OK Ladies (and the odd gentleman), who loves Christian Siriano? Let me hear you! Who is fascinated by how his maniacal fashion mind works as he manages to succeed in an industry that often crushes new designers and an economy that crushes everybody else? Me! I am!

I got a chance to talk to Christian at the Fall Release event for Payless at their showroom in Manhattan. I will admit that most of the information in the interview is paraphrased (hey, I had a notebook, not a tape recorder). But these are the facts. The cold, hard facts.

Part 1: Memories….la la la la

So we all remember the runway versions of Christian Siriano’s soon-to-be-ready-to-footwear. They were…aspirational. Celebrities starting wearing them even before they tripped lightly down the runway at his Fall 2009 show. Needless to say, the question of how those 7-inch stunners would be modified for a population who walks farther than runway–>limo–>premiere–>limo was foremost in my mind. Here’s a reminder of what the runway versions looked like:

Cute, but Ouch!

Part 2: Here comes the love

First of all, let me say that Siriano was the picture of graciousness throughout the Payless event. He chatted with all the journalists who were milling around, smiling and posing for photos. My Payless contact told me that he had come in on a red-eye flight that morning, but you certainly couldn’t tell by looking at him. After exchanging greetings, I dove into the interview.

Twinkletoes: Can you tell me about the inspiration for your Payless collection?

Christian: My inspiration is the diva, Cleopatra, in Egypt. You can see in the colors palette that we have the browns of the sand and the blue of the Nile. The detailing also comes from Egypt; we have inverted pyramid zipper pulls and a blue hieroglyphic-like pattern. Even the curved, conical heel is an inverted pyramid. Also, the snakeskin-like fabric is totally Egypt.

T: Talk to me a little about how your runway shoes are different from the shoes that will be sold at Payless.

CS: The Payless shoes are definitely modified to make them more wearable, but they are very similar. I designed the runway shoes with Payless, so don’t think that the retail shoes will be inferior in any way. The Payless customer wants an everyday shoe, not something they can wear just once. You can see that the retail shoes are dramatic enough with the color and the details. They don’t need to be 7 inches high for drama. They have enough drama on their own.

T: I noticed that on the blue hieroglyphic bootie, the zipper is farther toward the front of the shoe than on most ankle boots. Was there a reason for that design decision?

CS: I was to democratize fashion a little and I love it when people take something and make it their own. With the zipper moved forward like this, the wearer can actually unzip it part way and fold over the top, making a whole different look. On the runway, the shoes actually had a double zipper so that they could be modified even more.

T: How was designing your collection for Payless different from designing your own collection?

CS: Well, first of all, working with Payless was wonderful. They have so many resources so there are a million different options. At the same time, when I design for Payless, the first this I have to think about is making my design wearable, then I add drama. It’s actually the opposite process when I design my own collection. With my line, it’s all about the drama. I want it to be fabulous. If it’s not, then my take is “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work. Let’s throw a poncho on her and call it a day.” Wearability comes later. I loved working with Payless though! And there are plans in the works for more collections! I am already working on a Holiday collection and a Resort collection and there will be a Spring collection as well. This is just the beginning.

T: Do you have a deep-rooted love of shoes?

CS: Actually, my sister has over 400 pairs of shoes! And they are dramatic ones, not everyday ones. I remember that when we were little, she would get a new pair of shoes every week, so that there were so many of them in all kinds of colors. She loves shoes. One of the perks of me designing, in general and for Payles is that I can send my shoes to her and my mom. So far, I haven’t heard any complaints from them. So it definitely comes from them.

***

Christian’s shoes for Payless are due out in August and they are very cute. He stayed true to the runway versions for the most part, bringing the heels down a notch and dropping a chain or a spike here and there.  There are also even some flats in the collection for the girl on the go. All the shoes will be priced below $50.00, which is true for all the designer collaborations at Payless. Detailed photos won’t be available until late summer, but ladies, get ready to pounce on Payless when those shoes debut. For a sneak peak at the collection check out this photo from Racked.com.

I just want to thank Payless for letting me talk with Christian so I can share his thoughts with all of you. There is more coming from the Payless event. They are a brand that has come a long way in the last several years, becoming more recognizable and more respectable. I will also be posting about their designer collaboration with Alice & Olivia and their eco-friendly line Zoe & Zac as well as some other tidbits. Stay tuned!

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A few weeks ago, Payless Shoes held a preview of their fall 2009 collection.  At the showroom, one of our very own shoebloggers, TwinkleToes, had a chance to interview Project Runway 4 winner Christian Siriano (swoon) about his Payless shoe collection.  We’re super excited to share the interview.  Stay tuned…

Christian Siriano for Payless: Blue Bootie from upcoming Fall 2009 collection

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My mama always told me trends come in threes.  Didn’t yours?

No?  Well, ok, my mama didn’t exactly say that either, but I think we can safely assume that three designers picking up a shoe trend means it’ll be making an appearance at the retail level for us plebs.  And I can’t say as I’m unhappy about that when the shoe trend in question is the lacy details that showed up in the Marchesa and 3.1 Phillip Lim shows and then again yesterday at Rebecca Taylor.

