Mogul heels up for new launch

Australian fashion entrepreneur Bruno Schiavi has launched his first designer footwear collection. Already spearheading the national expansion of his other two fashion brands, Delta by Annabella and MensFIT, Schiavi is in negotiations to stock his current range at retailers throughout Australia, UK and the US.
Priced between $150 to $250, the collection is targeted at women aged between 25 to 45 years and aims to offer consumers with "realistic price points" for Italian leather footwear.
"I have always had a passion for shoes and as we know you can always tell a lot about a woman depending on the shoes she wears," Schiavi explained. "I would like to offer women who wear the same style day in day out an affordable alternative to encourage them to take risks and move away from reliable, stable and predictable buying choices."
Manufactured in Italy, the range - simply titled 'Schiavi' - includes pumps, dress sandals, stillettos, wedges, kitten heels and mules with heels ranging from two to six inches in height. While the core fabrics are Italian leathers, imported fabrics and Swarovski crystals have also been incorporated into the designs.
"In my first collection I decided to use genuine Swarovski Crystals to add that little extra to some classic styles," Schiavi said. "Decorative stones can complete the look of a particular shoe, similarly the use of fur details can also give a shoe that edge and make it more appealing and stand out from the crowd."
Buyers can expect to choose from a palette of blacks, browns, terracottas and creams with touches of lime green, mustard and gold worked into the collection. Although local stockists haven't been confirmed, Schiavi shoes will launch into stores in late September 2006.