Shoe Designer Matt Bernson Gives Us a Sneak Peek at Fall 2012

2:30 PM, October 10 2011

By Matt Bernson

Designer Matt Bernson, a Lucky favorite best known for his cozy hiking boots, shares with us what's inspiring him for Fall 2012. Buy shoes from his Lucky/HSN collection here.

We're only a matter of days into Fall 2011, but I'm already working on my Fall 2012 collection. It all kicked off with a trip to Milan, a city that's generally much more dressy and polished than my personal aesthetic. But Milan is also known for amazing craftsmanship. Here's what I saw that got me going:

City bikes can be found in Paris and Milan—and they'll be coming soon to New York City. Nothing is cooler than a girl who can bike in a heel. (I'd like to think all of my shoes are bike-friendly.)

The softer and slouchier the fit, the better. Mixing suede and soft leather can create a really authentic broken-in look.

Talk about a timeless classic. Artichokes are my favorite food, so finding an artichoke and parmesan salad while surrounded by fashionable Italians was inspiring. While I will not directly use the image of an artichoke on my shoes, I will be eating them to keep focused and sharp.

I think that adding perforation can bring in a feeling of lightness to otherwise clunky styles. Seeing through the shoe can add a sexy element while keeping the overall style wearable.

I always use a natural color for soles. I love most island platforms: this one has a gum lug sole, which I think grounds the look and gives a bottom line to the body (which can make you look taller). If you have a black shoe with a black sole, the shadow of the ground makes no distinction and you just blend in. Who wants that?

So much can be said for the simplicity of the pinking shear edge on these Bluemarine boots. Everyday details like these speak louder than huge gems or chunky chains. I predict you'll be seeing pinking shear detailing all over the place next fall. I know I can’t wait to incorporate it into my collection.

Shearling boots are an unstoppable trend. I like that these See by Chloé and Buttero boots bring the shearling to the outside. In the past, I've designed a shearling boot that folds down. The trick is coming up with a way to make it new and different. We will be hard at work in our shearling test facility to create something fun and unexpected for Fall 2012.