Natacha Marro is a marvel within the fashion industry, one who has successfully built up her empire, without the assistance of high-street stores, commercial brands, or exhibitions such as; Mode, or Pure. To me, Natacha has almost an eccentric ‘punk’ edge to her, the Vivienne Westwood of shoe design
After 15 years, and based on her success, one would expect Natacha to have several boutiques, and a factory by now, but the reality couldn’t be more different. Natacha prefers to make every pair of shoes herself, within her tiny workshop in North East London, stating that “the thought of producing my shoes in a factory just to make more money, sounds like a nightmare more than anything else”
To be there, is simply amazing. Upon the shelves are shoes which have been worn by her extensive client list, including; Lady Gaga, David Bowie, Gwen Steffani, Bjórk, Jessie J, Daphne Guinness and many others… There are also hand drawn designs, and press cuttings spanning across the girth of her career, having made bespoke designs for; Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair, Grazia, Glamour Magazine, I.D Magazine, Harpers Bazaar, and many other publications from all over the world
Lady Gaga in Natacha Marro on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (ITV)
The pioneer of the heelless shoe, and often imitated by other designers, Natacha has also worked extensively with Madame Tussauds (most notably the red shoes worn by Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz), the BBC, Pinewood Studios (most notably Angelina Jolie’s lead character in the forthcoming film Maleficent, and Lucasfilm in Star Wars 1, and 3), and many fashion designers, such as; Ossie Clark, Charles Anastase, and Hannah Marshall, designing, and making shoes for their catwalk shows at ‘Fashion Week’ events in the world’s fashion capitals
Lady Gaga in Natacha Marro on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (ITV)
The pioneer of the heelless shoe, and often imitated by other designers, Natacha has also worked extensively with Madame Tussauds (most notably the red shoes worn by Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz), the BBC, Pinewood Studios (most notably Angelina Jolie’s lead character in the forthcoming film Maleficent, and Lucasfilm in Star Wars 1, and 3), and many fashion designers, such as; Ossie Clark, Charles Anastase, and Hannah Marshall, designing, and making shoes for their catwalk shows at ‘Fashion Week’ events in the world’s fashion capitals
What separates Natacha from other designers, is not just her creativity, but her ability to listen to her clients, creating something personal of which they can treasure. Priced from £250, and upwards, Natacha’s shoes are not cheap, however they are built to last, made by hand from start to finish to ensue maximum quality. On talking to Natacha a while back, she stated that it costs her around £200 to make each pair, anything on top of this, is profit (unlike Louboutin, and other premium brands who make a LOT of profit on their mass produced, factory made products)
Jessie J in Nylon Magazine by James Pearson-Howe
Jessie J in Nylon Magazine by James Pearson-Howe
I received my first pair from Natacha two years ago, after they were made for a shoot I was partaking in during 2011. Having to stand on a pile of loose bricks, this was the ultimate test for these £500 glittery black Mary Janes, not only were they very stable for 6 inch heels, they were also exceedingly comfortable due to the orthopedic, memory foam soles. I lasted a total of 6 hours (whilst standing in various compromising positions), which in some other footwear brands, would have been deemed an Olympic sport!
My first pair, Glittery Black Mary Jane's
My first pair, Glittery Black Mary Jane's
Natacha has a brand new website complete with press cuttings, celebrity pictures, and new designs to give you inspiration for your perfect pair ;) Check it out, here:
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