European designers cannot get enough of Los Angeles these days. And at Jimmy Choo, Sandra Choi was also bitten by the west coast bug. “As soon as I step off the plane there, I’m hit with a wave of sunshine and good energy,” she said. “It’s this positivity and happy nature that inspired the collection this season.”
The creative director uses her time in the City of Angels wisely, visiting vintage and thrift shops to source for materials and ideas to work into the collection. “I love the Rose Bowl. I find amazing things there – be it a belt, a jacket or a bag that have an element I’ll incorporate into the line.”
The resulting shoes have some interesting elements, such as twisted leather uppers with severe sloped metallic heels, a detail Choi said came from the modernist architecture she spotted on her trip. Indeed, they called to mind the Griffith Observatory. “L.A. has so much development happening right now, I’m always looking up.” The best version of this style featured silk scarf strapping, an idea that could have been further developed.
Choi wore her favorite pair from the collection, which she called glam clogs. A bit of an oxymoron, sure, but these had spring ’16s questionably trending clear block heels (at Choo they also had glitter) and gold nailheads for added glitz.
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Elsewhere, all the Choo boxes were ticked: strong suede and denim peep toe booties with eyelet perforation, sandals with wrap lacing in every heel shape and height desired and timely touches such as woven and braided uppers, another big trend.
Even so, the Angeleno theme carried through parts of the collection but not others. And many of the styles had the kind of just-right heel heights for days spent as a pedestrian. A great benefit to the wearer, but not very L.A.
Click through the gallery to see more from the Jimmy Choo spring ’16 collection.
