Photographed by Genevieve Garruppo
Back in 2009, around the same time I began photographing interiors and architecture, I came across a pair of bright-red
United Nude shoes. I was instantly attracted to the geometric shape of the pumps, and subsequently fell in love with the story behind the brand: a design-world fairy tale in which world-class architect Rem Koolhaas teams up with Galahad Clark, a seventh generation shoemaker from England. And like that, a brand at the cross-section of architecture and fashion was born. "We ended up breaking the rules of shoes, not for the sake of breaking them, but simply by not knowing them," says Koolhaas.
Courtesy United Nude
Naturally, the Netherlands native is also responsible for the interiors of the brand's stores. Inside the New York flagship, he created a faceted sculpture shaped like a sleek, futuristic concept car, reminiscent of the company's
Lo Res Lo ballet flat, which is molded from a single piece of rubber. This Tuesday through Thursday, New Yorkers can shop United Nude's biggest ever sample sale, where the offerings will include five-inch heels designed in collaboration with a Dutch street artist—at 85%—off and the company's signature sculptural flats, discounted by 45%. Don't miss it!
United Nude 146 West 29th Street, NYC.