Last week, Rita Ora stepped out onto the street - and was photographed. Another day, another dollar, another picture of Riora in a crazy outfit. Except we found ourselves very taken with her funky knee-high chain boots.... wait, weren't they Modern Vice, that cult New York shoemaker, that only those in the know really know? I rung up Jordan Adoni, co-founder (with brother, Jensen) of NYC's Modern Vice, to find out if these statement knee-highs really were MV. And bingo. Finally, it seemed, my favourite New York cobbler was getting the 'pap' attention it duly deserved.
Seen on pretty much every cool New Yorker (and hip blogger in between) it helps that Jordan's girlfriend, Natalie Suarez of blog Natalie Off Duty, is frequently seen in Modern Vice boots - she's even co-designed an ankle boot with them. It also helps that shoes are in the blood; Jordan and Jensen's father Paul Adoni is a fashion industry stalwart who once employed Steve Madden (last seen in Wolf of Wall Street) and now owns shoe brand, Pour La Victoire, where Jordan worked before starting Modern Vice.
'We originally started as a mens sneaker line' Jordan explained, 'but then we found ourselves evolving into more of a women's shoe line. The Made in NYC collection has a eye on the classics, but the aesthetic has an edgy twist.' The pair operate out of a factory/showroom in New York's garment center, accompanied by a team of 10 shoemakers. In an era of fast fashion and dicey foreign manufacturing, it is as unusual as it is appealing for shoes to be handmade in the rammed city capital of New York (although the pair do make some of their shoes in Italy, Brazil and China.)
Classic with an edge couldn't be a better summarisation of Modern Vice if Jordan tried; think buckles, chains, prints, tie-dyes, suede and leather in a rich swathe of colours. The only modest thing about these boots is the very handy 2 inch cuban heel. Looking for a pair of backless Gucci-esque mock croc loafers complete with horsebit? Modern Vice got your back. Or how about some ankle boots with a slew of Chanel-ian chains? Again, look up MV. Or why not try a pair of snake-trimmed suede chelsea boots, the most useful ankle boot on the market?
As for the best sellers, the creepers and slides are having a moment but 'it's the booties that we are most known for. The Jett boot is a consistent seller - we just a sample sale in our factory in NYC and we had tons of women over 50, dressed super conservatively, buying The Jett!' New version of The Jett are coming soon. 'Our Moto boots also do well. Rita Ora was wearing them last week and we want Michelle Obama wearing them next.'
Wait, the First Lady? In your funky booties? 'What we strive for can't be defined!' No truer words were spoken.
White Croc Emboss Slides, £163.30, Kate Chain Boot, £264.25 Natalie Off Duty x Colour Me Nana x Modern Vice Jett Classic in Lipstick Red, £236.64, MV Signature Chelsea Boots with Trim £176.96
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Picture: Getty
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.