Me, I wouldn’t pair these pumps with trouser socks, but you know… whatever floats your boat.

Zac Posen seems to be trying to send some business over to the folks who make the Bedazzler.  Otherwise, how to explain the rhinestones on some of his shoes.

Also, no, your eyes are not deceiving you.  That is a velvet and clear vinyl knee boot on the right there.  *shudder*  Not a Zac Posen fan, me.  Very much not.

But the show I was most looking forward to, in news that should surprise none of you if you’re faithful Shoeblog readers, was Christian Siriano’s.  Much as I may find the man incredibly annoying to listen to, I can’t argue that he has great conceptual clothing.  And after Twinkletoes’s preview hinted at fabulous shoes to come, I was giddy with the anticipation.

And then came the show itself.  And you know what?  Christian Siriano’s shoes were the best part.

They’re edgy and cool and young and sleek, if not anything terribly far outside the box.  They sure as hell outdo the clothing, if you ask me.  Apart from two dresses, I found the whole thing to be a largely shapeless, unflattering collection of blah browns occasionally enlivened by a metallic texture or a teal tone.  Dare I say it (and here’s something I never would have thought I’d say about Christian), a lot of the outfits looked cheap and poorly-made, and the shoes are what provided the style spark.  Case in point:

That dress is a horror.  I’m sorry to be blunt about it, but that looks like something I could pick up at Forever 21 for $19.  The shoes, though?  Well, the shoes are a very Christian-appropriate FIERCE (and look at the retreating model’s gorgeous footwear, too)!

For those of you who followed that particular Project Runway season (and you can check out our shoe coverage over this way), you’d certainly recognize the over-dependence on ruffles and giant shoulder-bulging sleeves.  I’m disappointed in the line overall.  Except for the shoes.  And except for these two dresses, which are—to use another keyword of Christian’s—fabulous.

Want to check out the rest of Christian’s line?  Elle has pics here.  Agree with my assessment?  Disagree?  Comment your little hearts out.

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Christian Siriano isn’t presenting his Fall 2009 collection until Thursday,  but thanks to the folks at Payless Shoe Source, we have a special behind the scenes sneak peak at the Project Runway winner’s newest collection, including the fabulous shoes he’s designed for Payless.

The Christian Siriano collection is said to be inspired by the pyramids of Egypt and the colors of the desert. I’m left drooling to see the actual collection with these appetizing quotes from Christian:

…if i was a diva woman who was really fabulous and wore heels everyday, the whole collection is what i would want to wear.

..so i think shoes and handbags really complete anyone’s look. i really think, for us, we have this beautiful subdued color palette, lots of browns, lots of camels. It’s all the same but different textures and i think the shoes bring it to life …like they bring something new, a different texture, if it is patent, or it it has some shine,  i think it gives like more almost, it almost finishes the look so if you have a really simple gloss, a really simple shirt, and a really FABULOUS shoes it makes the look even better.

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So, everyone knows about Simply Vera by Vera Wang at Kohl’s. I’m not a huge fan of the clothes, as I don’t know if the goth meets boho meets Transylvanian count thing really works for me, and I don’t think much of the shoes either.

But recently, on a somewhat scary outlet-plagued suburban family trip to pick up household goods, we stopped at a Kohl’s near my parents’ house in Southern California. It was the first time I’d been inside a Kohl’s since I was 12 and living in suburban Illinois.

That’s where I came across the ELLE line. I was tickled to see that some of the design was quite good, and would expect no less from a line that the magazine stamps its label on. I got a cute little purple cropped sweater with rolled sleeves that doesn’t seem to be on the website, this demure little cropped white jacket and this adorable pintucked faux silk shirt and got loads of compliments on them and looks of disbelief when I revealed their store of origin.

But I didn’t notice the shoes because we didn’t go to the shoe section. Then I looked online on a whim after a cross-continental fashion phone conference with one of my dearest friends today about how we were trying to incorporate looks we weren’t used to, that were edgy and smart and urban, but still thriftily stretched our dollar.

So I was pleased as punch to make the acquaintance of these Ultra Dress Heels, on sale for the price of a pair of Payless heels at $24!!!:

These stylish Vivas look pretty much exactly like a bunch of other current shoes that cost a lot more from other retailers. They are on sale for $39!

And cute! These royal purple Necole flats will have people thinking you paid much more than $19.99 until you tell them how you got a total steal (or don’t):

Bet you ShoeBlog readers can’t wait till Christian Siriano’s line comes out for Payless! What does the man-child adored by Victoria Beckham and well known for accusing people of venturing into Hot Tranny Messdom know about designing shoes? Who knows! But we will all cross our fingers and hope for edgy, fun shoes priced between $25 and $45 from the man best known for being fierce! We’ll preview them next month, but I just wish we didn’t have to wait until this fall to buy them!

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