My Black Suede Studio Lookbook
There are a ton of brands I wear and love, but only a few that I can’t shut up about. Black Suede Studio falls into the latter category. I’m obsessed with their shoes – they have an assortment of those incredible staple items as well as those rare and trendy eye-catching pieces. I have a bunch of their shoes in my wardrobe, from sandals that I take with me on every vacation to booties that really just finish the outfit and put it over the edge style-wise. The materials they choose and the cuts they create are unparalleled in their price range, and honestly, no matter if it’s a sandal or pump, bootie or mule, I get stopped on the streets and get asked where my shoes are from! It’s no wonder I wear the BSS collection on rotation.
Black Suede Studio launched in 2016 and has been a power house ever since. Based in Mtl, co-founders Kris Avakian and Anne-Marie Saint-Laurent created a brand that fits right in between two markets: high-end fashion at cost-effective pricing. The perfect mid-range! They’re after versatility and it shows. Timeless and classic, each piece can be worn day or night, fancy or casual, in the work place or at the club, and the list goes on. Fashion these days has no rules, and so to prescribe a pair of shoes with the one occasion limits our sense of creativity, and no one understands that better than little ol’ me. I love to mix and match prints and textures, and I love to break the rules. If I’m told that a petite silhouette should wear boyfriend jeans with high heels, then watch me pull out the sneakers or kitten heels. Break the mould and push boundaries, especially in fashion.
The brand and I are pretty aligned when it comes to our vision on what fashion is all about. It also helps that they’re local because I always support local! They have their own online store of course, but they are also available at some of my go-to stores like TNT. They have a great selection of sandals and pumps, flats and what not, but I sometimes it’s less about the shoe itself and more about what the shoe does to elevate the outfit.
Metallics hit the scene hard and aren’t going anywhere! I’ve been wearing my gold (and silver version) Karolina bootie since last spring and I still feel like a rockstar when I put these on. I’ve been known to be more of a stiletto kind of girl, but this block heel makes such a bold statement. I’m in love with these boots.
Floral-print shoes draw the eye downward and really add a pop of colour. Most people are a bit more conservative with their shoe choices, so they opt for black or brown, lately the metallic are a real winner, but nothing says personal style like a killer pair of floral booties – and the fact that they’re sock booties is just another level of yes. I debuted these showstoppers at Paris Fashion Week in October, and they’re worthy of every “stop and stare” moment they received!
The Layla is the perfect transition bootie, and sometimes when it’s not too slushy out there, I wear them in the wintertime! These shoes are the textbook image that would be pulled up if you googled transition bootie. For real, they are perfect for spring with a dress, fall with jeans, summer with jean shorts, winter with leather leggings.. need I go on? They can be worn casually or for the office – they really work any and everywhere.
The kitten heel is a perfect lower option for ladies who work or walk in heels all day long. The ultra-soft deep green bootie is so well constructed with its point toe and low heel. I pair these with jeans for the perfectly elevated day look or with a simple dress for evening wear.
Sometimes we find that brand that just gets us, and I know that no matter what they put out there, it’ll be something I love. Black Suede Studio is that brand for me. They hit the mark every time.
Photography by Patricia Brochu