for luxury brands such as Prada, Givenchy and
Paul Smith since its creation in 1982. Developing
samples with Stella Luna’s skilled Italian shoemakers
and tanneries, Safyurtlu set about introducing
signature styles that can be tweaked and evolved
each season, including a gold buckle, inspired by
a bracelet, with ‘a noisy click-clack sound’, a double
metal ring detail, and a sculptural cigarette heel.
Safyurtlu had seen an encyclopaedic stretch of
footwear shapes and finishes in her former role as
a fashion editor, first at Numéro and then at French
Vogue, and she now applies her stylist’s skill in editing
and refining an image to the process of shoemaking.
‘Creatively, I’m free to work how I want,’ she says. ‘My
magazine background has helped me to understand
exactly what I want from my collections.’ For A/W18,
this means fluffy sandals with flat gold buckles,
sparkling cone-heel pumps, loafers with inbuilt chunky
socks and spindly boots with patent frills. ‘The
cigarette heel has been relaunched for autumn,’ says
Safyurtlu. ‘Only thinner and in gold metal.’
Stella Luna has 164 stockists across Asia and nine
in the Middle East. It is also growing its retail partner
network in the UK, US and Italy, and is carried by
a number of department stores, including Selfridges
and Barneys New York. The brand bolstered itsEuropean presence back in 2012 with the opening
of its first Paris flagship, designed by Jamie Fobert
Architects. It now has three boutiques across the city.
In his collaboration with Safyurtlu, Chi was keen
to imbue the brand with more Parisian punch. ‘Haute
couture was part of my upbringing,’ she says. ‘My first
memories of my mother are of her wearing Hubert
de Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent.’
While plissé and pearl details have a Place Vendôme
pizzazz, there’s a smart selling instinct behind
Safyurtlu’s approach. Browse Stella Luna’s website
and its product is ordered into sections according
to a shoe’s visual signature, such as a cone or cigarette
heel. It’s a savvy way for customers to attune
themselves with the brand’s new shapes, and shop
according to their preferred style.
‘I quickly sketch ideas, with a special focus on heels,’
says Safyurtlu, waving a hand over the pots of pencils
and colourful permanent markers that sit on the desk
of her office in the 1st arrondissement. She sees her
studio team in Padua, Italy, at least fortnightly, refining
technical sketches and fabrics before the brand’s
final pieces are produced in China. Her work is now
synonymous with Stella Luna’s European growth, and
it’s an achievement Safyurtlu is taking in her stride. ∂
stellaluna.coDOUBLE-RING SLIDERS IN FAUX
FUR (ABOVE LEFT), €245; HALF
BOW PUMPS (ABOVE RIGHT),
€275, BOTH BY STELLA LUNASafyurtlu applies her stylist’s skill in editing and
refining an image to the process of shoemaking
Fashion
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