{ introducing } b. brian atwood

as you may have gathered from the fun, flashy widget in my top right sidebar, i've teamed up with designer brian atwood to debut his new b brian atwood line, which is officially launching on august 25th via saks.com. every day this week, a new style from the collection is being unveiled on my page ~ and i'm as excited to see them myself as i am to share them with you!!

a few weeks ago, brian invited me to stop by the photoshoot for his print campaign (the photo above is a tiny preview ~ how dashing does the designer look in this cameo?!), and i seized the occasion to put on my best journalistic kicks. interview below!

in many ways, shoe making seems more akin to architecture than to fashion design. how did you learn this craft, and who were your role models as a young designer?
when i was younger i loved building model houses, but it wasn't until i started working at gianni versace that I learned the art of making shoes. it is like building a house. you need the correct foundation or the shoe doesn't support the wearer.

was it your background in modeling that inspired you to go into design?
i always knew that i wanted to be a designer. i started off in ready-to-wear and somehow found my love of shoes. modeling just allowed me to see the world and meet the designers that i would like to work with.

and how has that experience informed your work?
it gave me a broader viewpoint on design as well as what women want.

when designing a new collection where do you begin? does it start with developing new last shapes, materials, etc.?
first it starts with last shapes and heels that you would like to see, then you begin with your color card and material to follow. after that it all comes together as your vision evolves.

over the last couple years, shoe designs have gotten more outrageous than ever; each brand seems determined to outdo the others in structure, weight, height, etc. yet your designs maintain a classic appeal while still looking fresh. how do you negotiate this competitive scene but continue to set yourself apart?
i love all of the outrageous designs that are out there, but i do believe that women always need classic shoes with a twist. when clothing is busy you need cleaner accessories. if our shoes seem on the classic side then we "amp" it up in the height to give it an edge.

if your fans could only buy one of your shoes this season, which would you recommend and why?
from the "b" collection they should buy leise in silver metallic [in the middle picture above] or paradis in the patchwork leopard print boot [debuting in tomorrow's sidebar!].