10th ANNIVERSARY
10th ANNIVERSARY
On the 30th January 2011 Fiorentini+Baker opened the doors to its flagship, New York store. Located on Mercer Street in Manhattan’s unique Soho neighbourhood
it’s the biggest Fiorentini+Baker shop to date and the first outside of Europe.
The launch of the store was significant as not only is it testament to the success of the independent brand, but it also marked the
10th anniversary of Fiorentini+Baker. The store
is more than just a shoe shop, designer Deborah Baker is incorporating furniture and clothing
kooky style, which inspires her designs. She loves to travel around sourcing eclectic, one-off pieces which often form the basis of her inspiration. The
of the kind of 1950’s
store reflects the strong and unique image of Fiorentini + Baker – it was personally decorated by Deborah and
friends and it’s this dedicated attention to detail that
unites the three stores – although totally different in size and location they are all undeniably Fiorentini+Baker
.
Photo Pauline Boldt
Deborah Baker in collaboration with interior designer Paolo Fiorentini
The brand was founded in 2001 by English designer
and is based in Bologna, Italy
first shop, which according to the designer, opened by accident the same year. Starting out as a showroom the store is located on the corner of the bustling market district known as Piazza Aldrovandi. Sharing its location with fruit and veg stalls, cafes and plenty of local Bolognese characters – the store blends well with its diverse neighbours. The beautiful city is home to the
Over the last decade the company has grown considerably – In
2009 the first
London store opened up on Westbourne Grove – the nearby Portobello Market has always been a
favourite haunt of the designer,
inspiring many of her designs.
Fiorentini+Baker collections are also sold worldwide in stores including Barneys NYC, Selfridges, London and online at Net-a-Porter. The shoes and boots have been used in a number of films; Megan Fox wore them in Transformers, Daniel Craig in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo AND HELEN MIRREN IN THE TEMPEST.
ELBO
NYLON NYLON EGON
NUBIS NUBIS
JANIS
BETHEL
NARNIA
SLY
London born designer, Deborah Baker spent much of her formative years living it up. After ‘messing around at Art College’ and generally partying every night, she decided it was time to grow up and get a job. She started to explore an underlying passion for footwear, developed at the early age of three when she would spend hours playing in her miniature godmother’s colourful shoe cupboard.
The designer
She attended (fairly regularly) Cordwainers College and then the London College of Fashion – where she discovered a unique flair for shoe design. It was in Italy where she honed her skills and after spending many years freelancing for various companies. She succumbed to much encouragement from friends and family and set up her own label
in
2001 FiorentinI+Baker created its very first collection
Deborah lives between the Portobello road area of west London and a recently renovated country house, located on the outskirts of Bologna, Italy. Her home is an important source of inspiration, reflecting her eclectic personality, and more importantly is often full of friends and family. The house is a place where the wine flows freely and parties spontaneously (and regularly) occur.
Despite the growing worldwide popularity of Fiorentini+Baker, Deborah has held on to her
original philosophy – make shoes, have a good time –
and that is exactly what she does.
When Deborah is not designing shoes, she’s hanging out with her
fabulously
creative and
extremely lovely friends.
The inspiration behind any Fiorentini+Baker collection cannot be attributed to a particular theme or event and certainly does not conform to any trend. It evolves from a subconscious process, sparked by an old piece of furniture, a film or a peculiar piece of architecture.
English born shoe designer, Deborah Baker wanted to spare her creations from the ever changing world of fashion, resolving instead to generate a movement of people who wanted something enduring, not ephemeral.
