To celebrate the launch we interviewed Jane and Serafini owner Fabrizio Serafini to tell us more about their inspiration, the design process and how to style the latest designs.

Jane – why did you want to create an exclusive trainer collection, rather than boots or sandals?

Well it is fair to say that I am a shoe lover but I have a real soft spot for trainers. They are very versatile and I am so glad to see the trends changing over the last few years towards luxury trainers. Trainers are the new little black shoe. They can be styled with absolutely everything. The new generation have no idea but there was a time when you could only wear trainers with a pair of denim or playing sports. My French mum would never allow me to wear my trainers with a dress... now for me, the ultimate sexy outfit is a pair of trainers with a Yves Saint Laurent suit. My wardrobe actually counts more trainers than stilettos. So is felt natural for me to want to create trainers over any other type of shoe. There was no one else I wanted to realise this dream project with than the Serafini team. We have been working with Serafini for a few years and we could not ask for a better brand and expertise when it comes to luxury leather trainers. 

What do you love about the Serafini brand? 
Serafini has always offered the perfect combination of style and quality with a unique approach of combining fashion materials such as calf hair or velvet and metallic leathers. They are one of the few brands able to blend accessories, logos and layering of materials in a trainer. When we started working with Serafini, we noticed their ability to keep their Italian style but also come up with new models and material every season while never compromising on style or quality. Selling the brand in the UK has been amazing as Serafini brings a fresh, fashionable and very different style to the trainer market. Our customers are unique and value quality craftsmanship but also want to be wearing different styles than high-street uniforms.

Talk us through the design process, when did it begin?

After working with Fabrizio Serafini and his team for a couple of years, I always knew that they would be my first choice if I was crazy enough to create a collection of my own! We met up in Milan last year and began the design process; talking about the different styles, sketching designs and choosing the materials we would include. From then the research and development phase began, with the Serafini team sourcing the best materials and constantly refining and developing the designs until we were both very happy.

 

White glitter J Connors, £175

The white glitter trainers were the last style we designed with winter white in mind! Winter can be so depressing with darkness and cold, we wanted to create a sparkling trainer with a hint of winter magic. Also I am a huge fan of wearing white in winter!

The leopard trainers are a brilliant classic to have as a French woman; we all have a pair of leopard boots and trainers in our wardrobe. This is for me a great classic that is so versatile in any woman's wardrobe.

The velvet black trainers are such a fun addition - the gold metallic detailing is a chic touch, while the bees are playful and fun. The velvet J.Connors are always popular with our customers, they feel luxurious and decadent to wear.

Next up we talked to Fabrizio Serafini on the history of the Serafini brand:

Tell us about the heritage of Serafini
Serafini was the first Italian luxury sneaker brand from the early 2000s: marrying the world of sport with fashion trends and refined Italian materials for the first time. Moreover, we were the first to introduce fabrics traditionally only used in clothing such as tartan, Prince of Wales check, and satin to shoemaking - as well as our now-iconic embroideries.

What makes the Serafini shoes iconic?
Serafini sneakers are iconic for their unique ability to mix different materials such as calf-hair and leathers, high-tech fabrics and velvets. Furthermore, we are always in line with current style trends, thanks to our young, fashion-led design department.

How has the style evolved through 4 generations?
The first Serafini boutique was opened in 1885 in Arezzo: originally it sold leathers and only afterwards, in 1932, it evolved with the creation of the Calzaturificio Aretino and the production of high-quality traditional shoes. When I started working in the family company, I decided to carve my own original path. As I am passionate about sports (I am a tennis enthusiast!), I decided to create a new brand, SERAFINI SPORT, and a new type of luxury sneakers that could reunite craftsmanship and a more contemporary style. This was the idea behind our FLAT, which has been present in iconic fashion boutiques all around the world, and that still is one of our best-selling models. In the last few years, our brand has released new innovative models, such as our best seller J. Connors, which we chose as the starting point for our collaboration with My Fashion Tribu.

Which style is the bestseller?

Among all of our Women sneakers, our bestseller is definitely the J. Connors. Over the years it has been evolved with many colours and styles, and we have both laced and Velcro versions now.

Who is the Serafini woman?
The Serafini woman is young, refined, very attentive to style trends and fashion, and someone who wants a high-quality exclusive shoe that stands out from the crowd.

Talk us through the materials used to create the My Fashion Tribu styles.

We have remained faithful to our design signature - refined materials mixed together with expertise. The three variants each have different style personality: leopard print calf hair, white glitter, black velvet... there is something for every woman.

Tell us what you love about each style.

What we love most about these styles is that, while they follow contemporary trends, they are far from ordinary: thanks to our top-quality materials, they stand out from other sneakers. Moreover, they are really versatile and can be worn both during the day and in the evening, with jeans or a more elegant dress!