Pintta Shoes: A Fashion-Forward Step into Luxury
Luís Contreiras’ unique luxury shoes are artisan-made with bold style, high quality and your comfort in mind.
When and where did you first begin?
Close to the area where I worked as an image consultant, a shoe store opened up that gave you the opportunity to personalize shoes with any colour and material you wanted. So, I designed some shoes in my style.
The creativity in my design was so unique, that the manufacturer called the store to ask if the customer really wanted those materials and colours. They were startled as they usually only made brown and black shoes for men, but I had asked for leather with zebra timbre, mixed with fuchsia pink and lemon yellow, and a black grease finish to keep it aged.
The shoes arrived on a Friday and I was going to Milan on Saturday, so I tried them on and did not take them off during my entire trip in Milan. There was not a showroom, shop, or street where I was not asked what brand the shoes were and where they could be purchased. I took this as a sign that the world was willing to try different things.
This is Pintta, it does not go unnoticed and inspires the desire to own Pintta as well.
Where does your design inspiration come from?
My inspiration comes from a set of factors of; use, comfort, quality, and style. My source of inspiration is a modern man, who is without prejudice, culturally informed and greatly appreciates the details and sensations that each piece gives him.
A Pintta sneaker or shoe involves a lot of work and dedication, as all of our products are handmade. Each model goes through several processes of development up until its completion.
The shoes are designed manually and with thought for the smallest detail; the lining, insoles, handles, strips, pins, metal parts, soles, colours, leather, fabrics, et cetera. All of this is thoroughly thought out and all models are created with the intention of being used.
Everything I create, I always do as if it were for me. There is no model that I would not be able to wear.
Describe your brand in 3 words.
Quality, comfort, and style.
What is the most difficult aspect of running your own label?
The most difficult aspect is the distance I am from the factories, because I have to travel at least 1200km between coming and going.
Dayton Black & Red Oxford Shoes
Which part of the creative process do you enjoy most, and least?
What I like to do most is to draw, mix colours and materials, and create something new.
The thing I enjoy least are the difficulties that I sometimes encounter in the execution of my ideas.
Do you have a mentor?
My mentors are the customers.
How long did your latest collection take to create?
This last collection cannot serve as a reference as due to the situation with the pandemic, it took us about 5 months to complete it.
Under normal circumstances, it takes between 3 to 4 months, from creation to completion.
What are your future plans?
The onset of the pandemic has affected our plans. However, we maintain our ambition to grow the brand internationally whilst keeping a high level of detail and quality.
Which pieces do you think everyone should have in their wardrobe?
Any Pintta shoe or sneaker will make all the difference in any wardrobe. Good shoes, a good watch and if possible, good hair, are the most important factors in any look. Everything else is an accessory.
What attracted you to The Clothing Lounge?
Its modern aesthetic and fashion-forward thinking.