Mi Piaci and Kate Sylvester have teamed up to launch a spring capsule footwear collection inspired by the works of modernist artist Milton Avery.
The collaboration came about after Kate developed a desire to create shoes for spring and summer collections, noting the team had “beautiful ideas, but not how to make them a reality".
“We thought about who we can work with and who has the craft, the skills and the knowledge to make these shoes really beautiful," says Kate. "We thought of Mi Piaci."
The collection contains two designs, Ali and Aida, an effortless summer sandal and versatile pump with elevated design details. In a fresh spring palette of vibrant green, sky blue and soft camel, the footwear fuses together signature brand elements for the warmer months ahead.
Kate says the line’s versatile but bold colours will be useful in elevating simple outfits in the new season. “What’s great with a bright coloured shoe is you can wear it back with black or a neutral and it will lift a really simple outfit.”
"Milton Avery has such an amazing eye for colour and we knew we wanted really bright, summery, energy colours we pulled our entire palette literally off his canvases. We were thrilled with the results, particularly with the pop of energy of the blue and green.”
Avery’s style, known for its simplified forms that used colour to bring interest, lends itself perfectly to the current bright, sculptural international trends. A 90s square toe is contrasted with a thick cylindrical heel and soft leather finishings, leaning into its artistic inspiration to create a harmonious spring line.
“The purity, strength and his incredibly clean strong shapes, they absolutely sum up his work.”
Mi Piaci, entering its 20th year of business, felt it was “instinctual” to fuse the works of the two local designers.
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Advertise with NZME.“We were excited to be approached by the Kate Sylvester team to collaborate on a capsule collection, to combine our distinct aesthetics and skill sets, and celebrate two iconic New Zealand brands working together.”
“With our own design team and manufacturing resource, we were able to work closely to construct and amend lasts and design lines, to finely sculpt toe profiles and toplines to achieve the brief. Colours, finishes and leathers were specially produced to ensure the styles represent a combined aesthetic for both brands, and celebrate two crafts coming together in celebration of a new season.”
Launching Thursday, September 8, the collection will be available in select Mi Piaci and Kate Sylvester stores nationwide.
