Beauty and brains is a rare combo but Greek model and footwear designer Lamprini Chantziara has both in abundance.
The Athens-based Chantziara, who studied at Veloudaakis, the renowned fashion school, for three years, picked up the nuances of fashion with a focus on footwear. “I love shoes and have more than 60 pairs of my own. Gradually it became an obsession to learn the finer aspects of designing and styling,” elaborates Chantziara.
Designing for the new store Preview, launched in Basant Lok along with Harsh Khanna, Chantziara is on her fifth trip to the country. “I met Harsh five years back in an Italian shoe factory in Milan and we clicked instantly. I guess we both love what we do: Making world class shoes,” says Chantziara.
The model-turned-designer believes in universal design. So there’s isn’t much difference in what a shoe does for her client in Rome and in Delhi. “Shine and sparkle will be big in summer 2005. So you will see a whole lot of stones and
crystal being used as embellishment. This will also be made interesting with an interplay of colourful stones,” says Chantziara.
Metallic leather, snake prints in dual colours and sometimes even shocking hues like flaming red and fuchsia pink will be in fashion. “Shiny uppers with the 50s and 60s feel to them, besides brocade borders and fluorescent straps intermingled with natural coloured ones will be back in vogue,” says Chantziara.
Pencil heels will still call the shots. The ideal height of the heels for perfect balance must between 35-60 mm that is neither too tall nor too short. “Padded soles with a sleek heel, that very Audrey Hepburn kind of look, will make a comeback and the dominant colours will be bright-pink, turquoise and the classic black and white,” says Chantziara.
Soles will dominate the scene and will be undoubtedly the soul of the shoe. So you will see them in laminated and coloured avatars.
