Reach the height of chic in four-inch heels

I take great care in designing each pair of shoes. To me, they are works of art,” says Monica Figueroa. Indeed, while her shoes may look utterly simple in shape, the Monica Fig line is characterized throughout by an elegant sense of proportion, quality craftsmanship, meticulous attention to detail, and a chic, fresh perspective.

Figueroa takes full advantage of the available materials presented to her and tries to understand how each one can be utilized to its full potential. Thus, each piece in her collection is crafted from a bevy of exquisite materials — mixing exotic animal skin with lace, satin, or hemp, for instance — with exactly the right amount of embellishment to highlight the fundamental design and keep things interesting.

“I like to be unpredictable,” reveals the young designer, who refers to unexpected sources of stimulation — from history, film, books, down to her very own kitchen. “Sometimes, inspiration strikes when I’m on an airplane or when I get up in the morning, so I always have a pen and a piece of paper with me.” Figueroa insists on designing for the moment — staying clear of current trends — but she is quick to point out: “My shoes aren’t just fancy footwear. Quality and comfort will never be compromised.”

Head for the heels: Neutral hues and dramatically high heels are signatures.

She is happy to have found her distinctive signature style at an early stage, favoring neutral hues and dramatically high heels. A product of Cebu’s young creative community, this half-German half-Filipina likes to communicate most of her ideas through design. Although a newcomer in the industry, Figueroa has been steadily expanding her expertise in the craft of shoemaking over the last three years, spending a lot of time working on the production of her one-off shoes.

She personally attends to the feet of young brides and socialites, making sure that they are more than pleased with the results.

With a creative eye, a taste for fashion, a feel for construction, and, best of all, a nose for business — she’s armed with a business degree — Monica Figueroa has all the makings of a successful shoe designer and is certainly well on her way to becoming one.

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Monica Fig is available at Jun Escario, Greenbelt 5 and Debbie Co, Jupiter Street, Makati City.