Gianvito Rossi was born into the art and craft of show making with his father being none other than Italian shoe maker Sergio Rossi. Gianvito is a perfectionist, never missing a step in the process to ensure dedication meets perfection that details luxurious Italian craftsmanship and ooze elegance.
The iconic Plexi pump seamlessly combines elegance and modernity. The toe box and heel are made from the softest suede and the transparent PVC panels (perforated for breathability) combined with the slim heel adds to the sensuality. This particular yellow suede pair came in looking significantly loved. The yellow had lost its vibrancy, dotted with stains and scuffs of the heels. The goal was to bring new life to them but dyeing them a rich navy.
All items coming in for dyeing must go through a special clean, whether well loved or as good as new. This is because when they are ‘finished’ they have a protective layer that stops any immediate wear and tear, and any dye from adhering to it. The finishing needs to be stripped before we can proceed with any work to ensure the dyes penetrate the fibres evenly.
As dyes are a transparent liquid, the base colour of the shoes and in this case, yellow, will affect the outcome of the final colour. When thinking about colour theory, the risk here was that using a navy dye on yellow would generally result in a rich emerald colour. With the aim to end up with navy, we aimed to achieve this by building up layers and using a specialist mix of dyes.
Our expert dyeing artisans will test on a piece of suede with a matching base colour to show the client the intended results ensuring they approve before we go ahead. Once approved, a batch of the correct dye colour is made which is bespoke for each client depending on their desires.
A few layers are applied in a lighter shade to ensure everything is even which resulted in a rich emerald green colour as shown in the picture above. Each layer needs to dry before the next so the layers are consistent and even. The more layers, the closer we get to the perfect shade of navy.
Once we have our final colour, a final clean is given to revive the fibres and the PVC and a protective sealant is used. We love the end result with this pair as navy contrasts with the pop of yellow on the insole. Head to YouTube to see the lovely Victoria of IntheFrow talk us through her #UnboxingTheRestory approx 20 minutes into the video.
If you’re looking to reimagine your shoes or bag, get inspired with some of our Case Studies including dyeing Manolo Blahnik, a redesign of a YSL clutch or recolouring a chanel bag. Our team can bring your ideas to life or create designs to inspire you, get in touch today to discuss.
