But who is behind this brilliant idea ??
To find out more, we went to meet Julien Léonard, the french creator and designer, in the unique CLVII boutique in Paris, where we can actually buy these little jewels that he makes himself, by hand. Despite his heavy work schedule, he gave us a little of his time to tell us more about his journey…
Julien explained to us that he has always customised bags, shoes, and luxury clothing on demand for a number of VIP clients … For him, there is one important rule: Respect the original product and not destroy or take away from it .. The aim is to embellish it and make a “ limited/unique edition”, all the while respecting its original form and shape. CLVII or 157, in Roman numerals is a reference to 157 Faubourg Street, Saint-Honoré, the confidential address where only VIP and high-end customers came to buy, and it is there that CLVII was born. The brand was originally known for its customized military jackets, or its unique and custom-made pieces which were real best-sellers.. But for some time now, the crystallized shoes, specifically the Stan Smith and Superstar versions have Stolen the show, and taken precedence. From the very first customisations, videos posted on the social networks made a real impact and obtained 1 million views – and since the success and the craze has not stopped increasing … Julien and his co worker Stéphane who both customize every pair of shoes by hand, have had to take on two additional people to help with the abundance of orders ..
The cristallisation :
The customisation is carried out by hand using either Swarovski or precious crystals. There are a multitude of combinations, and possible colours available; light pink, turquoise, red, silver or bright pink. The most difficult thing is making a choice ! You also need to be patient, as there is a wait list and a delay of 1 month for all orders!
So guys, grab your telephones and if you don’t want to be late to spoil your girlfriends for Valentines day, here is the telephone number : 01 45 61 43 79 … It is also possible to personalise the shoes with drawings and art, with the designs of artist, d’ “Art Who’s design” . Do not hesitate to ask Julien for his recommendations regarding the pictures and drawings.
Customize only //
You can come directly to the boutique with the pair of shoes that you wish to customise … Stan Smith, Superstars or any model and brand that you choose, Julien customisers anything, you just have to tell him about your project and what you want 😉 If you do not live in Paris you can also send him your shoes by post.
For Stan Smith : 85/100 euros and for Superstar: 160/180 euros. If you want to add both options, crystals and design by d’ART whos design, then its about 200 euros.. And for other brands or models of shoes, heels, trainers etc, check with the creator himself . (+ 10 euros postage if you send by post)
The full package//
You can order directly the pair of shoes + crystal customisation online or in the boutique.
Stan Smith : 170 euros / 180 euros – Superstars: 260 euros / 280 . For the crystal + design option again you need to expect to pay 300 euros. (+ 10 euros postage if sent by post)
INFO : Due to practical issues, CLVII only supply classic Addidas like Stan Smith and Superstar.. If you want any other edition or model, it would be better to purchase elsewhere and send it to the boutique.
To finish, as I’m sure you can guess I could not possibly leave the boutique empty handed . Yes I got some ! For the moment my Stan smith are in Julien’s magical hands, I’m waiting impatiently to receive my new babies … You have my word as soon as they arrive I will show you. Very soon!!!
xo
@tia
CLVII : 93 rue de la Verrerie 75004 Paris 01 45 61 43 79 clvii-paris.com
Credits : Pictures @peter soubbotnik / Translation @ Natalya Paupe
