All colors of the rainbow, shiny, geometric patterns and a unique mix of materials make Paula Cademartori’s shoes little design marvels that add a certain artsy je ne sais quoi to every streetwear look. IRMA wanted to know more about Brazilian born former industrial designer Paula Cademartori.
IRMA: Which profession did you want to have when you where a child?
PAULA CADEMARTORI: The one I’m doing today! Since I was a child I’ve always been interested in fashion and above all in accessories. I still remember the long afternoons spent in my grandmother’s closet playing with her clothes, accessories and jewels. Then this simple game became a dream come true.
IRMA: Who is for you a Paula Cademartori woman?
P.C.: Every woman who has sense of class and elegance and really knows how to appreciate and distinguish the high quality and craftsmanship of an accessory that lasts over time. The “Paula Cademartori woman” is not a fashion victim, she’s an eclectic and cosmopolitan person with a strong personality and style.
IRMA: Which kind of woman inspired you when you started to design? Who is it today?
P.C.: Well, both at the beginning of my career and now I didn’t have a single female icon, but I have been inspired by all the women, famous or not, friends or not, who I personally esteemed and esteem to this day. And this has not changed until today.
IRMA: Give us three adjectives that would describe your shoes.
P.C.: Innovative and contemporary; feminine; sensual yet comfortable
I know, they are more than three!
IRMA: Where and how do you find your inspiration?
P.C.: From everything that impresses me and thrills me. I try to bring something new in every collection and it takes a long research to find always new elements. Since I’m a very curious person, I am interested in the most diverse creative fields of art, music, cinema, and literature.
I interpret my emotions and translate them in shapes, colors and textures. To do this I have a very simple ritual: I need a pair of headphones and some good music and then I’m able to give vent to my creativity and to the sensations of that precise moment.
IRMA: What makes you different from the other brands?
P.C.: My design is the result of my own style, my ideas and feelings and of course what I would like to wear myself. I think that the accessories – shoes and bags – should first of all be functional and comfortable cause we carry it or wear it all day long, but at the same time should make you feel beautiful, allowing you to be noticed without showing off! For this reason I devote plenty of time to reaching a deep understanding of my clients, so I can offer them the best. Aesthetic and functionality must be combined together while developing the product. Details are the main guide for a beautiful accessory and I put that feeling on my pieces with many recognizable elements: first of all the buckle – which is the brand’s logo – but also the mix of materials, the clean lines and the geometric cuts. My collection has to convey the message that the accessory is something meant to last over time.
IRMA: What are the next plans?
P.C.: I am focusing on expanding my sales network in the world and in a few years opening the first Paula Cademartori flagship store, that’s my goal right now! Actually I’m hardly working to develop my company, expand the collection’s offer with new products in order to create a complete lifestyle brand.
IRMA: Your favourite place to go to recharge your batteries after a lot of work?
P.C.: The SPA inside the Bulgari Hotel. They have a lot of beauty treatments and the location is so nice: quite minimalistic, luxury Asian style, small indoor pool and a nice outside area where you can relax. Perfect for a restful day!
Follow Paula on Instagram @pcademartori