Sigerson Morrison is a footwear company founded by Kari Sigerson and Miranda Morrison which met each other at a design class at Fit in NYC. Their admiration for shoes dated far back from the day that the two of them met but it is the same passion in shoes that led them to create the first pair of shoes solely by hand at a studion in Tribeca in 1991 which give birth to the company. Their philosophy in designing is that it needs to have a point a view, a stylistic voice and being particular in one’s choices as stated on their website. They also believe that luxury doesn’t always necessary means expensive but it needs to be life enhancing just because they are good looking and great to use, own and live with. What a philosophy put in a pair of shoes! I think shoes are an item that every women can never have enough of, and they’re the best shrink that we will ever have!
Sigerson Morrison became noticeable really fast, only a year since their humble beginning in Tribeca but Bergdorf Goodman already carries their design. They grew even bigger after that, in 1997 Sigerson Morrison received the Perry Ellis Award for the best new accessory design from the Council of Fashion Designers of America or better known as CFDA.
It doesn’t take them long to become one of the most renowned footwear labels in the world with more stockist carrying their shoes. In 2004 the label decided to create a difusion line called Belle, by Sigerson Morrison which is named after Kari’s daughter Eva Belle where the pair still provide you with the best quality of shoes in edgy and stylish model but at a more affordable price. Also, in October 2008 they launch Sigerson Morrison for Target collection to reach even wider audience.
Sigerson Morrison for Target
However, in between that, back in 2006 the label was acquired by March Fisher although the pair still reamined with the label as the creative and design directors. This is not the case anymore though since last Monday, which Sigerson and Morrison announced that they will part with the label that they created in 1991. It’s always sad to know when a designer(s) leave a label that they created and have made a big name out of it. The question that will always pop is whether the label still have the same characteristic and persona as it once had in the hand of the original creator?
Marc Fisher Footwear’s President, Susan Itzkowitz, said to the WWD that the company plans to go full speed ahead with the brand as well as with it’s lower prized contemporary counterpart Belly by Sigerson Morrison. Does this mean that the shoes will be available to a more wider audience at a more affordable price if they’re planning to go full speed with both brands? That we can only hope for. But in the mean time, Itzkowitz also stated that they already have a full design team in place to fill in the shoe of Sigerson and Morrison in the label.
This means for the label that this season’s design will be the last design from Sigerson and Morrison for Sigerson Morrison label. So if you haven’t owned a pair at the moment, this might be the right time to get one before they leave the company for good. But according to Sigerson, this is not the last time that we will see the pair together as she hopes to still remain in the same industry and work with fomer partner and best friend Morrison for yet another footwear-related endeavour.
Kari Sigerson and Miranda Morrison
*Pcitures courtesy of WWD and Elle
