Studio visit: Phong Chi Lai

In the run-up to organising the Shoe Show catalogue, Kim Brockett and her trusty photography intern Richard (a.k.a. Dad) visited each of the exhibitor's studios to document these artisans at work in their element. It was a great experience and a lot of fun (and not just because I got to take a couple of hours off work to do so...) It's always wonderful to be invited into such an intimate space and to be able to legitimately poke around and be nosey! A big thank you to everyone in that respect!

Over the next few weeks till Shoe Show's close on Saturday 28 November, CLOG will be posting photos from these studio visits and first up, we have Phong Chi Lai.


By the way, keep your eye out for this Friday's Introducing post which will feature the full-length interview with Phong (as opposed to the excerpt as published in the exhibition catalogue)!

Phong's workspace. Please note incredible vest hanging casually off the back of the chair...

Several pairs of shoes from Phong's A/W10 collection on their merry way to some stockists (and then on to some lucky owners)

Geta-inspired wedges. Geta are a style of traditional Japanese footwear that resembles an elevated wooden clog/thong sandal. Phong had also made a miniature version of these shoes that are about a quarter of the (grown-up) size!

Photography by Richard Brockett