered, and this leads to an intriguing interplay between the yin and yang of function and design.
- What “Most Likely” were you in high school?
- “To Pursue Your Own Path”
Truss Gillian Tozer, Co-founder
- What is your brand’s spirit animal?
- We’ve just come back from a vacation in Puerto Escondido where we saved a lizard that was drowning, he’s kind of become our unofficial mascot-slash-spirit animal! He’s also the latest star on our Instagram.
- Describe your muse
- The TRUSS woman is in a word “modern,” she works, she plays, and she’s engaged with the world and culture around her. She’s what you might call a conscientious consumer.
- What was your ‘Aha!’ moment?
- Our ‘Aha!’ moment was definitely when we realised we could not only make a fantastic product, but make a difference within the community we worked within. TRUSS was really born from our love for Oaxaca and it’s traditions.
- Why bags?
- Because a beautiful, yet practical bags is crucial to every woman’s life!
- Three words to describe your brand
- Unique, conscientious, utilitarian.
- What “Most Likely” were you in high school?
- For Elise, “Work In Fashion” for myself, my high school portrait caption was a quote from Dumb & Dumber, so if that’s anything to go by…
