High heel confidential with Brian Atwood

This month has seen many international fashion designers visit Dubai, be it Burberry's Christopher Bailey, Tommy Hilfiger, and the latest arrival - footwear designer Brian Atwood. It was Atwood's first visit to the Dubai, and the former model turned designer of sexy bold statement heels is a favourite with Lady Gaga, Cameron Diaz, and Beyonce.
His mantra for fashion is "dress from the feet upwards." Known for his love of colour and textures, Atwood lives between Milan and New York. We caught up with him at Level Shoes, The Dubai Mall.

 
Photo: The YUNA sandal in mixed fuchsia and tangerine nappa leather

It's all about the 13-centimetre heel for you right now, but isn't 13 an unlucky number?
Not at all, anyway I do not believe in superstitions. I say you can go as high as you want.
You are known for your super high heels, so what do you think of the current sneaker trend?
I love it; in fact I plan on wearing sneakers tonight. It's so current right now, I have many friends who would never step into sneakers before, and who wear them now. I would have no issues with designing a line of sneakers. I include a line of flats in my collection, but most retailers choose not to buy those.
You have designed shoes for the woman for who can't seem to get enough heels - Lady Gaga - tell us about that?
She is not afraid of heights; let's just say that. Those shoes I designed for her 30th birthday were 10 inches high! I enjoy doing custom orders, and designing last year for the Victoria Secret's Fashion Show is a moment I will always remember. It is great to design for women who know how to work their heels.
 

What about the critics who say wearing high heels is bad for your health?
You are only young once, so wear them! Shoes have power - I call it the Cinderella effect. Shoes can change your look; wear a mediocre dress and great shoes, and your dress looks designer.
You where the first American to be hired by Gianni Versace. Right now there is a game of musical chairs happening, with many creative directors such as Raf Simons leaving positions at fashion houses like Dior, with no explanation. Versace's Versus just lost its creative director Anthony Vaccarello, and he succeeds Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent. Would you ever think of joining a large fashion house as creative director?
Of course I would, if I really respected that house. A creative director really needs to have carte blanche, the fashion house has to truly believe in their creative director and that's when the relationship works. Like when I was at Bally, we managed to turn the company from the red into the black.
The website Red Carpet Fashion Awards has named you shoe designer of the year twice. How important are red carpet events like the Oscars to footwear designers?
Premieres are very important; we are all celebrity obsessed. The Oscars a bit less so, as it's all about full-length gowns, so you cannot really see the shoes. I often wish I could take some scissors to the gown and make them tea length so the shoes would show (laughing). But the awards after-parties - those events are something footwear designers do focus on.
You are often inspired by your travels, and now that you have been to Dubai, can we expect a collection that pays homage to this city?
My current season collection at Level Shoes has a very Aztec feel, and was inspired by a trip to Mexico. And yes, I think Dubai could be my next inspiration, I just love the architecture here. Imagine a pair of shoes with Burj Khalifa heels!

"I do not believe in superstitions. I say you can go as high as you want." - Brian Atwood
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Photo: Designer Mariam Yehia in one of her own creations
THIS ONE'S A KEEPA
There are so many bloggers-turned-fashion designers who manage to make a business out of their social celebrity status, that it makes you wonder if you actually need to study fashion these days, or intern with a fashion house before starting your own label. Of course, having a sense of style is imperative to a fashion designer, but many of these bloggers turned designers seem to find initial success. After a while, though, they lose momentum - it seems that style really does have no meaning without substance.
And that is something Dubai-based designer Mariam Yehia, who debuts her label Mrs Keepa in May this year, knows. Mariam has become a regular on the regional best-dressed lists, and her personal Instagram page (@mrskeepa) has a cult following of around 60,000. With her sister being a well-known fashion designer too (Yasmine Yehia of Masion Yeya, whose workshop is based in Cairo) Mariam knew that launching a label was about a lot more than just dressing well.
With 12 years experience in the media business, Mariam decided to enroll at Esmod Dubai in order master the technical side of the fashion business. "I felt it was so unfair to be perceived as another influencer approaching fashion as a business. I wanted to genuinely learn everything about fashion," she says.This part Eyptian-part French designer credits her family very much for helping turn her passion into a reality. Her mother, a talented seamstress, made all of Mariam's clothes herself when she was a child, and her father drummed into her the importance of social independence.
Mariam says, "My father was an entrepreneur, a very strong character whose main goal was to bring me up and my sister to be independent." And it is her husband Bassel Komaty who she calls her "greatest inspiration". In fact, her label's name is inspired by him, as his nickname is Keepa, and so she calls herself Mrs Keepa.

Mrs Keepa has a cosmopolitan vibe, drawing from her own background, but is still very much a label that pays homage to Dubai. The first collection is an ode to the city's architecture. Long, high-waisted trousers resemble Dubai's skyscrapers with their slick endless lines. The bell-shaped sleeves of one of her blouses were inspired by the beautiful curves of the iconic Burj Al Arab. And there is a total feel of boho luxe, as the 70s is the decade that is constantly referred to throughout the collection.
"Coming from an air sign (Aquarius), I have a very moody charac-ter, and sticking to one style wouldn't suit me. I love the mix of cultural prints, embroidery, and clashing colours. What I love about this look is that it instantly gives me a feeling of laidback freedom, an escape from the stressful, fast paced lives we all live."
The label reflects Mrs Keepa's Instagram account perfectly. And on social media, you'll also see that being a mother is a big part of Mariam's life, and she credits the playful side to her debut collection to her daughter Isabelle. To start with, Mrs Keepa will be available online. She's also already in talks with stores in Paris, and hopes to be stocking in boutiques there, and in Dubai soon, making this a label to keep an keep on.
sujata@khaleejtimes.com
The writer is Consulting Fashion Editor, Khaleej Times