Lena Erziak’s Spring 2017 Shoes Were Inspired By Old Hollywood Glamour

The Lena Erziak designers are going in a different direction. Sisters and former handbag designers Leona and Hanna Erziak have debuted shoes for spring ’17. The collection features such feminine touches as oversize bows, lips and floral details. An e-commerce site will launch in the coming weeks, with the option to pre-order styles and customize shoes. Here, the designers talk shop.

Lena Erziak Shoes — Lena Erziak spring '17 collection.

CREDIT: Courtesy of brand.

What were your inspirations for the debut collection?

LE: “When we were designing the first spring ’17 footwear collection, we had the Old Hollywood era in mind. We have watched movies starring Audrey Hepburn, Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo and many other Hollywood starlets. The glamorous parties, The Gatsby Era — the ‘va-va-va voom,’ as we say it in French. All of that helped inspired us to use certain materials such as silk, satin and ostrich feathers. It also inspired to use rich colors, textured materials and bow ties. We are playful, fun and flirty — we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Fashion is about having fun.”

What are a couple of the key trends or silhouettes that you are most excited about?
HE: “For us, trends are not as important as the feeling and emotions that inspire us our creative designs. Bearing in mind that we design for different women, we think about all the styles: from flats and mules to mid- and high-heels. We think that the signature Lola heel shoe with a large bow on the ankle would be a hit. Also, we think that simple and elegant style, our Garbo heels, will be very popular among customers.”

What surprised you about the footwear process?

HE: “As you know, Lena Erziak only produced an upscale line and has never been involved in a shoe production, which is a completely different process. We learned that it’s much more challenging and requires meticulous and detailed work. In order to succeed, you have to think about comfort, beauty and the price of the product. We had to keep all these aspects in mind while looking for a right factory that could match all these factors and make our creative designs real.”