My Muse: Empress Sisi – Jenny Cipoletti

Exactly one year ago I traveled to Vienna with Sarah Flint to find design inspiration for the shoe that I would be creating for her Fall / Winter 2022 collection. Here we are, just a few weeks away from the launch and I’m revisiting all of the beautiful moments that informed the design of the shoe.

It was during our visit to Schönbrunn Palace that Empress Sisi would become the muse behind my design. Her influential legacy and imperial style captivated me as it had captivated the women of her time. Her gowns made of lavish fabrics, her neckline draped in layers of pearls strands and her room enveloped in burgundy velvet trimmings. I was particularly drawn to the diamond encrusted edelweiss barrettes she wore in her iconic portrait. I began researching the hairclips and discovered they were designed after the edelweiss flower – a delicate and rare white alpine mountain flower found in Austria. A symbol of nobility and royalty that would become the key design element of the shoe. To make it our own, we we worked with Italian artisans to design an antique gold silhouette with Strass crystals and adorn with a pearl at the center, emblematic of Sisi’s favorite piece fo jewelry, her pearl necklaces.

Over the next couple weeks I will be sharing details leading up to the launch including sneak peaks of the thoughtfully designed pump that can be worn two ways: with a satin ankle tie or with the embellished buckle strap.

November 1st! Mark your calendar and sign up for my newsletter HERE to receive an exclusive sneak peek next week and an invite to my live Q&A with Sarah where we will be talking all about our design process.