With the launch of footwear in Paris, Susan Szatmáry, the Stockholm-based accessories designer whose bags are carried by the Swedish royal family, says oui to the idea of matching shoes and bags. (It’s what her customers are looking for as well, the designer said.) The introductory collection is in the same hue as the brand’s best-selling Palais bag—black—but colors will be added going forward.
It might seem risky to start something new at a time of such uncertainty, but this strategic expansion of her universe is something Szatmáry had planned when she launched her business in 2018, after working for Paris houses including Alexander McQueen (with the designer himself), Celine, and Rabanne. (In Sweden, Szatmáry also collaborated with Other Stories, created Byredo’s first bags, and later developed Toteme’s T-Lock bag.) “When I wanted to do my own line, I knew how expensive and complicated it is to make shoes with the stock and sizes,” the designer explained. “Bags are much easier to place and prototype. Things went slowly and organically, and now we have a name.” Plus, having designed both footwear and bags for other brands, Szatmáry noted, “I can design shoes with my eyes closed.”
Rest assured, she was both clear-eyed and hands-on in the development of this five-piece capsule, consisting of classics: two loafers, a slip-on, a strappy sandal with hardware similar to that used on the brand’s bags, and a high-heel slingback with a high vamp. All were created using existing leathers Szatmáry found at the Valbrenta shoe factory, where she worked with company CEO and vice president of the Italian shoe and footwear association Paola Smajato. The designer was focused on three Cs: classic styles, comfort, and cost efficiency.
Price sensitivity is a much-discussed subject these days; Susan Szatmáry shoes will range in price from 490 to 650 euros (about $575 to $762). Speaking of her customers, the designer said: “Some of them want to buy brands, or they have all the brands and they’re a bit tired of it. They’re looking for an alternative.” And it’s not only customers who are focusing on independent labels; suppliers also need diverse revenue streams because, as the designer noted, “once it goes bad for some brands, it goes bad all the way down the chain, so it’s a bit scary for everybody.”
Szatmáry maintains her slow-and-steady-wins-the-race approach by eschewing trends: “Our message is always less logo, more quality and functionality,” she said. With the launch of shoes, the designer has added comfort to that list. “You need to be practical,” she said. “For me a loafer is like a pair of jeans and a nice jacket.” Classic and chic.
