Dana Schwister and Erika Vala are the ladies behind Mini Mini Market and Shoe Market in trendy Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Shoe Market, like Mini Mini Market, aims to bring easy & affordable fashions appropriate for the neighborhood. They tend to carry small, independent brands as well as, classic brands – “the shoe that makes you think more about the person wearing it.” We’re proud to be a part of their curated footwear selection!
At the MAGIC show in Las Vegas last week, we didn’t play any slots, roulette or poker. However we certainly gambled “Double Down” by presenting our Spring 11 collection at two separate venues- Project Tradeshow at the Mandalay Bay and FN PLATFORM at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Kristina Ho, our Brand Manager, was a Vegas tradeshow virgin and experienced a bit of sensory overload when walking through the shows. There was just so much to see! Nine shows going on simultaneously! After three whirlwind days on the Strip, we returned to New York feeling good about our decision to present at both shows. But are we willing to Double Down again in February? That’s yet to be determined- as the orders come in, we’ll count the money and see….
What we liked most about FN PLATFORM is that it presented established and emerging footwear brands in one very organized space. Also, the organizers really understood how it feels to be on your feet all day. The convention center was covered by plush white carpets that provided comfy walking conditions, and also made it so much easier to gawk at what shoes other people were wearing!
Our booth was right next to Paris Hilton footwear and Paris even made an appearance too. We gathered she entered the building when there was a growing number of people taking out their camera phones and such…
Ok…we’re guilty of such behavior too. Here’s a shot of Paris.
Over at the Project show, we know the atmosphere attracts more “cool kids”, but the sprawling merchandise set up created more pavement to be pounded. However, we were in the curated shoe section surrounded by REPORT and Dolce Vita.
We weren’t necessarily wowed by any brands at PROJECT but we did fall in love with Bliss Lau‘s new pieces. We want now!
But Vegas isn’t all work and no play. The 80%20 team hit up the Hudson Jeans X Creative Recreation party at XS.
(left to right: Ce Ce Chin, Kristina Ho, Jasmine Takanikos, Carrie Campbell, A.J. Kesch)
Cool Hunting Gift Guide is prepping for the upcoming holidays and guess what- they want 80%20! They think the Mayne boot makes the perfect gift for any lady on your list! The black leather lace with studded accents makes the perfect topper for some bold tights at your holiday parties. Check out the Cool Hunting Gift Guide to see our Mayne boot and all the other great gifts for the 2009 holiday season!
Want the Mayne boot now? Endless has them at a steal, with FREE OVER NIGHT SHIPPING!
I’ve returned from my whirlwind “China trip” and finally adjusted back into the New York life ! The pace has been so fast I can hardly keep my 80%20′s on…kidding! If you’ve been following, you know I spent the time in China working hard on my new Ce Ce Chin Collection as well as 80%20. I also stepped in to the Hong Kong post modern “Land of Oz”- so much to look at and explore.
The inspiration from the fashion scene in HK (the most international retail I have even seen- sorry guys, more vast than Tokyo or Europe) easily helped me transition right into free flowing sketching in my design room China.
Literally every part of making a shoe happens in that workspace. From design, to sample making, down to the fittings on actual feet! This process is what keeps me moving forward and enriched as a designer.
I’m off on the road once again this time heading to China! I’ve been traveling to Hong Kong on an “almost quarterly” basis for over 10 years and since 80%20′s beginning, almost 5 years ago! While the city is now quite familiar to me, Hong Kong never fails to make a fresh fashion impression.
Pics: Louis Vuitton and Giorgio Armani, Visvim, Billionaire Boy Club (purple sky rocket) , Visvim Retail and yellow shoe on HK subway
Leading brands (both big and small) boast stately flagship stores and hold back no detail. Hong Kong is much like New York and London combined, but with way more Chinese people. Cantonese often sounds like harsh criticisms and shouting, but then peppered with English slang like “bloody”, “cheeky bastard” and “naf”. For those uninitiated to Hong Kong’s pulse, watch Chungking Express, one of Wong Kar Wai’s first movies to receive acclaim in the US. Although this movie is from the 1990s, it captures the ever-present heat, whimsy and charge of the city.
In the game Hide and Seek you never know what will happen. 80%20 played that game and was found by Nylon Magazine! Get a sneak peek, “hidden heel shoes are updated, mixing new fabrics (sailcloth, seersucker, and floral) with new shapes (oxfords, loafers, and hi-tops)”.
80%20 is travel. Perspective and exposure are things we do not take for granted as creative thinkers. Each piece of our lives is photographed through our lens and stored in our memory- the final product shining through in the 80%20 & Ce Ce Chin Collection. Recently Ce Ce Chin our Designer and Creative Director took a trip to Milan Italy to attend MICAM, (very sexy footwear show). Spending time with 80%20’s Italian team was blast- and seeing the brand growing on a global level is of course fabulous. Above Ce Ce shares with you some moments and memories- coming soon to a shoe collection near you.
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