The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2021 - Issue 30

biteshoes W ith an acclaimed jeweller as a mother, mul- ti-award-winning shoe designer Freya Rose grew up immersed in the world of fine jewellery. After achieving a first-class honours degree in Footwear Design from the University of the Arts, London, she incorporated her knowledge of fine jewellery into luxurious, jewelled shoes using precious materials such as mother-of-pearl, brass and sterling silver. Her unique world-renowned collections have cemented her as one of the UK’s leading shoe couturiers. Freya Rose London creates sculptural, wearable works of art that transcend the boundaries of design whilst reflecting the wearer’s individuality. The women who wear its designs are contemporary in style, independent in their choices and global in their attitude. The brand’s collections are curated each year with elegance, femininity and sophistication in mind, using unique materials and exploring new techniques to create meticulous designs. The shoes are handcrafted by artisans in Spain using the finest Italian silks and softest leathers to give Freya Rose’s designs the luxurious quality that they are acclaimed for. They incorporate ergonomically perfected memory foam insole padding and leather soles for extra comfort. The sig- nature jewelled heels and jewellery pieces are responsibly sourced in Bali, where the shell is carefully cleaned, cut and polished before being hand inlaid by experienced artisans to create unique statement designs. Thanks to the shoe designer’s historical knowledge and long-term passion for fine jewellery, the iridescent mother- of-pearl heel became the signature of Freya Rose London’s exquisite designs. This exceptionally durable material which remains clean and unlikely to damage easily is individually and carefully hand-cut before being applied to the heel with resin. The hand-embellished shoes also use real freshwater pearls, lustrous seed pearls, and Swarovski crystals. Within the Couture Collection, you will find luxury jewelled heels such as Cleopatra Verde and Cleopatra Noir in a limit- ed edition soft shimmering khaki or black suede. Both styles are handmade with abalone shell, polished brass and moth- er-of-pearl and have a heel height of five inches with a 4 cm platform. Similar to these are the limited edition Zahra Verde and Noir sandals in soft shimmering black or green suede, with a 3.5-inch brass and mother-of-pearl midi heel and 3 cm platform. The sensational Freya Rose x Bertie Valentine Pearl Heel in Jasmine White is a leather boot with a signature mother- of-pearl 4-inch block heel finished with a hand-painted floral design by British design house Bertie Valentine. Ideal for the bride to wear at a wedding, the Soraya Ivory Leather Sandal with mother-of-pearl and polished brass floral 4-inch heels will make a statement. This open-toe sandal with a looped tie at the back is also perfect for your next summer soirée. Another ivory number is the Zara White Pearl Heel, a chic leather peep-toe slingback with 4-inch mother-of-pearl and polished brass block heel. The Micola Champagne and Midi Champagne Pearl Heel in shimmering champagne suede have a 2.4-inch or 4-inch mother-of-pearl mosaic mid-heel. These pointed-toe shoes boast the versatility of Freya Rose’s acclaimed iconic styles and are as perfectly suited to a wedding day attire as an everyday ensemble. Feel comfortable with the elegant block heel of Martina san- dals in shimmering Champagne suede. Choose from the Martina and Martina Midi to the Martina Queen and Mar- tina Queen Midi with hand-embellished freshwater pearls and Swarovski crystals, all with their respective 2.4-inch or 4-inch genuine mother-of-pearl mosaic heel. For those into rose pink, the Martina Rosa Pearl Heel with a 4-inch mother-of-pearl mosaic block heel and fitted ankle strap for a secure fit will instantly elevate your look. This year, Freya Rose launched its 2021 Capsule Collec- tion ‘Rose En Fleur’ which comprises of five designs em- bodying a serene and perennial style that fuses 1920s Art Deco with the femininity and opulence of Japanese Byōbu art. Each pair is the result of over 300 hours of handmade craftsmanship with only 20 pairs of each style being made. The vertiginous heels are embellished with floral mother- of-pearl motifs influenced by Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s abundant roses and Eitoku’s screen paintings. The brand used a traditional black lacquer technique called urushi-e, a prized art form that has been refined over 7000 years, to create three of her unique, black, high contrast Capsule Collection designs. Rose in Bloom in Black and Gold has a similar style to Cleopatra Noir, Rene in Black is centred on Micola Noir, while Rozu in Ivory has the features of Martene, and Mineko in Black has the markings of Jas- mine White, all uniquely designed to create gorgeous and artistically detailed ensembles. Freya Rose also designs wedding shoes in ivory, cham- pagne, white, silver, gold and blue and accessories such as the Kate Petite Black Bag with Bee, Kate Petite Flap Bag in Black and Red, and Niki Princess, Chandelier and Champagne Clutch Bags. The jewellery pieces consist of Hand Carved Mother-of-Pearl Rose Drops, Mini Hoops With Detachable Pearls, Baroque Pearl 18ct Gold Vermeil Necklace, Hand Carved Mother-of-Pearl Hoop Earrings and Hakuro Ivory Mother-of-Pearl and Pearl Long Drops. Freya Rose London shoes and accessories are available online and at stockists in the United Kingdom, Germany, USA, Spain, Denmark, Australia and Russia. https://freyarose.com