Trying something new when you've been very successfully running your own business for a few years is a always a risky move, but as the Manu Atelier founders and sisters Beste and Merve can attest, it's one worth taking ('Shoes are complementary to the bags and great opportunity for us to show our brand aesthetic as a whole').
After owning the bag market since 2014, they launched their first shoe collection in 2019, and it was an instant hit - in fact, their lace-up duck boots were everywhere at London Fashion Week.
'The Duck Boot is an eclectic icon that has roots from Victorian era. It was a model we wanted to develop for a while in a Manu Atelier aesthetic way and we have had big love for it when we said finally yes with all the details. It’s chic, edgy, comfortable and different,' the sisters told me.
And I know January is a little early to call it, but I'd say they've already hit the nail on the Spring 2020 head with their two-tone shoes.
SHOP THE MANU ATELIER SS20 COLLECTION
Available in several styles: ankle boots, pumps and mules, and colourways: chic black and vanilla, cabernet red and orange, dusty green and cream, the shoes embody what Manu is all about, craftsmanship and innovation.
The contrasting shoes already count many editors and influencers amongst their fans, part of the every-growing legion of #ManusPeople who align themselves with the brand's ethos of 'independence, innovation, respect to the world that we live in'.
Amongst those are Anna Vitiello, Jeanette Madsen, Loulou De Saison (Chloé) and yours truly, who have all fallen hard for the new designs, which seem to effortlessly elevate even the most basic of jeans an sweatshirts.
But whilst the contrasting shoes have set the tone for the new season, that's not to say the bags have been left behind, au contraire. The new cylinder bags will be available in many more gorgeous colours and sizes, which lends them well to layering, according to the sisters.
As for the shoes, expect more strappy sandals with both 'feminine and masculine aesthetics'. And for something a little more tonal, then the Chae boots are also proving super popular. Whilst there are plans to expand the brand further, Merve and Beste are keen to make bags and shoes even better in the meantime.
'We are planning to add other product lines in the future but for now we want to strengthen our footwear and bag lines and become a solid worldwide brand in those areas,' they said. Watch this space.
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