There are many brands of shoes that, inevitably, end up looking alike. Good designs, good materials, which are repeated on the feet of thousands of others.

Hidden among the thousands of brands, however, is the work of Bianca Georgescu, a young Romanian who set out on an adventure in the world of online sales not long ago. The mix of textures, drawings and materials are what make her shoes stick out. Just look at her heels with a print that was inspired by the patterns in rust, they’ll make your jaw drop.

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Bianca was born in Brasov, Romania, and studied at the University of the Arts in Bucharest. While spending a semester abroad in Milan, she had one of the most important experiences in her life. She later graduated in 2015 and, since then, has been receiving more and more orders through her personal website where you can find an extensive catalogue which will make you wonder if you can only choose one.

Bianca says she hates monotony; maybe that explains why her work is so diverse. We here at So Catchy! Where Fashion Begins hope you enjoy the interview as much as we did.


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SO CATCHY!: Why and when did you decide to become a footwear & accessories designer?

BIANCA GEORGESCU: I don’t know if there was an actual moment of conscious and rational choice. Somehow I have always managed to do just what I desired, with all the passion and love I could invest. At the moment I love to create unique and personalized shoes and accessories. If one day I will discover a new field that awakens in me a passion at least as intense as this, I will approach it without hesitation.

SC!: Define your style as a footwear & accessories designer.

BG: I believe that my style is defined by the combinations of unconventional creative techniques and themes with less common materials, in order to create a unique and unprecedented product. I think that authenticity, personality and uniqueness could be some of the characteristics of my style.

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SC!: You studied in Bucharest, what was your experience like and what’s the most valuable lesson you learned there?

BG: Bucharest is the place where my passion for footwear design arose, from various practices in workshops. However, one of the most extensive experiences I’ve had was the internship at Scala Theatre in Milan, where I’ve created stenographic shoes for theater plays. It was an important period because of the perceptive development on the design of shoes as art pieces, but also a functional practice that helped me gain a significant amount of technical and qualitative experience.

SC!: How would you describe the process of designing and making your shoes?

BG: I usually start from an idea that inspires me. My favorite part is the process of research, documentation; it is the moment when every detail can change decisively the creative perspective. Then I find practical solutions for my ideas, through experimentation. From here to actual realization of a product it is just one step: piecing together ideas and results, along with a lot of work in the workshop. This leads to the birth of innovative prototypes, which later develop into commercial versions ready to walk the same steps as their lucky new owners.

SC!: Where do you sell your pieces (apart from online)?

BG: Given that I currently work only based on orders and i do not have large stocks, the online environment is the perfect place to sell my designs.

The only place where one can find some of my products offline is the library Carturesti in Bucharest. However, I am attending on a regular basis fashion fairs and other designers’ events held in Bucharest and in other important cities.

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SC!: Is it difficult to make a living as a footwear & accessories designer nowadays? How did your start and what has it been like until now?

BG: I think it is easier than ever thanks to the Internet and the access to information. From my point of view, if you have an original, high quality product, you have every chance to succeed in this domain.

My business began to develop rapidly after I launched my graduation collection of footwear and started getting more and more orders. In 2015 we’ve launched my official online store and since then things have advanced by themselves quite rapidly, so I’ve managed to buy the materials and equipment necessary, and I will soon have my own workshop.

SC!: Your next step and your impossible dream?

BG: My next goal is to participate in international design fairs with new collections, to introduce more accessories and to open as soon as possible my own workshop and showroom. I choose to believe that all dreams are possible.

SC!: Do you think of a specific kind of person when designing?

BG: If I have to follow a certain topic when creating, I think of people who fall into that category. When I have to develop a new idea, I do not limit myself to think about the wearer, but rather I follow the creativity of that idea.

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SC!: A perfect shoe is or must have…

BG: As strange as it may seem, I am not fanatical about shoes. I wear the same pair of sneakers most of the time and only possess two pairs of shoes created by me that I wear to special occasions.

However, when creating footwear design I take into account firstly that a shoe should be extremely comfortable; it should love us, make us feel beautiful and free, not hurt us. Of course, appearance is also important, turning shoes from an object that protects us against bad weather into a fashion accessory that directly influences our attitude and mood.

SC!: So you say a lot of shoes are being made using 3D technology; Is this where you think the future of footwear is heading?

BG: Definitely 3D technology is going to take the footwear industry to another level and I really hope that they can find an alternative for animal skins that is at least as effective.

I can’t really imagine where the future of footwear is heading for, but it would be cool if someone would invent the „flying shoes” in the near future (or distant).


Credits:

Images courtesy of Bianca Georgescu

Header + Images 2-3: Adrian Anechitoaie

Images 4-9: Benedek Bela

Translation and Layout by Michael Padilla