At the third edition of the Vogue Fashion Dubai Experience that took place in Dubai Mall, there was a series of Fashion Lectures led by Jessica Michault of Antidote Magazine. The speakers included an impressive list of esteemed industry professionals, such as shoe designer Christian Louboutin, Fendi creative director for accessories Silvia Venturini Fendi, and co-founder of online digital platform fashion Buro 24/7 Miroslava Duma.
I just had to zero in on some of Mr. Louboutin’s insights when it comes to his creative process. Interestingly, mentioned that when designing the next collection, he has to be experience the corresponding climate to get into the right frame of mind: “When I’m designing a winter shoes, I have to be in a place with cold weather and if it’s a summer collection, I have to be in a hot place. If it’s not hot enough, I turn up the heat,” he says.
Like most designers, his first inspirations were the women in his family. “My mother was beautiful, however, who inspired me was my sister. I witnessed how what she’s wearing completely transformed her mood,” he told Jessica and the crowd. “I love how a woman’s clothing can transform her into this beautiful woman that she is.
“I am not a huge believer of nature; I like the idea that women can control how they want to appear and that they can take full responsibility of their appearance,” he continues.
However, not all his designs are rooted in familiar ties—sometimes the imagery in his head can be a little provocative, which is no surprise for a man who designs some of the sexiest heels for women. “Whenever I’m designing shoes, I envision a naked woman, how she stands out by wearing just the Louboutin shoes, how she looks from the back and front,” he shares.
Watch the rest of his interview here:
Up next was Silvia Venturini Fendi, who is the daughter of Fendi founders Edoardo and Adele Fendi, and is the creative director of the accessories and menswear lines of the luxury brand. As the direct descendant of one of Italy’s foremost fashion brands, Jessica was particularly interested in whether or not her involvement in the company was an involuntary decision.
“Well, I think it was a very personal choice, but of course growing into such a family, it was quite normal for me. I always say that I went to, like a fashion college from the very beginning of my childhood. But you know, I come from a very big family and not all my sisters or cousins did the same path. So probably I was the one who was always interested in what was happening in the atelier or in the headquarters. I remember I was always there, where the action was,” she tells Jessica.
The rest of her interview is here:
The last speaker of the night was Buro 24/7 founder Mirosalva Duma, who is a petite fashion powerhouse in her own right. The street style star was formerly with Harper’s Bazaar Russia, and Jessica was keen to find out how she funds Buro 24/7, which is present in 10 countries, since its inception in 2011.
“Advertising, different projects with international e-commerce platform, starting from Net-a_Porter and many other e-commerce platforms. It’s another way to monetize, and we are constantly looking for news ways to monetize the content,” she answers.”
For more of her interesting insights on the publishing industry, watch the rest of her interview here:
This series of talks were incredibly inspiring and informative, and it appears that there are more to come. While Dubai is famous for many things, one area in which the city has found itself drawing criticism is the perceived lack of culture, entertainment, and events. This is something the city leaders have been actively seeking to address in recent times and various high-profile events and shows.
With any luck, maybe the next industry players they fly in can be editors at the top of Condé Nast’s mastheads—Vogue’s especially—and young designers who’ve been helming their labels, such as Alexander Wang and Thakoon. Their careers and rise to the top are stories aspiring designers over here—and in Manila— will need to hear.
Photo by Sai Ferrera
To see more photos, visit Ferrera’s blog Sandy Gypsy, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.