Quirky shoe designer inspired by China
Isreali shoe designer, Kobi Levi, has told CNN’s Shanghai branch that he frequently travels to China for inspiration. The designer creates unusual, one-of-a-kind shoes in collaboration with Shoofra a shoe retail chain in Israel. The shoes’ heels look like spilled coffee, chewing gum and even chopsticks.
Mr Levi, who lives in Tel Aviv, said he is fascinated by the massive development currently happening in China.
“It’s the right place to collect ideas for the new collections,” he told CNN. “Guangzhou is an interesting melting pot in which you have the opportunity to observe trends from a privileged position.”
The shoemaker is inspired by Chinese food and even Chinese utensils. One of his shoe designs is named ‘Contemporary Chinese’.
“I chose very iconic, traditional Chinese images: fire dragon and chopsticks, and combined (them) to create a very Western and modern shoe silhouette,” he said, referring to a pair that features a fire dragon and chopstick-like stiletto heels.
Mr Levi became known in the footwear industry after designing a pair of pink double boots for US popstar Lady Gaga. The singer wore the boots in her “Born This Way” video.
“One day I saw an email from Lady Gaga’s staff looking for original input for the new video,” said Levi. “I couldn't believe it. I mean, Lady Gaga is the most famous pop star in the world.”
