“A key moment was in 2016, when we first launched the opening of our three Paris flagship stores and established the brand within the European market,” Stephen recalls. Last year, Nicole Kidman wore a pair to the premiere of her film Bombshell, and a slew of other A-listers, from Anna Kendrick to Gabrielle Union, have also been spotted wearing the brand. There are now 125 points of sale across Asia in China, Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Their first flagship store opened in Shanghai in 2006. “Before I started Stella Luna, my travels and work made it increasingly clear to me that there was an underserved market of young, urban, stylish women living in the world’s most fashion-forward cities, who were looking for a selection of feminine yet cool styles every moment of their day,” he says.įrom there, Stella Luna’s rise to the top was swift. After all his years at the family business, he describes the conception of Stella Luna in 2006 as “the next logical step”, something that felt both natural and exhilarating. We’ve long been known for our mastery of design, development and manufacturing.Ĭollating his extensive experience and knowledge, and then identifying a gap in the market, Stephen set to work establishing his brainchild. My family’s company is one of the world’s leading developers and manufacturers of superior footwear products. It was that hands-on education from my time at The Stella Group – and the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next – that made it possible for me to found my own brand 10 years later.” It was exhausting, and hard work, but I loved every second of it and learned so much. “So I totally immersed myself in shoe production, working on the floor and experiencing firsthand what goes into every part of the chain of creation. “When I first started working for the family business in 1996, it was important that I mastered each and every step,” he says. We produce more than 55 million pairs of shoes a year – and that total keeps growing every year.”īut it was only once Stephen picked up the tools, so to speak, that he realised what was really involved in creating the perfect shoe. Major brands from around the world turn to us, drawn to our experience. We’ve long been known for our mastery of design, development and manufacturing, both for women’s and men’s casual and fashion footwear. “My family’s company is one of the world’s leading developers and manufacturers of superior footwear products. “They were obviously a big influence,” he admits. Today, they are responsible for making shoes for numerous high-end brands, such as LVMH’s Givenchy and Prada, ECCO and Timberland. Growing up, Stephen was afforded a behind-the-scenes look at the industry, thanks to his family’s shoe production company, The Stella Group. Stephen’s shoe education started at a younger age than most. I learned that if you’re open to accepting other ways of life and you’re adaptable, you’ll be able to experience the best the world has to offer. Add to that the world’s most advanced shoe manufacturing capabilities in China and you end up with a process that we have absolute creative control of, from start to finish, ensuring a type of excellence that few other brands can equal.” We have our Paris design team offices, as well as an incredible Italian team overseeing all our leather sourcing. “One is the modern attitude and the other is the unique international mix we rely on to transform that outlook into our final designs.
“Two clear elements set us aside from other shoe brands,” Stephen tells. And despite the over-saturated and highly competitive global shoe market, Stella Luna stood on its own. The outcome was a company that combined the best of multiple cultures – a seamless amalgamation of European design with Chinese manufacturing to produce an unrivalled level of quality. But the truth is, my personal design outlook is probably more influenced by the unique track that my life has taken more than anything else.”
“I’m proud of being Taiwanese and in awe of what the new generation of talent there is accomplishing today – there’s got to be something in the water that makes our small island such a world leader in design. “I learned that if you’re open to accepting other ways of life and you’re adaptable, you’ll be able to experience the best the world has to offer,” he says.
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