A shoe designer in London
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Between comings and goings, the British / Brazilian footwear designer Mauro Slomp has many stories to tell and a lot of professional experience in his luggage. Linked to fashion directly or indirectly, Mauro Slomp has been immersed in London from the mid 80's and 90's, grounding his creative choices within the fashion / artistic scene that we know today. In the mid-1980s, the designer was already circulating in London's art scene and night-clubs such as Heaven and Pink Flamingo / Roof Gardens in the Kensington neighborhood (famous for having had the DJ Boy George at the time). Kensington was also visited by artists like Leigh Bowery, Grace Jones and Freddy Mercury among so many characters from the artistic / cultural milieu. This brought inspirations that have emerged from these independent / alternative and commercial fashion circuits. The result was the interest in seeking knowledge in creative areas upon entering the College of Architecture and Design (North London University), famous for having tutors such as the celebrated Zahah Hadid and other innovative artists / architects. Before settling in the UK, Mauro Slomp had already worked with samples of footwear with a famous importer in the Novo Hamburgo -RS cluster in the Brazilian leather / footwear sector. The academic experiences of Mauro Slomp were not limited to fashion.
Before joining the School of Architecture and Design in London, he attended the Bachelor in History, at PUC-RS. The entrance in the School of Architecture was based on the interest in history. In the process of creating the individual projects of each footwear, he classifies the reality of a context, which may be disguised or not. The process of creation renders the interpretation of colours, and objects / thoughts and behaviors that feed the soul and make people react with the world in which they live. What may be unreal to many, ends up being real for a creative interpretation. The linguistic / phonetic barrier was a provocative agent for his creations, he reports: "From the moment I made the first phonetic attempt, I saw that it would not be that easy to learn a complex language as English. This linguistic barrier was propelling me to explore my creative potential and the great British metropolis would play its part. "
The arrival of Mauro Slomp to the Shoe World happened due to his academic studies in Brazil and in the United Kingdom in the field of Architecture and Design. To be able to sustain his livehood and study at the same time, Mauro decided to accept a work opportunity offered by a friend, also a Head-Concierge at the famous Covent Garden Hotel in London - an unique reference in luxury design hotels and innovative approach to a new kind of “ home away from home” experience . In 1997.
Throughout his career as a concierge that spanned over 20 years at the Covent Garden Hotel, Mauro was able to feel/observe and visually enhanced his approach to shoe design in an unique context. Concierge work is often referred as “Mr. Fix“ of the hospitality and Mauro did not miss his opportunity to combine his expertise and flair with shoes and designs often asked by guests staying at the hotel and their need to have bespoke services.
This experience as a concierge in one the most prestigious hotel in World gave , according to Mauro “a direct contact with the guests´needs as they often were famous and discerning high profile CEO´s looking for a bespoke service“. The same clientele remain faithful to new designs galvanizing his reputation of “ the shoe- concierge “ – unique in the hospitality and the shoe world.
