Former Isabella Fiore footwear design director Jerome Chouinard-Rousseau is out to make a name for himself with his brand new line of luxe, Italian-made women’s footwear. The Jerome C. Rousseau collection, which debuted in February at FFaNY and The Collections at WSA, is the designer’s first foray into developing his very own line. “This is a branch in a new identity for me,” Chouinard-Rousseau tells WSAToday.com. “It’s very different from my work at Isabella Fiore. The price points will be much higher.” Indeed, retail starts at $395 with average retail range for sandals and shoes is $550 to $650; boots retail up to $1200. We recently asked the designer to dish about his new venture.

Why did you decide to launch your own collection?

Jerome Chouinard-Rousseau

I started to think about doing my own collection toward May of last year. It’s come to something serious and this is something I had had in mind for many years. I thought, ‘Why wait another year or two to do this?’ I was very happy at Isabella Fiore, but I thought this was the time to do this.

What have been some of your biggest challenges?
There are so many. For me, the challenge was to find a factory to do product at the level I would want it to be. I found an amazing factory in Italy that does product for some of the leading brands in the industry—Dolce & Gabbana, Miu Miu—and I’m lucky they’re taking me on. Another big challenge is that this is a self-funded project at the moment. I’m very proud of this, but I’m basically doing the work of four people as a day-to-day business.

What inspired your fall ’08 collection?

The Andromeda

The inspiration for the collection is a really a mix of a few things. I looked a lot at art movements from the 1920s: Bauhaus and Suprematism. Things are very graphic and geometric. It’s a lot about the color application and the use of texture. I didn’t want it to be a collection about just the 1920s, though. There’s a chic 1960s disco influence as well. Someone from Italy recently told me, ‘Your collection is about disco Bauhaus.’

What are some key trends you’re predicting for fall ’08?
I would say boots are very important. In terms of a key trend of the season, again, it’s ankle boots. I feel very strongly for things that look sharp and have a hard edge to them. Footwear that’s basic and quite graphic as a look. I feel [like] there’s a return to feminine shoes, shoes that are elegant and pretty to wear and less sculptural than they were in past seasons. I also think reptile will be huge again and we’ll see a continuation of some sort of color blocking. [There will be] a lot of seventies looks.

How do you strengthen your relationship with buyers and retailers?
You need to be very personable with the buyers. I want to approach very key boutiques that inspire me. Ones where, if I were a customer, I’d like to buy my shoes [in] there. It’s important to me. I expect the same from my buyers, too. It’s an important relationship. They want to see great product and I want to deliver it. The product has to fit well. My priorities are similar to the buyers’ priorities in the same way.

Do you think the industry is open to new brands like yours?

The Dragon

Something I’m very excited about and something customers have really been responding to are niche footwear designers. The footwear designers who are known for footwear are really gaining a lot of momentum at the moment. I find it great that customers understand and appreciate the value of the costs that go into footwear. They really appreciate these brands, as opposed to these larger lifestyle brands. Not that they [lifestyle brands] don’t make good shoes. It’s just a deeper appreciation of the craft in particular.

If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be?
I would make Italy closer to Los Angeles so I wouldn’t live in constant jet lag all the year. To make that trip several times a year—you’re so jet lagged. It’s a constant struggle. When I lived in London, the difference was only an hour and I thought that was bad. Now that it’s a nine hour difference, it’s quite a disaster.

  More Expert Opinion Articles