Follow Vogue Arabia

This Italian Shoe Label Just Announced the Winner of Its GCC Competition

Courtesy.

This month, prestigious Italian footwear designer Rene Caovilla in partnership with Tea Before Noon held its first-ever shoe design competition in the Middle East, in an effort to support and nurture emerging regional designers. The luxury Italian label selected four budding creatives from the GCC, including Suhaila Al Shaali, the Ahad bin Haider, Buthaina Fahad, and Dalia Darwish to sketch their very own shoe designs, with the winning design going on to be produced in Rene Caovilla’s Venice factories then sold exclusively in the region for six months. Unlike many design competitions that boast an expert panel of judges to select the winner, the Rene Caovilla GCC competition counted on the public to vote for their favorite shoe design. And, it looks like the people have finally spoken: The winner for the inaugural GCC competition is Emirati footwear designer Ahad Bin Haider.

The winning design? A pair of dazzling, tie-up satin heels sprinkled with Swarovski crystals. “I have designed a piece that is a dream to every classy lady,” explained bin Haider to Vogue.me of the pumps. “Think breathtaking diamond cuts, classic chandeliers, and crystals that reflect beauty everywhere.”

Looking at the sparkling, crystal-laden pumps, it’s hard to believe that the Emirati designer doesn’t actually specialize in footwear (she’s the co-founder of homegrown abaya label Illustrella). Although, each creative first had to partake in a workshop hosted by a Venetian shoe artisan flown into Dubai to familiarize the designer’s with the brand’s history, ethos, and techniques, which no doubt helped them hone their shoe-making skills. Perhaps we’ll see a bin Haider footwear line in the future? Only time will tell, but in the meantime, those who wish to get their hands (or feet) on the designer’s Signora Chic heels can do so when they hit stores by the end of this year.

Now Read: Van Cleef & Arpels is Bringing a Pop-Up Jewelry School to Dubai

Suggestions
Articles
View All
Vogue Collection
Topics