Amanda Filipi lined the walls of her bedroom in our new apartment with pictures of shoes that she had saved out of old calendars. She packed the majority of her large closet with thousands of pairs of size seven heels, flats, boots, and other shoes. Clearly, Amanda liked shoes. It wasn’t until we had parted ways and over a year later that I had come to realize the true depth of her love for shoes. I knew she had taken a hiatus from studying accounting here in Denver and studied shoe making in Italy for a semester, but I had no idea she dreamed of making a livelihood by designing her own line.

In June of 2017, Amanda had posted a few of her designs on Instagram and I instantly new that this wasn’t just a hobby; it’s her calling. Her designs remind me of her soft personality and her impeccable sense of style. She has always worn a palette of pastels, paired with greys, white, and soft browns, generally simple but timeless pieces that complement her thin, feminine frame. The shoes she has designed so far carry a similar palette and timelessness. The leather is crafted into delicate shapes, the palette is soft and inviting, the style is flirtatious yet conservative, just like Amanda.

I was overjoyed to hear she wants to pursue designing shoes as a business. We paired our passions together, and I began photographing her creating her designs in September 2017. I wanted the images to look authentic and to incorporate the timelessness and delicacy of her shoes, but I wanted them to also be raw and show off the amount of talent, passion and even the mess that comes along with making shoes. I aimed at creating a brand for Filipi Shoes that reflected the shoes themselves and Amanda’s personality. It resulted in soft styled images, low in contrast, with a shallow depth of field, a smooth and calming palette, with an overall feel that is inviting and comfortable.

Currently, Amanda is working on designs for adults and a special line for infants called “Footsteps.” I am excited to continue to work with her as we plan a Kickstarter to fund the production of her designs. Hold tight, we are working on building content for marketing, and Amanda is working out the details with manufacturers before she launches crowdfunding. For now visit her website to learn more about her dream, style, and to support her passion! Also, stay tuned for an amazing video detailing her story made by my very talented friend Tony Halley.

The following photos are from both September 2017 and January 2018.

#design #photography #story