Designer Katie Revie. Image supplied.
Katie Revie founded her eponymous footwear label REVIE in 2014 and opened her flagship boutique in Ponsonby in 2016. The designer creates contemporary pieces that have a timeless appeal and utilise her architecture training. Clean design and sustainability are at the heart of Katie’s business with REVIE’s shoes ethically manufactured in Portugal in a factory that adheres to the Social Accountability 8000 standard ensuring ethical working conditions and labour laws.
We caught up with Katie to find out more about her brand, what inspires her and what you would never catch her wearing!
Tell us about your latest collection?
Our latest collection is a refined classic range of shoes with punches of colour and metallics along with strong linear lines. Timeless footwear for the modern day lady!
What made you become a designer?
I have always designed and been interested in fashion. When I was a little girl I used to change outfits 4 or 5 times a day and when I was old enough I learnt to sew so would be fashioning outfits and accessories out of what ever materials were on hand. I went on to complete a Masters of Architecture before launching REVIE. So I guess it was all a fairly natural progression.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by art, texture, and nature. I like to analysis structure and construction within different forms of design whether it is the tailoring of coat, design of a building, or structure of a chair, it’s inspiring to see the unison between the micro and macro scales in relation to the human form.
Footwear from REVIE’s Summer 18 collection.
Describe your personal style and how it influences your designs?
I love clean tailoring and natural fibres. I value quality construction so you will often find me in a shirt or blazer paired with some beautiful pants. I also enjoy playing with scale so wide leg pants, full length coats and layering. This comes through in my shoe design with clean masculine shapes, colour blocking, and metallics injected to create some femininity. I am also aware of ensuring that something looks interesting from afar as well as up close; a balance between clean strong lines and refined detailing tends to be the trick with this.
What is your all-time favourite purchase?
A few years ago I purchased a coat from a second hand store, it doesn’t have a label but it’s beautifully crafted and tailored almost like origami. It’s a strong dramatic design in a petrol coloured linen wool blend. I find it so interesting that something so soft can have such a strong presence – I love it and I know I will keep it forever!
What wardrobe item should everyone invest in?
A beautiful tailored blazer and silk shirt – you can’t go wrong and it will never go out of fashion!
Do you have a style rule you always obey?
To have fun with what you wear!
Footwear from REVIE’s Summer 18 collection.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
My first repeat customer – it was so fantastic realising that your customers appreciate the quality and integrity of the product you have developed and produced and believe in it as much as you do. It is exciting to see so many New Zealanders becoming more conscious of what they are buying, the life cycle of a product and the impact this has on the planet.
What can’t you live without?
Sunglasses! I’m not sure whether it is because of our harsh light but I always have to have my sunglasses with me and am dismayed the few times I forget them!
Finish this sentence – You would never catch me wearing…
White sneakers – I have just never liked them!
Images supplied.