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Amber Vittoria collaborates with Rollie to create shoes based on personal, feminist-focused stories

Focusing squarely on how women are portrayed in art, the work of New York-based illustrator Amber Vittoria is not only joyfully colourful but decidedly feminist in its outlook.

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Woman sitting on stairs next to colourful artwork and floating shelves, wearing beige top, blue jeans and pink trainers

Recently, the artist teamed up with footwear brand Rollie for a collection helmed by the brand’s designer Jean-Vincent Lebon that’s entirely based on her drawings and writings.

The collaboration came about when Vittoria cold-emailed founders Kat and Jean Lebon after seeing their artist collaboration with Paris based painter Etta Vee, according to the brand.

Three new styles have been launched, each incorporating different aspects of Vittoria’s gorgeous work. Lebon and Vittoria met to discuss the project, with the latter providing three written, semi-autobiographical tales about global feminist issues.

The range was created entirely based on these texts—a departure for Rollie, which usually works on a “product first” basis. “Usually the storytelling behind the brand’s collections are inspired by ideas that have already been prototyped,” says Rollie.

“The aim of this new approach is to produce wearable art that speaks to femininity and the female form through the lens of personal experience.”

Beige leather ankle boots with white cloud pattern and red glitter details on pink background scattered with white clouds
Five Rollie shoes arranged horizontally against a blue sky background with clouds and hand-drawn text, showcasing designs from Amber Vittoria's feminist-focused collaboration

Each shoebox features Amber Vittoria’s art and a postcard featuring writings that inspired the shoe: Head in the Clouds, for instance, is a screen-printed leather ankle boot featuring Amber Vittoria’s Painting A Sparkly Personality. Vittoria says that the boot “is a portrait of a woman with her head amongst clouds (and her literal feet are on the ground). This piece speaks to women who have been told they are too aggressive when asking for what they deserve, for dreaming big."

This Little Piggy, meanwhile, draws on the artist’s memories of her mother singing “ 'This Little Piggy' as she pointed to my toes, and I loved it,” she says. “It gave me confidence in the appearance of my feet, which were (and still are) on the larger and hairier side. The societal expectation of women and their feet is to be small, dainty, and smooth. This shoe helps remind me to always embrace the beauty of my feet and give them a shoe that champions who they are."

Finally, the Eyes Over Here, Buddy shoe was inspired by a moment when just after Vittoria’s meeting with Rollie, she was catcalled. “'You have that gym ass, yeah you with the brown purse and blue jeans,' to be specific,” she explains. “How he used what I was wearing to ensure I knew he was speaking to me was infuriating; in turn, these shoes are meant to be worn as a reminder to society that this still happens all too often."

Top and bottom views of a white canvas sneaker with grey dash pattern, Rollie and Amber Vittoria branding, and white laces against a pale yellow background
Pair of black leather Rollie loafers with hand-written feminist messaging on the soles and red circular Rollie logos on the tan insoles, against a light blue background
Pair of Rollie ankle boots with beige leather upper decorated with white cloud patterns and coral floral designs on the heel, displayed against a pink background
Pair of white Rollie trainers with hand-drawn pattern detail and red circular branding, displayed on pink background with black brushstroke design
Stylised illustration by Amber Vittoria of a person with orange shoulder-length hair, pink face covered in blue and white sparkles, closed eyes with long lashes, and a sad expression against a pale pink background
Pair of white Rollie sneakers with hand-drawn illustrations and red circular logos on a pale yellow background with black vertical marks
Amber Vittoria stands in front of a large colourful mural featuring abstract shapes, patterns and a stylised face in pink, red, teal and black tones
Woman from behind wearing a white sweatshirt with Amber Vittoria illustration standing in front of colourful abstract mural with geometric shapes and stylised face motif
Pair of black Rollie loafers with tan leather uppers featuring hand-written text and red circular logos on a light blue patterned background
Amber Vittoria x Rollie collaboration shoes displayed flat on a beige background, featuring three styles with feminist-themed illustrations and writings on their surfaces
Pair of black suede Rollie slippers with cream insoles, featuring hand-written white text reading "eyes open" and "here buddy" amongst colourful illustrated designs on a background of Amber Vittoria's feminist artwork
Two canvas trainers with cloud patterns displayed on illustrated cards and fabric swatches featuring Amber Vittoria's colourful feminist artwork and designs
White lace-up shoe with black dash pattern detail from Amber Vittoria's Rollie collaboration displayed on colourful illustrated artwork and rainbow striped paper
White perforated shoe with colourful patterned illustrations displayed on artistic prints featuring abstract shapes and designs
Pair of white canvas Rollie high-top trainers with black speckled pattern and red Rollie logo, displayed on Amber Vittoria's colourful illustrated artwork featuring stylised figures and animals
Pair of white Rollie canvas shoes with textured pattern displayed on colourful illustrated artworks by Amber Vittoria featuring feminist imagery and figures
Pair of Rollie slip-on shoes with cream canvas sides and black leather uppers, hand-written with white text reading "good vibes" and "more buddy
Pair of Rollie x Amber Vittoria black leather mules with white handwritten text reading "eyes open" and "hope bravely" displayed on colourful illustrated artwork background.
Person wearing rolled-up dark blue jeans and a patterned Rollie shoe with white and tan leopard-print leather standing on white steps with grey stair treads
White Rollie shoe with patterned insole displayed on colorful illustrated artwork featuring abstract shapes and feminist motifs by Amber Vittoria
Person wearing rolled-up dark jeans, magenta socks and a Rollie ankle boot with pink watermelon-print leather design and white trim, standing on a white surface with colourful artwork visible in the background
White shelving unit displaying folded jeans, patterned fabrics with Amber Vittoria's colourful illustrations, and pink Rollie ankle boots with socks
Amber Vittoria sits on a wooden stool in her studio, surrounded by framed artwork and colourful illustrations on pink-patterned walls
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