Raphael Young, The Shoe Sculptor

In just a short period of time, the youthful Raphael Young has produced a highly sought-after footwear line with the simple combination edgy design and quality craftsmanship. He received mentorship at an early age from his uncle, Alexandre Narcy, who was a shoe designer for Yves Saint Laurent and is considered one of the great shoe masters of his time. Raphael was only 14 when his uncle took him to a YSL fashion show featuring shoes he had designed. It was at this moment that he knew he too wanted to design shoes. Raphael’s father, however, had aspirations for his son to become an engineer and didn’t consider designing a real job. Owing to this, Raphael spent some time studying physics and mathematics and enlisted in the Navy, all before perusing design. “I only went into the Navy for the uniform,” Raphael joked with Paul Viguire, his publicist. After being kicked out of the Navy, he decided to follow his passion and embark on a career in shoe design. Against his father’s wishes, he moved in with his uncle in Paris and began the process of becoming a designer. Raphael’s uncle helped him through fashion design school while simultaneously teaching him all he knew about the traditional shoe craftsmanship.

Today Raphael has his own label which launched over a year ago and is making a splash in the world of fashion and art. A self-proclaimed perfectionist, Raphael said, “When a collection is finished, I have given it so much, all 100% of myself for so long that when I am done with a collection, part of me dies and disappears with the collection. I can no longer look at my collection when I am finished because all I see are flaws.” Raphael’s shoes are truly sculptures for your feet. They have such a geometric yet fluid composition which gives the shoes, and the wearer, a monumental presence. The attention to detail, use of the highest quality materials, and the precise craftsmanship of these shoes truly make them one of a kind, an irreplaceable object to own. One pair of Raphael’s boots, actually one boot in the pair, has over 900 hand-applied studs. The dedication and time invested in crafting these beautiful masterpieces is demonstrated in every piece. This is what makes Raphael Young’s designs so unique; his shoes are about the beauty of the shoes themselves, not mass production.

From New York and LA to Seoul and Paris, Raphael Young is carried in high-profile boutiques throughout the world. Raphael has also demonstrated his artistic talents in designing handbags and scarves, which are as unique and amazing as his shoes. Raphael Young’s shoes are beautiful, one-of-a-kind sculptures that you can wear and show off. Owning a pair is more of an investment in your art collection and yourself rather than just another trendy pair of shoes.

For more information on Raphael Young please visit,
www.RaphaelYoung.com.

by Audrey Lea Curry