‘The fashion industry in Doha is booming and we want to be a part of that’

* Alberto Guardiani, one of the fashion world’s leading shoe designers, was recently in Doha to launch his new collection

Rubina Singh talks to creative director Alberto Guardiani about the

designing concept behind his fashionable footwear, its popularity

among celebrities and why he thinks Qatar is an important market

Designers of international repute are increasingly looking towards Qatar as a potential market for style, class and originality. Gone are the days when Europe was the preferred ‘mall next door’ for the affluent and fashionable Qatari women.

The time has come where not only homegrown talent is catapulting into the fashion industry but furthermore this is where international labels are now seeking to carve a niche for themselves too. While some brands have already become an integral part of the country’s fashion scene, others are vying get a foothold and it won’t be long before Qatar will be a hub for haute couture designs from around the world.

Alberto Guardiani, one of the fashion world’s leading shoe designers, was recently in Doha to launch his new collection. Gallant and charming, both the man and the designs know how to strike a connection with the clientele.  

When a commodity surpasses its utilitarian purpose and takes on an element of artistic novelty, grace and innovation, it is capable of moving beyond the boundaries of the materialistic to the intangible glory of passion and artistic expression, even if it is something as basic as a shoe.

Women across the world love his creations.  Lana del Rey, Sting, Mena Suvari are amongst the many celebrities who patronise his designs and Katy Perry had a pale rose satin sandal designed especially for her. Excerpts …

You are an internationally acclaimed design label whose ideas are not just adorned by the rich and famous of the glam world but are also displayed in museums as worthy of artistic appreciation. What brings you to Qatar?

For many designers Qatar is an exciting market, which is growing by the day. Increasingly the demand for current trends is something that fashion-conscious locals want to see more of and hence my decision to open up here.

Not long ago, you stormed the fashion scene with your ‘lipstick’ shoe. Did you ever have the Middle Eastern customer in mind while designing?

I think about women as a whole rather than appealing to different nationalities. With the lipstick shoe — it was an obvious creation for success. No woman can live without a killer red lipstick! I’d like to describe my wider women’s range as chic, sassy, whimsical and witty capturing the many different facets of the female personality and that is not bound by borders.

What is your impression of Middle Eastern fashion scene?

I think it’s very glamorous. The women always look immaculate. Their style is very opulent, with lots of gold, compared to the more classic dress sense of an Italian.

Masculine elegance fascinates me a lot whether you wear a white tunic which is always immaculate and perfectly ironed with beautiful sandals, or you wear a formal suit. Arab men are always flawless, elegant and look out for details from the watch to the shoe. It is a pleasure to design a shoe and imagine that it will be worn by them. Elegance is still very important to Arab men, while in the West men prefer casual style and wearing ease instead.

The ‘Flutterby’ shoe is a unique design. How did the idea take shape?

The ‘Flutterby’ shoe has a hand-printed heel, shaped as a butterfly’s wing. It was actually the winner of the design contest ‘Cinderthriller’ which was launched by the magazine ID.

As the caterpillars turn into butterflies so the ‘Flutterby’ shoes range aspires to transform women, to enable them to float with more elegance to their next social event or party.

What inspired the ‘Lipstick’ heel and the ‘Butterfly’ design?

The idea of the Lipstick heel came from the environment that surrounded my every-day life: I have a wife and three daughters and it was almost obvious thinking about putting together a black pump and such a feminine object. So the lipstick heel was born and its success has been remarkable.

Following that, we were thinking about finding a new it-shoe and in 2011 we launched an international design contest called “Cinderthriller” in collaboration with the British magazine ID.

After evaluating around 800 shoe sketches sent from 50 different nations, the panel of judges, which included creative consultants, designers and fashion gurus, selected the winning design created by Lady San Pedro, a 28-year-old designer from the Philippines who works in the advertising field and lives in Barcelona. The Flutterby shoe had its official presentation in February 2012 during the Milan Fashion Week and soon became part of our collections as a capsule range.

Your designs are available in Dubai and in other parts of the world, what makes Qatar an important market?

I realise that this is a very receptive market for the international brands and especially for luxury labels and ‘Made in Italy’ know-how. The clients here belong to an international audience and are interested in new trends coming from the West and greatly appreciate the dynamic fashion market.

