Nicholas Kirkwood

Luxury shoe designer Nicholas Kirkwood is renowned for his sculpted, architectural shoe designs and catwalk collaborations with emerging labels like Rodarte, Erdem, Roksanda and Peter Pilotto. His shoes are carried at about 150 stores across the world, including directional retailers like Dover Street Market and 10 Corso Como, and his own flagship stores in London, New York and Las Vegas.

Famous for using materials such as shaved stingray, laser cut mirrored leather and rubberised suede, the German-born designer has received several industry awards in recognition of his innovative designs including the prestigious Alta Roma/Vogue Italia accessories design award in 2007 and Accessory Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2010. In February 2013, Kirkwood was also awarded the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, becoming the first accessory designer to win the award since its founding.

In September 2013, LVMH announced that it had taken a majority stake in Nicholas Kirkwood. The exact size of the stake and financial terms were not disclosed, though LVMH characterised the deal as a “long-term partnership.”

An alumnus of Central Saint Martins, Kirkwood began his career working in the London shop of milliner Philip Treacy in 1999. Inspired by Treacy’s designs, and recognising a need in the market for statement shoes, Kirkwood enrolled at Cordwainers College to learn footwear design in 2001. Launching his first shoe collection in spring 2005, Kirkwood instantly garnered rave reviews from industry insiders, with subsequent collections receiving commendations from the likes of Andre Leon Tally and Franca Sozzani .