Photographed by Borgy Angeles for the September 2024 Issue of Vogue Philippines
What’s for dessert? Alexie Nethercott and Catrina Suarez’s shoe confections.
While there’s no fixed recipe for a charming shoe, there might be a universal secret ingredient: a pinch of playfulness. Just turn to Alexie Nethercott of Alexie and Catrina Suarez of Catsua, whose takes on familiar footwear silhouettes are delectable feasts for the eyes.
Guided by a “sense of wonder,” Alexie’s zesty leather shoes are made in Marikina in vibrant hues, and sprinkled generously with ornate beads and sequins forming a discerning eye or ever-so-slightly turned up lip. “I love bringing my imagination to life through my hands,” the designer says of her surrealist work, like a baker whipping up another lavish confection.
Over in Cebu’s Carcar City, which is also considered a hub for shoemaking like Marikina, Catrina’s designs begin “with a focus on their function, drawing more inspiration from the settings where they are used rather than their traditional designs.” She continues, “My ideas begin with a sense of utilitarianism, but as my idea evolves from a thought into paper and onto leather, I think of the features and aesthetics that I see my playfulness attribute to.” It’s certainly evident in Catsua’s first closed-toe style that deconstructs the everyday lava lamp, colored felt shapes embedded into full-grain leather like hazelnut-stuffed bombolonis.
We’ll take a box of each, please.
