Kobi Levi lives and works in Israel designing one-off, but wearable shoes for the ladies. In the latest collection,  you’ll see high heels based on blow-up dolls, shoes that look like cats, heels that are literally f***ing  themselves and wedges that look like bananas.

Tongue

XXX Pump

Miao

Slingshot

Blow

Dog

Levi graduated from Bezalel academy of art & design, Jerusalem 2001 – however he was creating shoes since before that. Of his designs, Levi says,  “I think only a very individual person will not be intimidated with these designs and enjoy the attention. It is important that these creations be wearable. These shoes wouldn’t be anywhere near as much fun if they were just an ornament”.

All these pieces are hand-made by Levi, so if you want to get a pair then visit the Kobi Levi site for more details and even more amazing shoes!

Racing Heart Gold Zipper Necklace $350

Madame Butterfly Metal Chrome Zipper Necklace $450

The Lost Bracelet $92

The Rainstorm Necklace $89

Flora graduated with a Fashion Design degree at Mod’Art International in Paris at 2006. She has a background in both the diamond jewellery industry and the fashion industry.

To buy these amazing pieces, you can visit her online store and take your pick! Also, join Reborne on Facebook and show your support!

Lunacy boutique, is based in Port Talbot, South Wales and is the brainchild of Rebecca Bogue who wanted to bring unique fashion to her home town. The boutique is a mix of new & edgy and tradition & vintage. After 4 successful years of trade, Emma (Beck’s sister bought into business and to open their second store in the welsh capital Cardiff.

We met Rebecca (Beck) at London Fashion Week back in February and after taking a look at her online store at Lunacy Boutique we just fell in love with too many things to list, so here’s a few that caught my eyes.

Teacup Earrings £20.00               Jersey Strand Scarf £48.50

Telephone phone bag £75.00         Paper Plane Wash bag £22.50

Check out the website for more great pieces and information on store locations!

Last week, I wrote about Tetsuya Uenobe and his amazing footwear…this week I have something even better…words from Tetsuya himself. Check out his interview below.

Tetsuya, I adore your work and it’s obvious passion is your drive. But do you find it difficult breaking into the mainstream fashion market with such unusual creations?

Yes I understand that. My artline is like a performance to show my ability and passion. I hope people like my other lines on my website. At the beginning, I just made shoes that were only slightly ‘arty’, which I exhibited at a few trade shows; however this left very little interest from buyers. There were probably two main reasons for this, cost, and of course nothing was particularly eye-catching. This is the reason why I have changed my train of though and instead, decided that making people smile and ignoring budget issues would be the way forward. And besides, If I did not have my artline, you would not be interested in my works!?

Hmmm, you have a point there…So we know that you worked with Hanae Mori, that must have been a dream come true for you, what did you learn from your time spent with her?

She was an organiser for the exhibitions you mentioned in your previous post (the Open Gallery and the Art Tower Mito). She managed whole concepts and checked the themes and quality of the work on display. I had an interview with her once and the opportunity to have a chat each time during both exhibitions. She was always curious about the work going up. I took a lot from the talks we had; she asked me in the interview if I read newspaper – I think this means I have to be open minded and not just look straight ahead, but all around. She also advised me that I should hire at least 3 employees within 5 years. I took from that, that I should increase my brand awareness and grow it into a respected and stable label.

So then, where do you see yourself in 5 years time…what do you want to achieve?

I hope my brand will be well-known, to the point where I can give my designs to another fashion atelier.

What advice would you give to other emerging fashion designers out there?

I am still one of the emerging designer, so I’m still learning myself; but at this moment I think the most important things are to keep the passion and just hang in there until someone finds you.

Lastly, what’s your favourite piece that you’ve created?

In artline, I like Macho Bear. Because personally, I feel some form of distance between me and visitors. The image is of a guy filled with misery, hanging around a woman’s ankle, not wanting to let go, even though she no longer wants him. No one asks the inspiration behind it and most people see it as a cute or funny image, there’s another side to it.

All in all, my absolute favourtie piece is the Spectator shoe, this was my first design in my collection.

For the rest, visit Jo’s site at www.jocope.com

Originally studying fashion design, Cope became aware of the limitations she had with the normal routes of fashion and felt pretty restricted by them as you can clearly see so she decided to go the conceptual route. She also uses fashion as an unlikely tool to create visual metaphors for biblical text. Starting many of her concepts from the same reference point she generates new forms of delivery, contrasting the fiscal with the non fiscal.

