Introducing Christen: The Hot New Brand From The Designer Behind Bottega Veneta and Loewe’s Cult Shoes
Having created waitlist-worthy shoes for everyone from Loewe and Bottega Veneta to Celine, NINA CHRISTEN has unveiled her own brand of expertly crafted footwear. Here, GILLIAN BRETT talks to the Paris-based designer about craftsmanship, new categories and what it takes to design a cult shoe
Nina Christen may not be a name you’re familiar with – yet – but you will certainly have spotted her designs on the runways, on the feet of the most discerning tastemakers and going viral on your feed. Loewe’s irreverent embroidered ‘Balloon’ and ‘Foam’ pumps, Bottega Veneta’s ‘Lido’ sandals and ‘Puddle’ boots, Celine’s cult rubber Chelsea boots and The Row’s sought-after flip flops were all conceived by Christen. More recently, solidifying her status as a ‘designer’s designer’, she’s been hired by Jonathan Anderson as design director of shoes at Dior.
While anonymity is a desirable aesthetic in the fashion world (see: The Row and Maison Margiela), the Chilean-Swiss designer is about to be thrust into the spotlight as her own namesake brand – which she launched late last year – is moving beyond the fashion set’s best-kept secret. “I felt it was the right moment, having worked for so many different brands,” says Christen of her motivation to branch out. “All these varied experiences really made me practice and go into the depths of different techniques, and also find my own voice.”
Christen is fresh off the spring/summer ’26 show season, where she worked alongside Anderson on his much-anticipated Dior debut, conjuring some of the most-talked-about shoes of Paris Fashion Week. Her USP lies in creating directional, out-of-the-box designs that are still desirable and, crucially, wearable – drawing on an unexpected array of inspirations, from science to biotech. “I create to create beauty in the first place,” says Christen. “Because I think shoes, more than other accessories, can evoke a certain type of emotion [that] you can’t control. When you see a shoe that you want, you’re like, ‘Oh my god, I need it.’”
“The factories are absolutely crucial; I only work with the best suppliers in the world
”Nina Christen
Christen’s shoes, which have just launched on NET-A-PORTER, do indeed induce instant desire, with styles that are at once contemporary and timeless. “I met Nina over a year ago and fell in love with her work right away,” says NET-A-PORTER chief buying and merchandising officer Brigitte Chartrand. “My favorite part was when she spoke about how she creates shoes thinking they are miniature cars; I loved that analogy. I ended up getting five pairs last spring and I love them all.”
Chartrand’s top pick from the NET-A-PORTER edit is a pair of flat black over-the-knee boots with a slouchy fit and a shearling-lined footbed, which means they can be worn barefoot in winter. There are also sculptural black ankle boots in a luxurious bespoke leather that will become a workwear go-to; buttery-soft leather knee-high boots with a sock-like fit and trending tabi split toes; minimalist loafers in a square-toed silhouette that can be filed under ‘forever pieces’; and, the pièce de résistance, shearling-lined croc-effect leather sandals with a lacquered heel and, cleverly, an outsole with a rubber anti-slip finish.
Each of Christen’s designs are expertly handcrafted in Italy. She uses factories that typically work with major luxury maisons only, but after years of collaboration on complex designs and building trust at other fashion houses, they are now crafting footwear for her own brand. “The factories are absolutely crucial; I only work with the best suppliers in the world,” says Christen. “I appreciate them enormously on a personal level and I respect them very much.” She recalls the intricacies of creating Bottega Veneta’s cult ‘Lido’ sandal, a square-toed design known for its puffy, rubber-injected intrecciato woven leather that was spotted on everyone from Rihanna to Katie Holmes. “The ‘Lido’ sandal was made in a very special, very specific way. To be able to have such a large volume on the shoe, we needed to use a machine that was usually used for men’s shoes,” she explains. “I’ve never stopped at a ‘no’. I always keep trying and the technicians who work with me also push and try to find solutions for the things I ask for.”
Having studied fashion design at the Institut Français de la Mode in Paris, Christen became obsessed with exactly these kinds of architectural challenges that a shoe can present – it needs to be technically perfect and comfortable, as well as visually arresting. But she’s not stopping there. We speak just before she boards a flight to LA to meet with architecture practice Sala Hars and multi-disciplinary artist Azadeh Shladovsky, with whom she’s collaborating on the design of the first Christen store, which will open on the storied Rue de la Paix next year and will also stock ready-to-wear and fine jewelry. “Instead of working on collections, I work on each piece separately. I’ve worked on denim made in Japan, and I’ve created a new denim fabric. I’ve worked on jersey, on T-shirts – also made in Japan in a very traditional way. I’ve started to work on fine jewelry in Italy. I want to create amazing pieces, not necessarily a lot of them. And so, there is going to be a classic assortment accompanying the shoes in the store.”
The designer’s personal style is ultra-pared-back, with the shoes providing a twist. “I’m obsessed with clothes – obsessed to the point that I almost wear nothing. I want the perfect pair of jeans, the perfect pullover, the perfect T-shirt. I studied tailoring and patternmaking originally, so I’m obsessed with cut. The Christen vision is really all about simplicity: classic garments executed in the best technique and in the best material possible.” While she sets about conjuring the perfect wardrobe, shoes will always be her main passion. “I think the shoes have to really shine. It’s almost like the clothes are the accessory to the shoe.”