Does entering the Qatari market mean anything different to you than any other expansion or store opening?

I’m excited to bring the Alberto Guardiani brand to Qatar to share our shoes which are renowned for elegant taste, artisanal rigour, and attention to detail. The fashion industry in Doha is booming and we want to be a part of that since we, like Qatar, have a respect for tradition and capacity for innovation — which are two of my key ingredients.

Not only are your designs novel in concept, they have also been very popular in competitions and at museums. Isn’t that an unusual combination?

Indeed it is. After the success of the Lipstick Heel and of the new iconic shoe ‘Flutterby’, winner of the competition “Cinderthriller”, we received a lot of positive feedback from different markets. For instance, the Flutterby shoe has been featured on the pages of the Financial Times in June 2012, in an article dedicated to special heel shapes, and until the end of April it was present, along with the equally famous ‘Lipstick Heel’, at the museum of the FIT in New York, site of one of the most important exhibitions ‘Shoe Obsession’, dedicated to the world of women’s footwear.  On account of our unique design concept, our shoes are not just an accessory, they are also aesthetic designs in themselves which gives the design a lasting artistic value.

What are your two most defining elements of your designs?

Respect for tradition and capacity for innovation are the two key ingredients to our success along with our ability to mix the traditional know-how of ‘Made in Italy’ with innovation and the experimentation with new materials and design, where elegance never sacrifices comfort and quality.

From your perspective, what is the most important aspect of design in a shoe?

To me the perfect balance of fine craftsmanship, edgy experimentation and meticulous attention to detail is the most important thing in designing dynamic and contemporary styles.

What distinguishes your style and designs from others in the same league?

I think our designs are valued for their pristine quality and impeccable comfort, craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail coexisting in a perfect mix in a product of high ‘Made in Italy’ excellence which reflects our philosophy based on history and tradition, identity and innovation.

Is it difficult to come up with such strikingly novel ideas time after time and to be able to adapt them to be utilitarian at the same time? And what are some of the other ingenious ideas you are working on?

Not really. We work as a team and each one of us brings our strengths to the table. The end result is an artsistic creation that is a result of creative minds working in unision as a team. In the next autumn/winter collection, the key elements are inspired by the ‘Swinging’ London, so classic British tartan and Op Art effect in a hound’s-tooth pattern are present in stilettos and ankle boots and in sandals and pumps for Flutterby and Lipstick range. In the previous seasons our designs have revolved around fluro colours, tribal atmospheres and jewelled details.

What according to you is the single most important criterion that a design must fulfil ... comfort, beauty or style?

The most important criterion of all our designs is elegance and comfort. They have to be combined with functionality and contemporary styles, edgy experimentation and meticulous attention to detail.

What aspects do you like about this part of the world?

I have had the chance to travel a lot to Middle East both for work and for pleasure and I really enjoy the culture, the inspirational Middle East designers and the magical desert landscapes.

SUNDAY CONVERSATION

I, me, myself

My most memorable experience …

The capture of my first and terrible 300kg tuna

Person who influenced me most

My wife who manages the company with me

Best thing that ever happened to me

The party organised in Japan between Tokyo and Kyushu Island for the first Alberto Guardiani collection realised in Japan in 1990.

My greatest fear

Losing control of situations

My greatest weakness

Cooking

My strongest personality trait

Tenacity

My weakest personality trait

Swiftness

Most dearest treasure

My family

My favourite celebrity ...

A famous couple: Penelope Cruz and Xavier Bardem

I love ...

Travelling, food, luxury hotels, the sea, game fishing, reading, music, honesty, friends

I dislike ...

Craftiness, insecurity, arrogance

I idolise ...

Al Pacino, Paul Mc Cartney

I can’t live without...

Creating my shoes

I can’t live with ...

The anxiety if my collection is delayed

Gadget I couldn’t do without

A little nylon bag where I put my stuff when I’m at the seaside

Biggest turn on/ turn off ...

I love everything that requires creativity,  I don’t like the technical operations

... makes my life worth living

Love, the responsibility to my collaborators and their families, nature, friendship

I don’t believe in ...

Everything which is not good and beautiful

Three things to do before I die

Death is part of life but I’m feeling young and full of energy and there is still a lot I want to do. Sorry, can’t bring the long list down to three!