Pavilion Parade Heirloom Couture Shoes

Who made my shoes? From coast to coast...

Pavilion Parade is a cherished project of fashion  designer Joanne Fleming, working in close collaboration with South African shoe designer Caryn Wilensky to create a custom collection of exquisite artworks for the feet, available exclusively via the Pavilion Parade online store and the bricks and mortar studio in Brighton.

Based in the seaside city of Brighton the studio was established 15 years ago, and gained a reputation for a detailed and romantic aesthetic which draws inspiration from other times and places, both real and imagined to create romantic gowns with a whimsical sensibility.

When Joanne first came across the fabulous shoe designs of beautiful Cape Town's Coast and Koi she was immediately captivated, and determined to see if there might be a possibility of working together on a collection. Hitting it off straight away with C & K  owner/designer Caryn Wilensky (a true artist and so much fun!), much discussion was had about how it might be possible to combine Joanne's love of antique textiles with Caryn's impeccable design eye and colourful bohemian Coast and Koi aesthetic.

So the Pavilion Parade 'Signature Collection' came to pass, named for the iconic Brighton Royal Pavilion across the road from Joanne's studio, and the similarly famous Art Deco Seapoint Pavilions of Cape Town, just across from Coast & Koi's mini souk boutique.

Joanne sources and curates the collection of antique fabrics, from across Europe and beyond, carefully cleaning and stabilising them in the Brighton studio before they are dispatched to South Africa where Caryn and her team work their magic to create those wonderful babouche inspired shapes with their elegantly elongated toes. These are then shipped back to Brighton for Joanne to add the embellishments; each combination is carefully selected from the studio collection of antique passementerie braids, fringes and tassels, and applied to best complement and reveal the beauty of the original textile. A true aesthetic collaboration.

Each pair of Loungers (the backless mule style) and Promenaders (the high back style) from the Signature Collection is a real labour of love and as a deliberate consequence of the use of antique textiles no two pairs are ever identical. When you purchase a pair you can be sure you will receive something unique with a special connection to the past that will  become a treasured part of your wardrobe for years to come.

In addition to the Signature Collection of bohemian flats created from centuries old textiles, we are excited to also offer the 'Recherché Collection'. This capsule collection (which will be added to on a continual basis) utilises some of the beautiful couture fabrics and embellishments used for Joanne's bridal and evening wear collections. These designs are made to order, so require an 8 week minimum lead time, and they are ideal for those who love the general look of the Signature Collection but are unsure about the antique nature of the textiles and would be more comfortable using modern materials (we recognise that the vintage look is not for everyone).

 Designer Joanne Fleming in Brighton

Designer Caryn and the Coast & Koi ladies team 

Aniefa, Moneeba & Najwa in Cape Town