The design process is two-fold;
creativitycombined with durability
simple, yet quite beautiful. remaining designers who draw on the skills It is a trade for which the country is famed the results are
Fiorentini+Baker are one of the few of
Italy’s artisan shoemakers.
for, yet one SLOWLY disappearing.
family run factories, where the shoes are produced, are a world away from the glossy magazines and glamorous worldwide
The small,
boutiques where they inevitably end up. But perhaps it
detachment from the fashion scene that gives the shoes their undeniable edge.
is this
An equally important strand of
philosophy is the use of quality materials.
the Fiorentini+Baker
ESECUTIVO
CARTELLINO PELLAME - FIORENTINI + BAKER FORMATO 12 x 6 cm
Caratteristiche
LIN LINOSA INO OS e CUSNA sono vacchette naturali conciate con estratti vegetali vege g t e rifinite a mano. Ombreggiature e differenze di toni confermano on nf fe l’autenticità della lavorazione artigianale e conferiscono bellezza e unicità al prodotto. Puoi indossare co on nfe queste calzature in ogni occasione, ma essendo un pellame que qu naturale è sensibile alle macchie d’acqua e alla luce.
Manutenzione
LINOSA: pulire la scarpa proprio se necessario con un panno bagnato, lasciare asciugare lontano da fonti di calore e non alla luce diretta del sole, spazzolare con setole naturali. CUSNA: lavare la scarpa con un panno bagnato, lasciare asciugare lontano da fonti di calore e non alla luce diretta del sole, spazzolare energicamente con un panno morbido. Richiede trattamenti con creme neutre senza solventi.
Features
LINOSA and CUSNA are natural leathers tanned with vegetable extracts and hand finished. The differences in tones and textures is proof of its autenticity, and adds to the beauty and uniqueness of the product. You can use this footwear in any occasion, but this natural leather is susceptible to changes due to water and light.
Care
LINOSA: clean the shoes with a wet cloth, leave to dry away from strong heat sources and direct sunlight. Buff with a natural bristle brush. CUSNA: clean the shoes with a wet cloth, leave to dry ry away from strong heat sources and direct sunlight. Polish olish with soft cloth, using natural shoe cream containing no ng g n solvents.
One-off pieces of
vintage fabrics, soft, supple leather
velvet smooth suede adorn the shoes and boots. It’s these characteristics, combined with an uncompromising attention to detail that has become the signature of every Fiorentini+Baker collection.
and
Many things inspire Deborah Baker – architecture, music, films, but mostly people. She has her idols who she has admired all of her life – Marianne Faithful, Anita Pallenberg, Jimi Hendrix – all representing the epitome of cool.
There is an ever present
element of their style
and characters within each Fiorentini+Baker collection.
important strand of her inspiration comes from her friends and the people around her. But another
Together with these fellow friends and artisans they work as a collective – drawing from each other’s skills, designs and expertise. Deborah’s house is littered with old scraps of vintage fabric and buttons – her friends bring her things that they
find at local
markets and like wise she does the same for them.
Giovanni creates handcrafted metal adornments for the shoes in the summer collection. Her good friend
ONDON 02 Westbourne Grove . +44 0207 2215757
photo by James B Young
OPENING SOON - NEW YORK Soho, 54 Mercer Street (bet. Broome and Grand) 10013 ny@fiorentini-baker.com
BOLOGNA Piazza Aldrovandi, 1/A T. +39 051 273222 www.fiorentini-baker.com
and is
undoubtedly the key to the success of the brand.
