Over the last 20 years, 2018 FNAA Hall of Fame winner Pierre Hardy has created some iconic and enduringly successful footwear. Whether conceived in 1997 or 2017, his designs boast a timeless quality that transcend the decades. FN caught up with the designer in Paris who shared his thoughts on the most career-defining shoes in his repertoire.
Pierre Hardy Spring 1999 Pump
“This is the first shoe ever designed for my Pierre Hardy label. I wanted something as strong and sharp as a stiletto from the ’60s, but in a new way, in a modern way that could offer a different feeling from the profile and from the back.”
Pierre Hardy Spring ’17 Floral Sandal
“This is a good example of the kind of arty shoe I love. It was very inspired by pop art. Of course, there are flowers and it’s a very sexy sandal, but it’s also very graphic, very colorful and strong.”
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Pierre Hardy Spring ’19 Sneaker
“This is my most recent sneaker. We named it the Vibe, like a music vibe. I really enjoy doing sneakers as it’s almost like a new job; it’s very different from doing a sophisticated shoe for a woman. It’s almost like making a car or a piece furniture. As a designer, I really enjoy it.”
Hermès Spring ’19 ‘Sputnik’ Heel
“Years ago, this shape used to be part of a jewelry collection I did for Hermès. It was made of gold, stones and diamonds. So this season it became a heel. For Hermès, 2019 is the Year of the Dream, so it was like a dream shoe, time-traveling in space.”
Pierre Hardy Spring ’15 Minimalist Pump
“A very minimalist and quite classic pump, but the heel makes all the difference. It’s very constructed, like a piece of architecture. It looks almost abstract when you hold it in your hands, but when it’s worn it’s a really feminine, sexy shoe.”
Balenciaga Fall ’10 Textile Loafer Heel
“This is one of the numerous extraordinary shoes we did at Balenciaga with Nicolas [Ghesquière] years ago. This one is almost like a piece of furniture. In fact, nothing we used was supposed to be a material you should use to make a shoe, but that’s what it became. A very specific one. It was an example of what was possible. Or impossible. I really love it.”
Hermès Oran Sandals
“The Oran sandal was very special as it was not supposed to become a classic. It was just a simple flat, almost invisible, like a bare foot with something painted on it. It was a shoe I created just for the 1997 Year of Africa collection for Hermès, and it was inspired by a motif used by the Ndebele tribe to decorate their houses. That was 20 years ago and it’s still here today.”
Click through to view all of Pierre Hardy’s most memorable shoe designs to date.
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