Portrait

Catherine Malandrino, a French designer in New York, praised by stars like Madonna or Sarah Jessica Parker, whose heart remains French. She opened her first shop in Saint-Germain des Prés, Paris, at 10 rue de Grenelle and followed this by a space on the 'Designers' floor of Galleries Lafayettes. Having lived for eight years in New York, she returns to charm us with a collection which plays up the feminist, urban spirit, in a structured body, timeless and innovating in character. Her romantic creations mix the crude and the refined, with a theme of urban elegance, in two distinct collections: Catherine Malandrino - more accessible in term of price and Malandrino - a cutting edge collection where we discover the latest trends, with pieces in limited edition or single units. A collection of accessories and shoes supplements her philosophy of creation. Femininity and originality punctuate here: a heel with geometrical contour, there, a foot print varnished on the inner sole, with natural materials which range from cord, wood, fabric and leather to exotic skin. Catherine Malandrino stresses, "I design my shoes as I draw a dress, while thinking of a low neckline, the size, the height and a good balance between femininity and corrosiveness".