Shoe brand Le Monde Béryl introduces its latest collection of flats featuring our iconic Leopardo velvet. Join us as we delve into the details of this collaboration through the words of the protagonists.
Artisanal Excellence and Artistic Fusion
Founded in 2016 by Lily Atherton-Hanbury and Katya Shyfrin, Le Monde Béryl brings a fresh perspective to classic footwear. Inspired by timeless designs such as Venetian slippers and riding boots, all of Le Monde Béryl’s shoes are hand-finished in Italy using sustainable practices and traditional techniques. Each piece prioritizes function, movement, and beauty.
Born out of a desire for stylish flats with clean lines and minimal branding, the founders draw inspiration from a variety of sources. A 70s movie scene, a Helen Frankenthaler painting, or ancient Greece might spark a design. “We envision where our shoes might travel,” says Hanbury.
Their backgrounds in gemology and art influence the brand’s name, referencing the Béryl family of gemstones, and their vibrant colors inspire Le Monde Béryl’s palettes.
Each collection aims for a classic feel that allows the wearer to express their own style. “Our shoes are sustainable, collectible, and designed to transcend trends,” say Atherton-Hanbury and Shyfrin. They envision Le Monde Béryl’s creations as cherished pieces that will remain relevant across time and cultures.
The brand’s founders are passionate about the artisanal craftsmanship found in Italy and have developed strong relationships with this community. Their first collaboration with Bevilacqua came in 2019 when Atherton-Hanbury and Shyfrin introduced the tiger velvet into their collection. It has been a popular mainstay ever since.
Le Monde Béryl’s Slippers in Bevilacqua’s Leopardo Velvet
2024 marks a new chapter in this collaboration with the launch of Le Monde Béryl’s footware collection made with Bevilacqua’s velvets. Among the new styles, the slippers in Bevilacqua’s striking Leopardo velvet.
Leopardo velvet is a fabric we designed in collaboration with Iris Apfel in the 1950s. It features a leopard pattern on luxurious silk velvet. It is offered in browns, yellows, and beiges, as well as a wide range of contemporary colors including black and white, vibrant hues, and soft pastels.
We also make Leopardo Cut Velvet, which is handmade on 18th-century wooden looms in a process so complex that it requires weavers with a great deal of training and experience. It also requires a lot of time and patience, because it is a process with ancient, slow rhythms that produces just a few inches of velvet per day, making it an exclusive and unique fabric.
“The setting of Bevilacqua, with its incredible wealth of history and craftsmanship, blends elements we strive to put at the heart of all of our Le Monde Béryl collections” say Atherton-Hanbury and Shyfrin.
Artistic practice and visual culture, both past and present, are strong reference points and sources of inspiration for the Le Monde Béryl collection. “By sharing a genuine moment with such an inspiring partner as Bevilacqua, during an event that literally started our brand, we hope to celebrate and highlight the importance of collaboration, while providing a unique insight into the rich tapestry and creative history of Venice,” says Shyfrin.
Connecting Art and Craft: Bevilacqua’s Legacy at the Venice Biennale
The Venice Biennale is a central narrative in the creation and evolution of Le Monde Béryl, while Venice has been home to our Tessitura since the 18th century. However, the Bevilacqua family’s roots in the textile world date back to 1499.
For the 2024 Venice Biennale, we are partnering with Le Monde Béryl to celebrate art, craft, and fashion with drop-in studio visits, giving guests the opportunity to experience the incredible performance of our looms.
We have been connected to the Venice Biennale since the beginning of the last century. Our collections have been displayed at the Venetian Pavilion, a clear acknowledgement of the connection between the world of art and our fabrics, which can easily be considered works of art by themselves.
“We believe that fashion is art because it is one of the many ways to bring beauty into our daily lives,” says Mr. Alberto Bevilacqua, CEO of Bevilacqua.
“The launch of the new Le Monde Béryl collection, featuring our iconic Leopardo velvet, in this creative and vibrant environment is the perfect demonstration of the ongoing dialogue between art, fashion, and tradition.”
“There are many joys to the Venice Biennale,” says Atherton-Hanbury. “It’s a wonderful way to see different cultural perspectives, unpicking a different worldview through the arts and it’s so inspiring the way the city embraces all of these different ideas and proposals. It’s like a visual outpouring and a coming together of established voices and emerging names in the art world.”