The artistic atmosphere created
innovative collective of people by this
forms the basis of the Fiorentini+Baker
philosophy
New York - London – Bologna On the 30th January 2011 Fiorentini + Baker opened the doors to its flagship, New York store. Located on Mercer Street in Manhattan’s unique Soho neighbourhood – it’s the biggest Fiorentini + Baker shop to date and the first outside of Europe. The launch of the store was significant as not only is it testament to the success of the independent brand, but it also marked the 10th anniversary of Fiorentini + Baker. The store is more than just a shoe shop, designer Deborah Baker is incorporating furniture and clothing of the kind of 1950’s kooky style, which inspires her designs. She loves to travel around sourcing eclectic, one-off pieces which often form the basis of her inspiration. The store reflects the strong and unique image of Fiorentini + Baker – it was personally decorated by Deborah and friends and it’s this dedicated attention to detail that unites the three stores – although totally different in size and location they are all undeniably Fiorentini + Baker. The brand was founded in 2001 by English designer Deborah Baker in collaboration with interior designer Paolo Fiorentini and is based in Bologna, Italy. The beautiful city is home to the first shop, which according to the designer, opened by accident the same year. Starting out as a showroom the store is located on the corner of the bustling market district known as Piazza Aldrovandi. Sharing its location with fruit and veg stalls, cafes and plenty of local Bolognese characters – the store blends well with its diverse neighbours. Over the last decade the company has grown considerably - In 2009 the first London store opened up on Westbourne Grove – the nearby Portobello Market has always been a favourite haunt of the designer, inspiring many of her designs. Fiorentini + Baker collections are also sold worldwide in stores including Barneys NYC, Selfridges, London and online at Net-a-Porter. The shoes and boots have been used in a number of films; Megan Fox wore them in Transformers and Daniel Craig in The Girl with the Dragon Tatto and Helen Mirren in The Tempest. The Designer London born designer, Deborah Baker spent much of her formative years living it up. After ‘messing around at Art College’ and generally partying every night, she decided it was time to grow up and get a job. She started to explore an underlying passion for footwear, developed at the early age of three when she would spend hours playing in her miniature godmother’s colourful shoe cupboard. She attended (fairly regularly) Cordwainers College and then the London College of Fashion – where she discovered a unique flair for shoe design. It was in Italy where she honed her skills and after spending many years freelancing for various companies. She succumbed to much encouragement from friends and family and set up her own label - in 2001 Fiorentini + Baker created its very first collection. Deborah lives between the Portobello road area of west London and a recently renovated country house , located on the outskirts of Bologna, Italy. Her home is an important source of inspiration, reflecting her eclectic personality, and more importantly is often full of friends and family. The house is a place where the wine flows freely and parties spontaneously (and regularly) occur. Despite the growing worldwide popularity of Fiorentini + Baker, Deborah has held on to her original philosophy – make shoes, have a good time - and that is exactly what she does. When Deborah is not designing shoes, she’s hanging out with her fabulously creative and extremely lovely friends. Philosophy The inspiration behind any Fiorentini + Baker collection cannot be attributed to a particular theme or event and certainly does not conform to any trend. It evolves from a subconscious process, sparked by an old piece of furniture, a film or a peculiar piece of architecture. English born shoe designer, Deborah Baker wanted to spare her creations from the ever changing world of fashion, resolving instead to generate a movement of people who wanted something enduring, not ephemeral. The design process is two-fold; creativity combined with durability - the results are simple, yet quite beautiful. Fiorentini + Baker are one of the few remaining designers who draw on the skills of Italy’s artisan shoemakers. It is a trade for which the country is famed for, yet one slowly disappearing. The small, family run factories, where the shoes are produced, are a world away from the glossy magazines and glamorous worldwide boutiques where they inevitably end up. But perhaps it is this detachment from the fashion scene that gives the shoes their undeniable edge. An equally important strand of the Fiorentini + Baker philosophy is the use of quality materials. One-off pieces of vintage fabrics, soft, supple leather and velvet smooth suede adorn the shoes and boots. It’s these characteristics, combined with an uncompromising attention to detail that has become the signature of every Fiorentini + Baker collection. Inspiration Many things inspire Deborah Baker – architecture, music, films, but mostly people. She has her idols who she has admired all of her life – Marianne Faithful, Anita Pallenberg, Jimi Hendrix – all representing the epitome of cool. There is an ever present element of their style and characters within each Fiorentini + Baker collection. But another important strand of her inspiration comes from her friends and the people around her. Together with these fellow friends and artisans they work as a collective – drawing from each other’s skills, designs and expertise. Deborah’s house is littered with old scraps of vintage fabric and buttons – her friends bring her things that they find at local markets and like wise she does the same for them. Her good friend Giovanni creates handcrafted metal adornments for the shoes in the summer collection. The artistic atmosphere created by this innovative collective of people forms the basis of the Fiorentini + Baker philosophy and is undoubtedly the key to the success of the brand.
