The Italian Designer Giving Charlotte Olympia And Sophia Webster A Run For Their Money

Although Milan is known as home base for luxury accessories — all the great Italian designer handbags and legendary leather shoes have come from its factories — London is giving the establishment a run for its money. British designers have seized on some qualities that many designers in Milan seem to have lost sight of: imagination, a taste for fantasy, and an eye for inventive new shapes that don’t come at the expense of walkability (no one really likes a cab-to-couch-only shoe). Designers like Charlotte Olympia, Nicholas Kirkwood, and Sophia Webster have introduced a new generation of shoes that make the single-sole pump feel about as exciting as a breadstick.

But, some Italian designers are taking back the torch. Leading the pack is new designer Paula Cademartori, whose delightfully quirky handbags have quickly become must-haves for the Fashion Week set. Covered in patches, candy-like buttons, clever color combinations, and Cademartori’s signature buckle detail, they instantly make an outfit feel special. This season, Cademartori also released her first ever line of shoes. Though they feature new shapes and designs, the shoes feel like they’re already part of the canon — we can chalk that up to the strength of designer's aesthetic personality. With the triangle-shaped heel that’s going to be her trademark, her booties, pumps, sandals, and heels are like little pieces of art, but they're also extremely practical. Click through to check out her new deliveries, then over to her website to stalk what’s already available.      

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