The Shoe Girl's Blog: Queen of LA

6.02.2009

Queen of LA

I went to LA yesterday with my friend Caroline and we had no idea what we were in for. I thought I was just going to get some hot shoes, but I was wrong. Well, no- I did get some hot shoes- but that wasn't the best part.

Best part? BETTER than these amazing Charlotte Olympia pumps?

Well, hopefully you watched Ru Paul's Drag Race on Logo. If so, I'm sure you know who SHOULD have won. Yes, the amazing- the beautiful Ongina. Oh how I love her. And as luck had it- she happened to be at Diavolina at the same time as me.

I totally had a star struck moment and gushed a little about how amazing I thought she was... and she was totally sweet! She told us that she was performing at a drag show that night at Mickey's on Santa Monica Blvd. I mean, HELLO!!! I was not about to miss that!

So my quick trip to LA turned into a fun filled day of shopping, killing time, watching a movie, and eating all 3 meals out until finally- 10pm came and we were off to the bar.

Ongina greeted us with big hugs and promises of a good show- and let me tell you, she didn't disappoint.

Bitch makes me look hideous. Totally not fair.

I mean seriously? She's so beautiful!! And the shoes?!?!?! No wonder I love her.

She was bangin it out in some serious heels. I don't know who the first are by, but I'm sure you all recognize the second pair (Giuseppe Zanotti) and the third (Stella McCartney)

You go girl.

Anyway, so that was my day in LA. It was definitely one for the books! I also got a pair of beautiful boots... but I'll save those for later.

14 comments:

melai brattygurl said...: what a lovely blogsite!
kudos!
keep it coming :)
i'm now a fan :D; June 2, 2009 at 9:28 PM
MsVeve said...: Aww love the pumps you bought, rad. and nooo, Ongina so does not make you look hideous, oh pleeease. But I do love the Stella heels from the last pic, would totally rock out in those;)

inyourfacefashion.blogspot.com; June 2, 2009 at 11:46 PM
Jessie P said...: Hahahaha my favorite post in a while. What a day! Cute pumps; June 3, 2009 at 12:33 AM
Caitlin said...: charlotte olympia is my new obsession. i WILL find a way to get a pair!

xx; June 3, 2009 at 4:41 AM
sexy legs and body said...: Great blog!! love your pics.; June 3, 2009 at 8:00 AM
Evelyn said...: I liked Ongina too!! That's awesome that you got to meet her!!; June 3, 2009 at 8:25 AM
Sydnie said...: Those shoes are amazing! I'd kill for pumps like those.

Sydnie
www.takemeouttotherunway.blogspot.com; June 3, 2009 at 10:38 AM
Anonymous said...: Love the olympia's!!!! did you see harajuku wedges on the today show (think on monday); June 3, 2009 at 3:31 PM
Jessie P said...: The Today show?! What I would give to have Matt Lauer reporting on my shoes. wohoo!!
xoxo; June 3, 2009 at 8:26 PM
Anonymous said...: sorry!!!!!!...meant the Early Show CBS the harajukus

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5054149n; June 4, 2009 at 12:42 AM
Neira said...: what gorgeous leopard pumps
ahh in love

love your blog darlin!

xoxo
neira; June 4, 2009 at 8:58 AM
sparklingpinkgorilla said...: I want a pair of leopard pumps so bad, but these exceed all the ones I've seen so far!; June 4, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Caroline Bui said...: BEST DAY EVER!!!! Hands down. Every Minute got better than the last. Got a kit kat. AHAHAH

XO Caroline Boobie; June 5, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Jill said...: Just found your blog! LOVE it!; June 18, 2009 at 7:46 AM

Bio (blah blah blah...)

So, a little about me and why I think I can call myself The Shoe Girl.

My name is Celine and I grew up in Huntington Beach, California. I like to joke that I was born in high heels, and although that's obviously not true, I was born with the love of shoes in my blood.
My father, a former professional soccer player, came to the US from Morocco in the 70's. He started off as a shoe salesmen and had a natural talent for it. He worked his way up and eventually co-founded a company called French Follies. They made cute little espadrilles and ballet inspired shoes. From there he went on to Guess and Charles David footwear, where he eventually became President of the company and brought it to its height of popularity in the late 80's.

I was so lucky to grow up around shoes. I was the only girl in the 8th grade wearing the kick ass ankle boots Guess was famous for... and remember those Guess jellies?? Yep. I had those too. And at a whopping hundred bucks a pair, let's just say I made a lot of new friends when I came to school in those! That's the first time I felt the power of a hot shoe.

In the 90's, my dad left Charles David/Guess Footwear to pursue a new venture... Bebe Footwear! It was his first shoe license, and it was super successful. Soon after he started his own line with his namesake, Joey O. Since then his company has held the exclusive licenses for L.A.M.B. Footwear, Harajuku Lovers footwear, Charles Jourdan footwear, Laundry by Shelly Segal footwear, Antik Denim footwear, Playboy footwear, Zinc foowear, Hale Bob footwear, Badgley Mischka footwear, Mark and James by B.M. footwear, Betsey Johnson footwear, Betseyville footwear, Jill Stuart footwear, JLO Footwear, and True Religion Footwear. Awesome, right!? :) did I type "footwear" enough?

So... like I said, shoes are in my blood! I realized this at an early age, when I would go into my mom's closet and pull out her shoes and clear off my book shelves, fill them with shoes, and put a sign up that said "Shoe Show". I didn't really know what it meant, other than that was where my dad was always flying off to. Shoe shows. I wanted to be a part of it!
I went to design school in Milan, Italy when I was 20. My professors at Ars Sutoria taught me all about making shoes, including sketching, pattern making, leather tanning, and lots of technical shoe stuff. It was intense.

From shoe school to designer! After graduating from my shoe program I went back home and started working as the assistant to the designer of my dad's company, Titan Industries. At the time, we were only making bebe and Joey O Footwear, and were about to go after our second license, JLO Footwear. I was a part of that project and I loved it! It was so exciting putting what I had learned to use. I was off to China and working my butt off. I was the assistant to our head designer for a little over a year when I got offered the job of taking over as the designer for Playboy. It wasn't anything I had ever thought I would do, but it was a chance to be my own designer! No more assisting!!! I took it! Then, a few months after accepting the position as designer for Playboy, I was offered another line; Zinc footwear! I took it!!! I loved working with Zinc. The clothing was cute and the shoes were much more "my style". Later still, I was given the job as designer of JLO footwear.

I launched the debut collection (and every collection thereafter) for Harajuku Lovers in August 2008, and in May of 2009 I took over as designer of Betsey Johnson footwear until Steve Madden bought out the company in October of 2010.

Currently I'm designing for Bebe footwear and just launched my own line, Cece L'amour, which I am very excited about.

I love my job! I get to work with shoes every day. It's my job to look at shoes in magazines, online, in stores, and on the streets. It's a dream job honestly, and I feel lucky every day. My obsession is my job... So cool!

So anyway, here I am. Here's my blog. I hope you've enjoyed reading it so far. It's been fun for me and I hope that shows. :)

6.02.2009

Queen of LA

14 comments:

My Life in Heels