Footwear fairytale: ALDO RISE

Fashion, as it’s often been proven, is all about interesting collaborations. When you have the giants of footwear industry collaborating with top designers, what you get is a fun footwear fairytale.

Shoes and accessory brand ALDO have come with ALDO RISE, a fashion week collaboration programme where they have collaborated with the hottest designers to create a capsule collection of some seriously chic shoes.

The designers are JW Anderson, Preen, Faster by Mark Fast and Libertine. The idea behind this collaboration is to move a look from fashion week’s catwalk pedestals to the high street where fashion and style innovate. We take a closer look at the designers, their ideas and design ethos.

Twenty six year old Anderson is certainly not for the faint hearted. Known for his convention eschewing designs, Anderson is inspired by feather details and structured heels for his SS12 collection with ALDO RISE. Anderson describes it as “like Rauschenberg, it’s a patchwork of textures”. His shoes are all about interesting combinations with a feminine edge. You get stripes mixed with feathers and sedate ankle straps with lace elements.

London based duo and real life couple Justin Thorton and Thea Bregazzi of Preen knows how to take smart footwear to greater heights. Their ALDO RISE collection will feature their statement block heels, pops of neon and pixilated dreamy prints. With names like Kate Moss and Michelle Obama as loyal customers, you know you are in rather safe hands.

Designer Mark Fast is known to bringing sexy back to footwear fashion and proving that there is more to knitting than grandma-made jumpers. His ALDO RISE collection is all about contrasting colours, very high heels and knitted elements.

Libertine is definitely for the free spirited. Known for his use of stripes, Libertine’s collection will be a different and fun take on horizontal and vertical stripes.

The ALDO RISE collection has already been launched in Selfridges and ASOS.com and will be hitting the world market by this weekend. Check out the collection here.

Dhanya Nair