designer q+a Matt Bernson | fall 2011 collex

words_dena rochelle

I’ve been a loyal fan of Matt Bernson shoes since I slipped my toes into The Love Sandal years ago. I recently had the chance to attend the press preview for the Fall 2011 collex, which Matt + crew hosted in a poolside suite at The Hollywood Roosevelt. I’d say there were about 11 pairs of shoes that I would have happily taken home with me, including the Exeter lace-up oxford with a micro wedge [shown here in Gold Crackle]. I’m also still smitten with Waverly and hope to get my hands on a pair of the Latte Espadrille version from the Spring 2011 collex, as well as the Grey with Grey Leopard cap toe [shown below] for fall.

And without further ado, I give you the scoop on the Fall 2011 collection in Matt’s own words:

Dena ~ How has your collection evolved over they years?

Matt ~ “I started solely with sandals embellished with jewelry. Now I design four full collections per year, which include everything from basic sandals all the way to tall shearling boots, and everything in between. I think in the beginning I overcompensated for lack of confidence by using embellishment. As I learned and evolved, the focus has become about construction techniques, cut, line, and materials. I think this speaks louder as a statement than the biggest boldest rivet or grommet you can throw on something. But even with evolution, the constant has been a casual everyday feel. I don’t think anything feels like a ‘party only’ shoe, and no fancy red carpet stilettos.”

Dena ~ Which styles are you most excited about from your upcoming fall 11 collex?

Matt ~ “Anything with the blade heel. I used a very thin stack leather that looks really beautiful. I think the standout is the Mesa [shown below], a desert boot on a blade heel. It gives you the look of a heel, but comfort of a wedge.”

Dena ~ Comfort is obviously a priority for your designs… Is it challenging to make certain styles meet that comfort requirement? Do you find yourself thinking about the comfort factor first, or does that come after or you dream up the aesthetics of the shoe?

Matt ~ “For me comfort is just a normal part of the design process, as it was part of my very first collection, sandals with padded insoles. I design for look first. Then once the first prototype is made I start to figure out how to make it as comfortable as possible. Not every shoe can feel like a bedroom slipper or running shoe. But given the design goal, I think about what is the MOST comfort we can work into a particular style. So much goes into figuring out where the contact points hit the foot, how to make the insole as soft and flexible as possible, how to hold the foot in place, etc.”

Dena ~ How many styles have become constants in the line (repeated every season)? The Love sandal and Waverly are my personal faves…

Matt ~ “There are more and more styles that we are selling year after year. The biggest one is the Tundra boot. It was huge last Fall and will be the most ordered style in my company history for Fall 2011. The KM Gladiator gets bigger every year. Plus we are bringing back 7 styles from last spring for Spring 2012 as there is such a strong demand for them. It is exciting to have longevity in a style, but update the materials to stay relevant.”

Dena ~ Which designers/brands do you love + wear?

Matt ~ “My favorite shirts come from RPM 45. I pretty much only wear Common Projects sneakers or oxford laceups (black). As for designers/brands that I love: Rag + Bone, Alexander Wang, Steven Alan, Isabel Marant. I think that the Luxirare website is pretty amazing, she designs such cool and quirky fashion, but really her food is the amazing aspect of that website.”

 

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 31st, 2011 at 3:28 pm. It is filed under chic shoes, designer interviews, fashion, special features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.