MILAN — Buzzy Italian footwear label Paris Texas has debuted a bridal collection, offering way bolder alternatives to Cinderella glass slippers and romantic pumps for brides-to-be.
Joining forces with Browns on this inaugural project, the brand developed seven eye-catching styles suitable for weddings as well as hen parties and nights out.
Staying true to Paris Texas’s unapologetic ethos and aesthetic duality between the super feminine evening side and the more everyday approach, the offering features dazzling mules, sky-high pumps and signature cowboy boots decked out in satin, leather and crystal-encrusted suede.
Highlights include the towering Marina satin mules as well as the Holly Love Lidia mules and stiletto boots, both coming with killer heels and dusted with heart-shaped crystals. The more laid-back soul of the brand is represented by the El Dorado cowboy boots in leather, while a sexier take on the Western theme is offered by the thigh-high Paloma boots.
The first capsule collection developed by Paris Texas and Browns, the bridal line launched on Thursday exclusively on the two parties’ websites, retailing from 695 euros to 2,250 euros.
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“Paris Texas is a go-to brand for party shoes, so naturally our customers who are planning their wedding asked if their favorite pair was available in traditional bridal fabrics and colors,” said Hollie Harding, buying manager for non-apparel at Browns. “The Browns customer is a fashion lover and with Paris Texas capturing key trends each season, this capsule is the perfect marriage of style and wearability for the contemporary bride.”
“Defying convention, the collection has been designed for the modern woman who ignores expectations, turning heads wherever she is,” explained Annamaria Brivio, creative director of Paris Texas, which she cofounded with Massimo Baltimora in 2015.
Brivio began her career as a fashion buyer herself for a multibrand store in Milan before teaming with business partner Baltimora to create the showroom Baltimora Studio. Together, in 2012 they launched luxury fashion boutique Norrgatan in Monza, just outside of Milan. Then they established Paris Texas, homing in on their knowledge of running both these businesses and after finding a gap in the market for fashion-oriented, good-quality designs at competitive price points.
Overall, knee-high and slouchy boots in metallic, croc and python-effect leathers or in bright colors are still Paris Texas’ signature, even though the highly photogenic offering has gradually expanded to a wide array of designs, such as mules, platforms, wedges and strappy sandals.
After building a strong base in Italy, the brand’s visibility exploded internationally on social media and among influencers and celebrities. Through the years, Paris Texas shoes have been seen on the feet of Emily Ratajkowski, Selena Gomez, Dua Lipa, Alicia Keys, Ashley Graham, Nicola Peltz Beckham, Chiara Ferragni, Gigi Hadid and the whole Kardashian-Jenner clan, to name a few. In 2019, Brivio was also honored with the Emerging Talent Award at the annual FN Achievement Awards.
As reported, earlier this year, Brazilian conglomerate Arezzo & Co. — which groups brands such as Arezzo, Schutz and Alexandre Birman — invested 25 million euros to take over 65 percent of the company, marking its first international acquisition.
The mission is to accelerate Paris Texas’ growth with a big distribution push, including boosting the direct-to-consumer strategy of the brand, which last year generated sales of around 15 million euros and is mainly sold through wholesalers. The label is currently available at 250 leading luxury retailers, which, in addition to Browns, include Mytheresa, Bergdorf Goodman, Galeries Lafayette, Harrods, LuisaViaRoma, Level Shoes, Saks Fifth Avenue, to name a few.
The U.S. will be the primary focus of the brand’s next phase, as the opening of a flagship in New York is in the pipeline and expected for fall. This will be the first of a focused, directly operated rollout that will see Paris Texas unveiling four other units in strategic locations globally, an effort intended to enhance the branding side while doubling as local distribution centers.
This story was reported by WWD and originally appeared on WWD.com.
