Two years ago, when Luar’s Raul Lopez launched the Ana, it quickly became the go-to going-out bag for New York cool kids and fashion week regulars alike. Now, with two wins as the American Accessory Designer of the Year at the CFDA Awards under his belt, he’s launching his first Luar shoe.
“I’ve been trying to do this shoe for a couple of years now, but manufacturing footwear is hard and it’s something I wanted to get right,” Lopez says. The shoe in question is a heeled slip-on mule with a strap and a Luar “L” buckle at the vamp. The idea is to offer something versatile out of the gate: “It’s a comfy shoe, but it does give you a little lift,” acknowledges Lopez.“It’s taller than a kitten, but still easy to walk in and comfortable.” Plus, he says, you can dress it up or down. “The girls at the office have them with their sweats or jeans or whatever, or to go out, it’s really cute,” he added.
A big challenge in footwear, particularly for a label as inclusive and gender non-conforming as Luar, is sizing. It’s a priority for Lopez to make sure he gets his size range right, and that he keeps everyone in mind. “A lot of the dolls have already bought the shoes,” says Lopez, referring to the trans women who inspire him and wear his work with enviable pizzazz. “I’ve been getting the craziest messages, of them saying thank you for thinking of them,” he says. “But it’s also men who like to wear a cute heel now.” He’s right. Look around on the streets of New York City and you’ll see guys in trendy Tabis from Margiela or heeled Chelsea boots by Saint Laurent and Celine, et al.
“I’ve always been obsessed with men’s shoes from the Renaissance, that hybrid with women’s shoes with the heel and shape,” he explains, remarking that the silhouette of the “Jehan Belted Mules,” as he’s calling them, have a distinctive angular shape. It’s an elegant shoe that feels just uncommon enough to be fashionable but familiar enough to be worn every day.
Down the Luar footwear pipeline there will be a “men’s-like Oxford,” some flat mules, and thigh-high boots, plus seasonal launches that will start next year. “I love my bag, and I think it will be cute with a shoe,” says Lopez. “You know, it’s very Latina, to match your bag with your shoe. I’m a little more freaky and experimental sometimes, but you have to give it to the girls who want to match.” Keep an eye out for those matchy-matchy moments in street style at New York Fashion Week in February.
