Stylist to the stars, fashionista extraordinaire and OG influencer, Anaita Shroff Adajania is poised to have each one of us walk the talk with her newest range of shoes in collaboration with SKO. Founded in 2018 by finance whiz turned entrepreneur Nishant Kanodia SKO, which means shoe in Danish has created a niche for itself in the men’s footwear space. Known for both outstanding comfort and eye-catching style, SKO’s footwear is durable and uses only ethically sourced Nappa leather, the finest leather available and moves away from the synthetic fabrics and plastics of fast fashion making it a popular choice for upwardly mobile millennials and Gen Z up and comers.
The collection spans the entire spectrum from comfortable flats & sandals to platforms and heels extending up to 4.5 inches! It is focused on clean lines and a contemporary outlook. The ASA x SKO line carries shoes for every woman and is versatile in its wearability, transitioning easily from work to a night out, or from errands to brunch with the girls. The footwear line focuses on experimenting with colours and carries a wide range of styles from flats to platforms and heels, with self-expression and the customer’s own personal style and aesthetic at the forefront.
Peepingmoon.com got in touch with the former Vogue Fashion Director and the founder of Style Cell to know more about the collection, her plans of future collaboration and more!
Excerpts from the interview:
Q. This is your first-ever collaboration with a footwear brand. How did you both come together for this project?
I love shoes, anyone who knows me knows that. But I also like to be comfortable, I like my feet to be pampered, and I want my feet to be happy. Because when your feet are not happy it shows on your face. So when I met Nishant he told me about his brand SKO and the factory that he had (which is again really close to my house, so another big reason to do this collaboration). All the pieces fell into place, Nishant is a great guy and we also have common friends, and I feel the energy was right so even though there have been offers in the past, this one felt right and our creative thoughts were very much in sync and that's why I went for it.
Q. What USPs made you come on board with this project?
I feel there was a void in the market for great-looking clean line shoes and also for me comfort was so important, we spent so many months researching how to make the shoes comfortable without it being obvious and showing spongy detailing. So here, we have done a lot of invisible padding, a lot of softening of the insides of the straps that touch your feet, so there is a lot of thought and science that has gone into it. But also, the design, we wanted to keep it very pure and true to who we are as people. I mean who knows, down the line, we might be making embellished shoes too, but for now, it was all about clean lines, colours and about being you. We want people to feel who they are.
Q. What served as a creative inspiration behind this collection?
The creative inspiration, I feel like I did things that I love, so if people don't like it then people are not going to like what I love. And then Nishant keeps saying, we need flats and I am not someone who wears that many flats so we put those in. And we keep playing around, coming up with new designs and testing them on friends and seeing whether they work. So it's a labour of love and it's something I feel people will enjoy and will have space for in their wardrobe, especially with summer coming up. It's all about openness, airy and letting your feet breathe.
Q. By the looks of it on the brand’s Instagram page we could see some modish and gorgeous heels and chic flats. Are you soon going to launch sneakers in the future too?
I would have to say no, I think sneaker brands are so immersed in what they do, so ahead of the curve. But we have many other plans so look out for them.
Q. Vegan leather is not just for fashion but also for the environment as well. Do you plan to make the most of it by launching a leather line? (like let’s say boots, belts, or clutches?)
Our collection is made in ethically sourced Nappa leather. Now, this is important because these can last a lifetime. They age beautifully as we do. It's not a cheap material that you just wear, it tears and you throw it away. These are with you forever, hopefully you can pass them on to your daughters or sons or whoever wants to wear them. This is just a fun project, it's something that we believed was missing in the market and I hope that people enjoy that. It's not something that has to be taken seriously but at the same time, we are very serious about what we are offering.
Q. What is comfort for Anaita Shroff Adajania?
I think comfort is everything for me actually. I wear comfortable clothes, I desire comfortable heels and I think we found those. If you are comfortable in your style, in your body and your personality, you will shine, you will radiate when you walk into a room. But style is too so we have tried to give you style with comfort.
Q. For your next red carpet event, if you had to, which ASA x SKO footwear would you pick?
I already did, I wore them with my black saree for a Dior show recently.
Q. After footwear, what is the next collaboration you would like to do?
Well-cut basics are missing in the market, elevated basics, so I am happy to collaborate with someone on that. I love ganjis and I live in them and I rarely find beautiful ones. I would also love to open a fun boutique with all the things I love. I am putting this out in the world and hopefully someone will find me.
Q. Any tips on summer footwear trends and summer styling?
It's all about colour, it's all about clean lines, go out there, flash your style and be the best you.
Q. A celebrity you would like to see slaying the ASA x SKO collaboration?
All of course. But I would most want to see real people because for me that is the high, people enjoying what we have loved creating.
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The collection is poised to launch with new drops ever so often and the ASA x SKO also has a customisation option on the website, allowing patrons to choose bespoke colours, creating a truly one-of-a-kind product that best expresses your style.
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