Wednesday 22 August 2012

THE LOOK & THE BRAND: MR ARMANDO CABRAL!

'"Looks are always important, but the comfort of a shoe trumps all." says Mr Armando Cabral after a quick glance at my rather worn-in tennis shoes as we sit chatting on a secluded bench in New York City's Washington Square Park. Still just 30 years old and with a modelling career that already spans more than 10 years (he's appeared on and within the covers of numerous publications such as Numéro Homme, GQ, and L'Uomo Vogue), Portuguese Mr Cabral is now busy promoting his latest venture: a perfectly proportioned shoe collection. Set up in 2009, he saw establishing his shoe brand as a way to fine-tune what, to him, was the perfect shoe. Now fully formed, his collection is an innovative interpretation of European styles that range from leather sandals and elegant dress shoes to contemporary sneakers.'



How did you go from modelling to shoe design?
 I've always loved shoes and had a passion for design. My mother was a tailor so I was always surrounded by the act of creating. There was a moment when I wasn't able to find the perfect shoes that I wanted and this became an obsession of sorts. I finally thought it would be best to create my own and now I'm on my fifth collection.


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 How has your mission changed from your original idea?
 It has changed completely and drastically. When I started it was a passion and now it's also a business.




 How do you define the look of your collection?
 It's a versatile shoe brand that bridges classic concepts with a casual approach. To me, the inspiration is more about everyday life experiences; from a world of seeing things that I love. I also really admire Sidney Poitier's style as well - he's influenced some of my designs.



Info via MR PORTER!

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