One example would be her ongoing translations of the Holy trinity seen in garment, film and accessory form. The spiritual significance of the number 3 is also repeated in differing ways throughout her work. Here’s one example I found of the Holy Trinity…

…is what we’d call the cutest cardigans we have come across in a long time.

Jojo & Mac is behind the brain child of Cindy Tsang, who has been dressing the girls of Brighton with her own design tees and sweats for the last two years.

It all started winter 2008, when Cindy customised a vintage cardigan using gingham bows, costume pearls and pineapple shaped buttons. The aim was to mix classic shapes with playful twists.

Having a fascination with contrasting prints, shapes, fabric, and styles it comes as no surprise that her first collection is what she is about; her animal motifs are strong, polka dot and heart prints add some romanticism, whilst gingham ribbons and bow shapes buttons add to the kitsch factor, making them cute as hell and very adorable.

We are so excited to welcome Jojo & Mac into the fashion world and will embrace it as soon as their collection hits the shop.

If you’re wondering where that is, make sure to visit it us in October or sign up to our newsletter as we don’t know yet but we’ve been promised to be told as soon as it’s official.

We came across Iron Fist at the Pure fashion show and their collection looked amazing!! Funky, colourful and different.

Iron Fist’s artwork and styling have set them apart. The idea started amongst two friends Mike van Senus and Travis Anderson. With a long history in skateboarding, surfing, art, music and street culture the crew wanted to create clothing they couldn’t find anywhere else. But luckily they didn’t just stay with clothing and soon moved onto shoes.

We think they achieved being different and very creative; their shoes are such a statement and fit right into the Grunk trend.

The Muerte Punk platform stands out for me as it has this sexy platform, 3inch heel, which I’d classify as doable, and the print is wicked. You can spot the roses but need to look closer to work out that it’s not as gentle as you first suspect. I wish the chocolate purple platforms were out already but we will have to be patient until Spring/Summer 10.

You can get them from Soho’s, I’m so going to get grunky (mh doesn’t quite work, does it…. grunkefied?).

Iron Fist Muerte Punk platform (£39.99)

Iron Fist Zombie Stomper platform (£39.99)

Yesterday the dress, today the flip flop!! I’ve come across Lindsay Phillips and her Switchflop at Pure London exhibition and couldn’t understand why this has not been broadcasted yet. It’s such a clever concept.

Her footwear concept evolved from a high school art project. Amazed by the response, Lindsay began designing functional flops with colorful straps, each adorned by a unique button. Her idea evolved when she realised that by using Velcro she could create one shoe with many straps–unlimited choices with minimal effort. This simple, yet brilliant innovation was the birth of SwitchFlops.

By now there are over 1,000 ways to personalise your style, check out the website which lets you pick your type of shoe and your straps.

And the best bit? Imagine how little space they need!!! I’m seriously struggling with storing my shoes and this would help greatly, just need a storage space for the straps.

Watch out for the ballet flats this autumn/winter. With 3 shoes and 12 interchangeable snaps there is certainly enough choice for every taste.

I’m always on the lookout for a bargain and have come across this magical dress from ‘Emami’ which at €129.90 (£110) might not sound very economic but it’s a dress with endless possibilities.

You can make more than 30 different styles, ranging from cozy trousers to a ball dress, how fabulous is that? It will keep you excited for weeks on end.

‘Emami’ is a new and fresh Scandinavian design and its first release is this multiplex piece of clothing, such a clever piece!

It’s hopefully only a matter of time until some UK shops will stock them but luckily you can buy the dress online!! I so want one!!!!

Part 1 (oh yes there is even more!!!)

Part 2

Emptees is a site that focuses on independent t shirt designers with links to their online stores. Here are a few of my favourties that I recently came across while having a browse. 

A designer and a pretty cool friend of mine, Cole Blotcky has been on Emptees promoting his work for a while now. He’s at Byeline Design, which is a small graphic design firm in Normal, Illinois that features a collective of artists specialising in apparel, illustration and much more. Check out the site at www.byelinedesign.com 

I’m hoping to get some of his thoughts on his work, emerging designers and why originality is king. Emerging Fervour awaits you Mr Blotcky.