Elle India – July 2019

(Joyce) #1

ELLE.IN 64 JULY


P


rague was unusually cold this
April; the picturesque city
recorded temperatures as low
as one degree but you wouldn’t
have known it if you were
watching the comings-and-goings at
the landmark Palac Zofin. On April
14, influencers and journalists from
around the world swept through the
brightly lit palace in red carpet-ready
gowns to celebrate the iconic shoe
brand, Bata’s 125th anniversary—
with plenty of champagne to keep
them warm.
The festivities began two days
prior; global Bata ambassadors and
the media poured into Prague to
witness this two-day extravaganza.
Wrapped up in thick coats and
wearing Bata shoes, this group was
whisked off to the lavish Mandarin

REMEMBER


A WALK to


The annual Bata Fashion Weekend took
place in the historic city of Prague this
year, and was a celebration of the
shoe giant’s 125-year heritage, and
emerging design talent

All Photographs courtesy Bata

A model shows off the
Sandavah shoe, designed by
Anita Wambui Wairimu—one
of the finalists of the Bata Young
Designers’ Challenge 2019

Oriental hotel, overlooking the
Prague Castle, for a whirlwind
weekend of fashion, food and fun.
Larger-than-life ramp shows, a
carefully curated shoe exhibition,
a nostalgic pop-up museum as well
as the search for promising design
talent—it was all meticulously
worked into 48 hours, with plenty
of time for walking tours that would
be a true test of the shoe brand’s
commitment to comfort (it passed
with flying colours!).
In line with the purpose of
the fashion weekend, which is
to showcase the brand’s latest
collections and technical prowess,
Bata’s Italian Collection, Chinese
Collection and Asia Pacific
Collection were on display. Its
technological ranges including Bata

Flexible (for a more comfortable
walk), Bata Light (with built-in
shock absorption) and the Bata
Insolia range of medium to high
heels that actually improve posture,
were also highlighted. This was also
the perfect opportunity to introduce
its new sports shoe, Power Mello
that is named for its super soft,
marshmallow-like sole.
Weaving in and out of Palac
Zofin’s rooms, Bata’s guests were
treated to an immersive experience
that was both a retelling of the
brand’s glorious history as well as an
insightful look at the future. While
one area housed vintage shoes that
serve as important milestones along
Bata’s design journey, another was
the site of the unveiling of Bata’s
125 th Anniversary Edition capsule
collection that will be launched in
October this year.
However, the piece de resistance
was the finale of the Young
Designers Challenge, that saw top
design talents from universities
across Italy, Kenya and the Czech
Republic compete to design and
produce a prototype sneaker.
Three winners emerged—Natálie
Nepovímová from the Czech
Republic, Tuvshin Batkhuu,
originally from Mongolia and now

FIRST LOOK

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