MEET GORDANA D.

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to meet Gordana Dimitrijevicthe creator of the eponymous brand, and artistic director of Cosmoparis and Accessoire Diffusion (no less!). Her press attaché, Camille, got her to meet the whole French blogosphere, so I went there three years after the battle, because with the launch of Wear Lemonade, my diary and my work schedule were full. my titanic organization had been somewhat ransacked. So I went to 76 rue de Seine, Gordana's showcase boutique, on a beautiful sunny day, on the advice of Camille, who kept telling me that things were going to work out really well between us! Most of all, I was anxious when I got there, wondering what I was going to say about Gordana, because I had the feeling I was going to give you a rehash. But as you know, I'm a real shoe junkie, and when I pushed open the boutique door, it was love at first sight. A luminous encounter that feels good. You know, some people, if you spend a few hours with them, it's like going on vacation for a few days. Gordana has that effect. She gave me a breath of fresh air, I couldn't leave her side, she was so inspiring and had such an extraordinary background.

What struck me most was her determination to follow her dreams. In 1995, she left her war-torn hometown of Sarajevo for Paris. She left behind her family and her economics studies. In France, there was no equivalence for her diploma, so she learned that she would almost have to start all over again. Deep down, she wanted to be a fashion designer and decided that there was no better city than Paris to learn the trade... She learned French, entered the Berçot studio and was soon noticed for her work, but I'll let her tell you the rest... As you can see, I've fallen in love with her personality and her work. I admire her strength and her journey to achieve her wildest dreams. So I went back a second time to photograph his office, his materials, his archives, his drawings and his smile. I don't know if you remember when I introduced you to the work of KarunaI hope she inspires you as much as she inspires me! 

•  - Important question: Can you tell us about your career?

So in 1999, after the Berçot studio, I went straight back to Charles Jourdan as an intern in the licensing studios. So I designed everything but shoes. I took my courage in both hands and went to see the CEO of Jourdan to ask him for an internship in the shoe factory. After a 2-hour meeting, he said OK, you're off to Romans! I got my first contract as a stylist and the moment I set foot in the factory, I knew I'd found my calling. There's an in-house museum with treasures like all the work of André Perugia, Roger Vivier for Christian Dior and, above all, all the Jourdan collections... I never wanted to leave the factory again... I learned everything there, and it remains one of the most beautiful periods of my "career". I'd draw a model and go into the workshop to make it. I'd scratch wood to make models of heels, design jewelry, cut leather... It was magical to see a model come to life. Four years later, I decided to leave without really knowing where I was going, but as I believe that life always prepares us with beautiful surprises, there was another one waiting for me. A meeting with Bruno Van Gaver in 2004, during which he told me about his desire to create a shoe brand, but he didn't have a stylist... I said yes and left for China to create models for his newly-born brand: Mellow Yellow. It was another world and a new way of working... But the challenge was very exciting. Success was almost immediate. I divided my life between China and Paris, creating hundreds of designs for Mellow Yellow. Then, a few years later, I received a phone call in 2007 from Catherine Miran, a press attaché, who told me about a shoe brand that needed a stylist. I'd never heard of Cosmoparis, but I went for the appointment. That was my second professional crush on the Cosmoparis team. I'm still with Cosmoparis today, it's a real pleasure to work for them, they're my friends and our collection meetings or trips to the factories are a breath of fresh air for me. I love this brand and I love what we've done with it... Accessoire Diffusion is part of the same group and I signed the contract with the brand two years ago, so it's very different from Cosmoparis but the challenge is the same.

 At the same time, I enrolled at the Institut Français de la Mode and in 2011 I graduated with an M.B.A. with the idea of creating my own brand and opening my own boutique... The adventure took shape in September 2012 when I opened my boutique and saw my first models on the shelves...

• "Question wonderwoman": You're artistic director of Cosmoparis, Accessoire Diffusion and your own brand. How do you find your way around when you're looking for inspiration and in your designs? 

Maybe it's strange, but it's as if I have drawers in my brain for each brand. The approach is completely different for each brand, and I don't work on the collections at the same time. In the calendar it's Accesoires Diffusion first, then Cosmoparis and then my brand... but I'm scribbling down ideas all the time and everywhere, so I think it must be an ongoing process. None of the brands have the same needs, nor the same DNA. It's like 3 children at different ages, you can't look after them in the same way.

• –"Question de perspective": Today, you work for 3 brands, 3 different worlds. What is your professional goal?

Grow my baby (my brand) but I can't see myself not working for Cosmoparis or Accessoire Diffusion. It's necessary for me and important not to remain solely focused on my brand, because I learn so much from working for others.

• - Sex and the City question: What's the craziest pair of shoes you've ever designed? 

That's a tough question ... I've designed a lot of crazy models for Cosmoparis, some of which were never marketed. But I think the craziest is yet to come... Anyway, I'm never 100% satisfied with a model, and that's what keeps me designing.

• -Question groupie: Which shoe designer do you most admire?

Andre Perugia and Manolo Blahnik.

• - "Question compeed": There are a lot of vertiginous heels in your collections. Do you have a tip for beginners, a secret miracle recipe so you don't end up going home barefoot?

Wearing Gordana Dimitrijevic, hahahaha , my shoes are very comfortable, it's an obsession for me to make models that don't hurt my feet. I wear them, I test them, I correct them... A shoe shouldn't make its owner suffer. If I can give you some advice, never wear a brand-new pair of shoes to a party! Wear them at home to soften the leather and get used to the arch.

• -" Question guiness book": How many shoes can you find in your closet?

A LOT ... I don't know exactly. At one point I counted them and there were over 500 pairs. I keep a lot of the designs I've created for the brands I've worked for, so that helps to push the number up quite a bit. Some shoes are still in their boxes and have never been worn. I'm dreaming of a room where I can display them... maybe one day.

•  "Question madeleine de Proust: What was your first shoe crush?

My first pair of pumps, which I got for my 20th birthday. My ex-boyfriend bought them for me in Sarajevo. It was an unknown Italian brand, but they cost a fortune at the time. I left my country during the war and took only a small suitcase with me, and that pair of shoes I still have in my closet, but I've never worn them since Sarajevo.

•  "If you had to take just one object with you on a trip, what would it be?

My phone, I'm totally addicted to it, or my manicure set so I can finally get my nails done...

And because Gordana is such a sweetheart, she's offering you the chance to win a pair of shoes: les Belles en doré. It's easy, just play the interview game and tell me what's your first shoe memory? I'll draw lots on Tuesday at noon, and the results will be posted at the end of the article at that time! I'd like to give you a big hug and thank Gordana once again for her warm welcome and generosity! And thank you for this wonderful meeting. 

And the big winner is Maïlys with her Doc Martens souvenir! Maïlys, we're waiting for your e-mail address and shoe size!