Here comes the men in blue. To celebrate the opening of its newly expanded men’s designer area, The Dubai Mall’s most exclusive shoe retailer, Level Shoe District, has reached out to 14 top shoe designers and labels to create a capsule collection, all in shades of blue. The exclusive collection pays homage to blue as the colour of reference for men. It is also the theme of the decor at the new area for men.
“Blue is the new black and a must have in every man’s shoe collection this season and every other season to come,” says Alberto Oliveros, head buyer at Level Shoe District.
We at The Directory have reached out to the designers, all 14 of them, to tell us how they created their blue-tinged designs:
Percy Steinhart, creator and president of Stubbs and Wootton
“We took our [iconic traditional Whales Plume] and gave it a sleek and modern interpretation. Something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue — in this case tones of rich blue pewter, grey, and metallic silver.”
Alberto Moretti, Designer, Alberto Moretti
“I’m very excited and happy to be a part of the celebration ... I decided to choose the blue colour because I find it the most elegant colour that matches all. I made the band in white Swarovski to give it a precious touch, and add to its exclusivity. This pair is prefect with a tuxedo for a night out, although I would personally wear it also daily on a vintage pair of jeans!”
Susudio
“Susudio created a luxury shoe in the colour blue with silvery metal elements exclusively for Level Shoe District. The design reflects tradition, trust and determination. A perfect combination just giving extra, to make an urban sneaker sophisticated. The style can be described as ‘Urban Sophistication’ — created for those men who feel the need to stand out from the crowd.”
Stemar
“With the model designed exclusively for Level Shoe District, Stemar celebrates elegance and craftsmanship in its autumn-winter ‘15 collection with a shoe that is ever so comfortable, enveloping and luxurious that it feels like not wearing anything at all. Made with navy ultra-soft durable leather in a new woven texture, the slip-on is the distinctive element of the collection.”
Giuseppe Zanotti, Designer, Giuseppe Zanotti
“This GZD iconic sneaker was created four years ago, in a blue and gold version, and it launched the luxury sneakers experience. For the opening of the new men’s department at Level Shoe District in Dubai, we have created a new special sole in silver that perfectly matches with the two nickel buckles. This original product is both technical and elegant and it represents an experiment that brought interesting innovation into this market segment.”
Louis Leeman & Erica Pelosini, Designers of Louis Leeman
“We decided to create this special model as an exclusive for Level Shoe District customers, using top quality Italian calf leather and handcrafted metal accessories. The elegant colour combination of blue leather and silver metal could be found exclusively at Level Shoe District as part of the new autumn-winter selection. A fresh reinterpretation of a classic brogue style, perfect for men in search of formal but zesty shoe”
Corthay
“This style was inspired by rock ‘n’ roll and the carefree spirit of the French youth; with a classic Richelieu appearance and the comfort of a moccasin — using leather-covered elastic laces, adding to its wearer’s comfort and ease. We chose blue in consistency with the colour code in support of Level Shoe District’s exclusive capsule collection for the launch of the new men’s area.”
Alessandro Sartori, Artistic Director, Berluti
“The pursuit of perfection, with elegant, timeless designs and attention to detail, has been our brand’s essence since the creation of the house 120 years ago. This deep blue sea patina is unique in the sense that it is achieved by hand by master colourists. It is an example of one our historical know-how.”
Cecilia Bringheli of CB Made in Italy
“I find UAE customers a dream: self-confident, with an eye for both classics as well as the newest trends, keeping them elegant and modern. For Level’s exclusive capsule collection, we decided on blue because it’s the colour that symbolises CB Made in Italy the most, reminiscent of simple and elegant summers in Positano and the Mediterranean Sea. The Amalfi is one of our classic models, we wanted to combine both traditional design with a contemporary touch.”
Bontoni
“We chose the Beldiamante model to celebrate Level’s Capsule Collection because we feel it best personifies Bontoni’s understated Italian elegance and exquisite craftsmanship. Beldiamente’s enticingly rich blue patina, which our master colourist created exclusively for Level Shoe District, is a signature blend of midnight blue, black and cobalt hues. The ingenious interplay of translucency and depth of the colour combined with the glare of silver buckles creates a very special and unique contrast. Given that every Bontoni shoe is coloured entirely by hand, no two pairs of Beldiamente are alike.”
Luis Blanco, Designer, Magnanni
“The pursuit of perfection, with simple, classic designs and attention to detail has been our family essence for three generations. And we now show this unique, deep blue sea masterpiece, hand painted and in-heart designed for such a unique store.”
Jon Buscemi, Co-founder, Buscemi
“Not only is Level Shoe District one of the best retail experiences in all of the world, they are a key partner for Buscemi in the Middle East. We have come together to make an exclusive 100MM colour to mark their new men’s area and the launch of our pop-up shops in their store as a sign of great partnership and exclusivity. We make very limited units of all of our product offerings and this shoe will further drive this out by making Level Shoe District the sole destination of purchase globally for the colour way.”
Andrea Ventura
“Andrea Ventura Firenze presents a silver limited edition of his famed Tasca loafer as a worldwide exclusive for Level Shoe district in celebration of the retailer’s new men’s area. Inspired by the Florentine jewellery, we create this special series of loafers for a very special shoe destination, Level Shoe district. The colour chosen for this limited edition is blue, which has always been the colour of men’s elegance. The Silver 925 fashionable elements are on the sole and on the top of the shoes. They represent our logo: Four Irises that together form the 4 cardinal points. The Iris is the coat of arms and the symbol of Florence. Presenting this hand-made elegant product is like presenting a piece of our land, Firenze; and we are very proud to do it for Level Shoe District.”
Bally
“The new Scribe Novo Collection represents our new standard of elegance, evolutionary in its design, with contemporary signifiers such as an elongated toe shape created from a more pointed shoe last. The collection also offers exotic skins for the more discerning client therefore ensuring all the hallmarks of the most refined shoe manufacturing of Bally’s rich and unique history, whilst at the same time tailoring to the needs of modern men the world over. Within this collection, for autumn-winter 2015, Bally introduces the monk strap “Schuman” offered in blue exclusively at the Level Shoe District in Dubai.”
Go get yours
Level Shoe District’s blue capsule collection is now in store. Call 04-5016939.
