They might be painful at times and terrible for navigating cobbled streets, but there's still nothing like a glamorous pair of heels to make a statement. Now a newcomer is giving the likes of Christian Louboutin and Guiseppe Zanotti a run for their money - British designer Charlotte Olympia Dellal.
'I always had a clear idea of what I wanted to do, which was super-high heels,' says Dellal, visiting Hong Kong for the first time this week to launch her spring-summer collection, which includes four exclusive styles for Hong Kong, at On Pedder. 'Now my customer base is broadening with flats, super highs and those in between.'
Dellal looks every bit the enigmatic glamour puss with her finger-waved locks and retro sunglasses. The Dellal sisters and heiresses, Charlotte and younger sibling Alice, have cut fine figures in the London scene for years. It was, after all, Dellal's 15cm stilettos that made her Charlotte Olympia brand famous. 'There is always the essence of the '40s and '50s that I love,' she says. 'I like the '30s as well, but those are my eras - and always part of the brand.'
Her shoes have mostly classical shapes, with the exception of some outrageous designs that have included gold art deco style strappy heels or lace-up leopard print wedges. Working with velvet, canvas and raffia rather than just leather, has given her a fresh aesthetic, as has her vintage fan detailing, vivid colours and prints. Each shoe is handcrafted in Italy and finished with the brand's gold spider web on the sole - a reference to Charlotte's Web.
'I am a woman designing for other women. I know what it feels like to wear a pair of these shoes, to love a pair of shoes and to want to die for a pair of shoes. I feelthat's very much one of my advantages,' Dellal says.
After graduating from London's Cordwainers Institute, she worked at Ungaro and Giambattista Valli before launching her eponymous label in late 2007, developing a style that was ultra-feminine and detail focused. Her 'island platform' lifts the shoes to dizzying heights, but Dellal claims that they aren't as uncomfortable as they look.