The colourful world of Chie Mihara, Japanese-Brazilian queen of the mid-heel shoe
- After working in fashion and later as a sculptor, Mihara considers herself an artist who makes shoes
- ‘No woman in my target group would spend a dollar on something that is only functional but not appealing’
When did you become fascinated by footwear? “I was never interested in shoes because of the bitter experience when I was a little girl living in Brazil – I had big feet for my age and I could never find my size.
“After working for a couple of years in the fashion industry in Japan, with designer Junko Koshino, I moved to New York to study sculpture. I was quite good at moulding shapes in clay but, at the end of the day, my hands were dirty, my clothes stained – and I started to miss fashion. So I asked myself, how can I combine both worlds? The answer was shoes.”
What was the first shoe you created? “It was a green suede pump with black patent leather. It was basic – I used simple shapes to start with.”
As the daughter of Japanese immigrants in Brazil, did your heritage shape your work? “For sure, but I’m not very aware of it because I have always worked independently of culture or backgrounds. I’m not very nostalgic or patriotic in that sense. I’m an artist who creates shoes.”
Which designers influenced your early work? “I always admired Miuccia Prada and Dries Van Noten – and I still do. But I don’t let other designers influence me. I don’t think I’m less than anyone else. I work hard on my designs and I try to stay true to myself. For me, a designer has to have integrity with their creation. Copying doesn’t make anyone proud of their work.”