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Isabel Monika Marchand
Accessory Designer, Footwear
A footwear designer working at the intersection of sculpture, craft, and wearability. My practice is defined by hand-built processes and material experimentation, treating shoes as vessels for memory, time, and the body. Existing in constant contact with both body and ground, footwear becomes for me a site of intimacy and structure. Objects that carry weight, absorb wear, and quietly record lived experience. I approach each piece not as an accessory, but as a designed artifact, positioning footwear as an autonomous discipline within the fashion house.
My work balances intimacy with architecture, developing avant-garde silhouettes through traditional shoemaking foundations. I explore proportion, balance, and structure while maintaining a precise understanding of fit and load-bearing integrity. Collections often begin with a singular question, such as “When did girlhood end?” which guided “The Elegy of Use.” While my work is rooted in personal reflection, it remains intentionally open, allowing the wearer and viewer to complete the narrative.
Material choice is central to my design language. Found objects, worn metal, string, and debris are incorporated through resin casting, lacing, and hardware, allowing evidence of time and use to remain visible. These materials introduce tension between refinement and wear, softness and restraint, an essential dialogue within my couture practice.
Craft anchors my work. Through bespoke hand-building, repeated prototyping, and rigorous material testing, I construct footwear that pairs sculptural heels with considered uppers. Particular attention is given to balance, weight distribution, and durability, ensuring that experimental forms remain wearable. Even when silhouettes appear extreme, they are engineered to function for the body they are made for. I am a designer rooted in traditional shoemaking yet intentionally progressive; my practice embraces craft as a slow, tactile counterpoint to mass production. I view couture not as excess, but as precision, where labor, material, and intent are visible. Community and studio exchange remain vital to my process, shaping a practice grounded in dialogue, mentorship, and continual refinement. If my work resonates with you, I welcome inquiries for custom orders, collaborations, and job opportunities