When, in the early nineties, all the major brands started using the same design format for all their stores and showrooms in the main metropolitan shopping areas, Spanish cult shoe label Camper did things differently, investing in identity through diversity. Camper created a unique design for each store depending on the city where it opened and the store designer in charge of the project. The list included a host of famous names most but not all of whom are Spanish designers: Javier Mariscal, Fernando Amat, Martí Guixé, the Memphis Gruppe and Shiro Miura.Camper enjoyed expressing humour and a love of design in this way. And, where the Mediterranean-style art of living and design is concerned, the name Jaime Hayon is naturally indispensable. Hayon's designs mimic the effervescent imagination of the designer, who knows how to use the widest variety of styles as references and mix and match them in ever new ways. After London, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Hayon has now transformed the Camper store in Milan into a curious wonderland. His shop-gallery concept is a colourful installation featuring drawings, porcelain and handmade furniture. Oodles of gold, white and red transform the retail area into the anteroom of a fairytale ballroom. And because everything at Camper revolves around shoes, - and maybe because this might easily be pushed into the background in this type of setting, Hayon has included shoes in the design. Not, as one might imagine, in a clownesque black and white but in one colour throughout. The inside lining, leather, characteristic Camper soles and even the shoelaces, everything on the shoe is in one and the same colour, either pink, pale green, blue, white or black. The cut of the shoe is classical. Slip-ons for men, based on the traditional English template, albeit with flat, coloured Camper soles, which make them look decidedly more sporty. A look, which stylises the foot to some extent, but still looks extremely soft and comfortable. The designer himself cites tap-dancing shoes as his reference. And one thing is certain, whether you're a gifted dancer or not, every step you take in these candy coloured shoes is sure to enhance your star appeal.www.hayonstudio.com
www.camper.com