Head Designer - Elisalex de Castro Peake graduated from Cordwainers in 2005 and launched her luxury 'upcycled', shoe collection - Nina Dolcetti in September 2008. 'Nina' being her family nickname, and 'Dolcetti' her grandmother's maiden name, the name Nina Dolcetti infers 'little sweets' – the perfect metaphor for the pleasure, form and joy that shoes in a modern woman's wardrobe signify.
Nina Dolcetti adapts the already perfect lines formed by nature rather than creating new ones. Among the signature styles is a unique curved wedge based on the reverse of the instep, providing a symmetry of feminine lines. The result is the continuation of the sinuous curve of the calf, and an arrestingly sensual design.
Elisalex's obsessions include a love of the traditional arts: from Mughal India to Byzantine mosaics. Ornate symmetries on the uppers combine with her sculptural flair to create daring, architectural and design led pieces that are as avant garde as they are elegant.
Aware of waste within the fashion industry and the environmentally unfriendly effects of chrome tanning, Nina Dolcetti shoes are constructed to reuse off-cuts and unwanted pre-consumer waste. The collection has also introduced a series of ethically sourced vegetable tanned leathers. Heels are formed from sustainably sourced cork and wood, and soles comprise largely recycled leather.
Handmade in a small family run factory in East London, Nina Dolcetti shoes represent a new breed of conscious design, that confidently walks the line between decadent pleasures and environmental awareness.
Nina Dolcetti shows at Estethica at London Fashion Week, and has recently been awarded its mentorship programme.