Betta Carrano is helping history repeat itself. In the early 1950s, her husband Andrea Carrano started his eponymous line with an iconic silhouette.

Betta Carrano

Photo by Anson G. Osbourne

“He made the first ballerina flat in the history of the industry; from the dance shoe to a real shoe,” Betta Carrano tells WSAToday. “I started working with him and we opened up the ballet flat in a lot of colors (more than 100) and that was really our trademark.” When he passed away more than 10 years ago, the business gradually faded until Betta decided to restart it two years ago. “People come to my store in Manhattan and tell me ‘I can’t believe you’re back in business, I got married in these shoes.’ When you have a long history in the business, people remember and are attached,” she says. Now with the brand back in business, a retail store in New York and her own eponymous collection on the way, Betta dishes what’s in store for fall ’09 in this extended interview originally published in WSAToday’s February issue.

Doll from Andrea Carrano

What are the hottest trends for fall ’09?
Women like shoes that always look sexy on their feet. Low-cut, cleavage, colorful, elegant and sexy with a little twist; either the color or material makes it interesting. And for fall, stamped leathers, suede, snake prints, stamped/real croco—any interest in the material will be big. I still think that patent leather makes a statement right now.

Which colors are going to be important?
I’m all about colors. Navy will still be in the family of violets, and I always think a wonderful red makes a statement and makes a woman feel sexy. I did violets and deep dark reds in suede.

What's the hottest material?
Stamped leathers, suede, snake prints, stamped/real croco. Any interest in the material will be big. I still think that patent leather makes a statement right now.

Give us one word to describe your collection for the season.
Sophisticated.

Lori by Andrea Carrano

What are some of your standouts for the season?
We did a wedge for first time with Janice. It’s a flat with a little height; it goes into very classic but with a twist. It’s a white and black shoe that you can wear with everything. Lori is all about mixing materials: suede with python stamped [leather]. It’s a style with a little twist. The dark violet patent leather on Alice also uses the idea of mixing materials, which is very, very important. You’ll also see the mixing of materials on Laura. It uses metallics. There’s a certain percentage of metallics coming back because you can wear them with anything.

What makes your shoes a cut above?
We give a product that is sexy-looking; we give her a quality that’s equivalent to other designers at a price that’s affordable.

What do you, as a designer, do better than the competition?
I design the line of the shoes that makes the foot look sexy—not many people do that. Being woman, since I try my shoes on, I have a better feeling for fit. I try every shoe I make on. I try to make the shoe for the girl of 20 to the woman like me who’s 57.

What is the one thing retailers need to communicate to customers about your shoes?
They’re buying not only a shoe, but a whole history and something that’s special at a not-so expensive price.

What’s the best feedback you’ve ever gotten?
A client came in and bought every single ballerina in her size in the store.

What’s on the horizon, trendwise?
The use of synthetic materials like vinyl and more classical, less extravagant styles. Shoes are a result of what’s happening in the world in general; we’ve come from an extravagant moment to a more subdued time.

What’s a dead trend?
Platforms.

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