A flashback of feminine style

A 50th birthday is one worth celebrating and legendary shoe brand Hush Puppies is doing so in style this year by partnering with two distinguished celebrity stylists to create its first ever Guest Designer Series; a collection of men’s and women’s shoes that reflect fashions of the past and embrace styles of the future.

London-based stylist Rachel Fanconi has provided inspiration for the women’s collection and New York’s own fashion commentator Phillip Bloch for the men’s, both of which combine style and attitude with the classic Hush Puppies values of comfort and quality.

In the creation of the women’s collection, Rachel Fanconi has cleverly combined classic with modern, detail with simplicity and elegance with comfort. Through the exploration of vintage Hush Puppies archives, inspiration has been drawn from the past, thereby re-invigorating beloved designs from yesteryear.

At the heart of the series are two Victorian-inspired styles. The first is a sassy little ankle boot (Divinity) which combines the most perfect rich-toned leather with classic brogue detailing and a rich organza fabric. The second is a modern Mary Jane (Alise) again featuring pretty brogueing, hand stitching and antiqued leathers in deep, bold colours.

Reminiscent of the fabulous eighties, three demi-wedge styles add a little frivolity to the range. A bold shoe-boot (Adeline) in Worry Free Suede is spot on in terms of this year’s trend. A suede bootie (Hadley) goes funky, matching suede with a paisley embossed heal and a fanciful organza ribbon tie and the pretty suede heeled shoe (Ariana) is decorated with an cute organza rose.

Ultra-playful, the open-toe styles are vintage-look throwbacks of Hush Puppies classics. The two stylish peep-toe, stacked heel shoes (Ashlyn and Falon) feature brogueing, ruching and dressmaker detailing.

With each shoe featuring a classic paisley inner, this range perfectly marries the relaxed feel of Hush Puppies with daring design, yet it shamelessly flirts with vintage-inspired feminine fun. The range will be available from all major shoe retailers from August 2008.

For Hush Puppies information and stockists visit Hushpuppies.co.uk.

The Hush Puppies Guest Designer Series by Rachel Fanconi

Divinity £75
Alise £60
Adeline £70
Ariana £60
Hadley £75
Fallon £60
Ashlyn £60

Rachel Fanconi knows fashion. More importantly, she knows how to work with fashion and how to make fashion work for her clients. She has worked with many celebrities, including David Beckham, Jessica Simpson, Helen Mirren, Ashlee Simpson, and many others.
In addition, some of the largest international movie studios and European publications rely on her expertise to determine what is new, fresh, and fabulous.

What began as a foot-in-the-door job at the fashion desk of London’s Sunday Mirror when she was 19 years old eventually blossomed into a fruitful career as a freelance stylist. Intuitive and fearless, Rachel’s love of fashion is more than skin deep, which means that she strives to make her clients not only look good, but also feel good.

Whether she’s styling a magazine cover or rummaging through the cavernous closets of Hollywood stars, Fanconi brings freshness to fashion and dazzle to design.