‘I’ve spent USD 40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live? I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes!’ Carrie Bradshaw
As Carrie Bradshaw taught us all, a girl is nothing without her shoes. Luckily for us, New York luxury shoe designer Stuart Weitzman has recently opened a flagship store in IFC!
The new glass-fronted shop, designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid, means nothing can stand in the way of a little harmless drooling during those pre-payday shoe cravings.
Weitzman had the kind of introduction into the world of footwear many of us dream of – his father, Seyour Weitzman, ran a shoe factory where Stuart worked as a young man, learning the family trade surrounded by the fashion accessory that became his passion and meal ticket. In 1965, when his father died suddenly, Stuart and his brother took over the running of the business.
Since then, the designer has expanded his line into purses, giving us even more reason to linger as we pass the store. Now worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Angelina Jolie, and Eva Mendes, and with Kate Moss fronting the SS14 campaign shot by Mario Testino, it’s hard to argue with this designer’s star quality.
Hadid, celebrated for designing the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games and the Guangzhou Opera House in China, is associated with bold designs with a futuristic quality. This might explain why the monochromatic Stuart Weitzman store has more in common with a space-age airport than a shoe shop!
The first joint venture of Weitzman and Hadid’s powerhouse partnership opened in Milan last year, and London and Beijing are next on the list, with flagship stores due to open in both cities in 2014. The clean lines and understated glamour of Hadid’s Hong Kong store will provide the perfect setting to show off Stuart Weitzman’s beautiful shoes.
Weitz’s designs do come at a price, but whether you’re a devotee of the stiletto or you find it impossible to prise yourself away from pumps, Stuart Weitzman shoes will turn pounding the pavements of Hong Kong from chore to pleasure!
Stuart Weitzman Shop 3076, Level 3, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong
2408 8676 www.ifc.com.hk/…