Bologna – London – New York Il 30 gennaio 2011 inaugura il primo spazio monomarca FIORENTINI + BAKER negli Stati Uniti, a New York, Mercer Street, Soho. Salto davvero importante, fuori dall’Europa, dove il mercato è diverso. L’apertura è molto significativa, non solo a comprovare il successo del marchio, ma soprattutto per celebrare il decimo anniversario F+B. Lo spazio non è solo un “negozio di scarpe”; la designer, Deborah Baker, sta mischiando senza una precisa regola se non quella dello stile, oggetti d’arredamento con abbigliamento, vecchi divani con pezzi di design, avvalendosi di un gusto personale che a sua volta ispira la sua creatività che porta a piacevoli risultati. Il tutto è esattamente com’è Debbie - è Debbie - è quello che fa. Viaggia molto setacciando quando capita mercatini dell’usato e negozi d’antiquariato rintracciando pezzi unici che vede già sistemati in quell’angolo o su quella scala. Il negozio infatti rispecchia la forte e singolare immagine di F+B ed è stato personalmente decorato da Debbie and friends. Ed è questa dedicata attenzione ai dettagli che unisce i tre negozi, anche se diversi, in dimensioni, città e location, sono tutti indiscutibilmente F+B. Il marchio è nato nel 2001 dalla stilista Deborah Baker in collaborazione con l’interior designer Paolo Fiorentini. A Bologna apre il primo negozio monomarca lo stesso anno in cui nasce il marchio. Posizione molto interessante che spezza due strade importanti, Strada Maggiore e via San Vitale che portano entrambe al monumento emblematico della città, le Due Torri. Pieno centro storico medievale. In questo quartiere caratteristico per i baretti e per la piazza sulla quale si affacciano i piccoli negozietti di verdura e alimentari ormai scomparsi ovunque, apre al numero 1/A il portone bolognese sul suo primo spazio vendita, proprio perché è uno spazio beat. Il negozio si mescola bene con i vicini e anche con la fauna di persone che frequenta la zona, dall’A alla Z fermandosi tutti davanti alla vetrina senza eccessi di F+B. In questi 10 anni l’azienda è cresciuta considerevolmente, nel 2009 ha aperto il secondo store monomarca nella sua città, Londra, a Westbourne Grove, vicino al mercato di Portobello’, luogo che Debbie conosce benissimo e che ha avuto importanza nella sua crescita professionale. Le collezioni F+B sono vendute su scala internazionale in negozi come Barneys, Selfridges, on line Net a Porter. Scarpe e stivali sono indossati dai protagonisti di alcuni film di successo; Megan Fox in Transformers, Daniel Graig in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo e Helen Mirren in Tempest. Inoltre appaiono ai piedi degli ormai famosi interpreti di alcune serie cult americane. The Designer Debbie ha trascorso gran parte dei suoi anni formativi prendendosela comoda nel frequentare l’Art College, parecchie feste e dando esami con meritato profitto. Poi di colpo le è capitato di crescere e di trovare lavoro. Ha iniziato ad esplorare una passione che covava da tempo per le calzature, divertendosi ad indossare le scarpe minute della sua madrina, vera collezionista… Ha frequentato possiamo dire abbastanza regolarmente, Cordwainers College e London College of Fashion dove ha scoperto il proprio talento unico per il design della calzatura. E’ in Italia che ha affinato le sue abilità e dopo aver trascorso molti anni come freelance ha accolto il grande incoraggiamento di amici e famigliari per iniziare a creare la propria etichetta. Nel 2001 nasce la sua prima collezione. Deborah viva tra Londra, nella zona ovest vicino a Portobello Road e Bologna nella sua casa di campagna recentemente ristrutturata. La sua casa è un’importante fonte di ispirazione, riflettendo la sua personalità eclettica e sopratutto è spesso riempita da amici e famiglia. E’ un posto dove il vino scorre liberamente e le feste nascono spontanemente (e regolarmente). Quando Debbie non disegna, passa il tempo con i suoi amici, anche loro creativi e curiosi, tra feste e ritrovi sempre piacevoli. Nonostante la crescente popolarità di F+B Debbie tiene parecchio alla sua filosofia di sempre, “fare scarpe e vivere bene”, ed è esattamente quello che fa. Philosophy L’ispirazione delle collezioni non può essere attribuita ad un solo tema e ad un evento particolare e certamente non è conforme a nessuna tendenza, questo lo si nota! Si evolve da un processo subconscio che può essere innescato da un vecchio divano, da un oggetto di design, da uno specchio antico, da una particolare architettura Deborah preferisce che le sue creazioni non vadano al passo della moda, in continuo cambiamento, ma desidera generare un movimento di persone che cercano qualcosa di duraturo e di non effimero. Vuole fissare un modello, comodo ed elegante. Il processo di progettazione è duplice: creatività combinata alla durata. Risultati semplici eppure efficienti. F+ B è uno dei pochi marchi che attinge alle competenze dei calzolai artigiani d’Italia. E’ un mestiere che va scomparendo e per il quale è anche famoso il nostro Paese. Le piccole fabbriche a conduzione famigliare dove vengono prodotte le scarpe non sono molto lontane dal mondo delle boutique glamour nelle quali vengono provate, indossate ed infine vendute. Il rapporto stretto tra chi produce e chi le disegna, tra chi sceglie i pellami e tra chi li tratta rende il prodotto finale affascinante e corale proprio per via di questo interscambio personale che avviene con gli amici artigiani. Un collettivo. Le calzature sono fatte a mano in Italia tramite tecniche tradizionali. I modelli risultano per questo unici come foggia, a volte anche come colore e proprio come le star che la hanno ispirate invecchiano tanto quanto più diventano aggraziate, diventando più personali, più eleganti. I materiali utilizzati vanno dalla pelle flessibile alla crosta, da stoffe vintage a robuste fibre militari che armonizzandosi diventano un prodotto finito di qualità. Forse è proprio questo distacco dal mondo della moda che suggerisce alle scarpe quello slancio grintoso e speciale che le ha fatte diventare il marchio internazionale che è ora F+B. Inspiration Tante sono le cose che ispirano Debbie, architettura, musica, films, ma soprattutto la gente. I suoi idoli, che ammira da sempre, Marianne Faithfull, Anita Pallenberg, Jimi Hendrix, tutti rappresentano la quintessenza del cool e con la loro sensuale stravaganza, l’eccentricità evasiva e l’indiscutibile genio artistico, aggiungono quel di più alle sue creazioni. Un altro filone importante della sua ispirazione viene dai suoi amici e dalle persone che ha intorno; il gesto di uno, le gambe dell’altra, la maniera di stare seduti, il modo di ballare, un disco messo dal dj, i racconti delle loro storie d’amore, la diversità di ognuno… cose, attimi che a Debbie non passano inosservati. La casa di Deborah, impossibile da spolverare, è piena di pezzi di stoffa, bottoni vintage, quadri, oggetti di vario genere che i suoi amici le portano a casa da ogni dove. Stessa cosa fa Debbie riempiendo gli scaffali degli amici di cose che all’apparenza non hanno utilità, ma che restando lì vengono trasformate in qualcosa del quale non si può più fare a meno. Il suo caro amico Giovanni, autentico artista dei monili, crea veri e propri gioielli in alluminio che adornano i sandali di tutte le collezioni estive. L’atmosfera artistica sviscerata da questo gruppo innovativo di persone crea le basi della filosofia F+B ed è senza dubbio una delle chiavi di successo del marchio.
BOLOGNA
Piazza Aldrovandi, 1/A Tel. +39 051 273222 Fax +39 051 5884258 info@fiorentini-baker.com
LONDON
302 Westbourne Grove Ph. +44 0207 2215757 302@fiorentini-baker.com
NEW YORK
Soho, 54 Mercer Street Ph. (212) 2267229 (bet. Broome and Grand) 10013 ny@fiorentini-baker.com
www.fiorentini-baker.com