Sidney Toledano’s daughter launches shoe brand

Julia Toledano has ventured into the world of design away from the brands and businesses led by her father Sidney Toledano, who is one of the Spain’s most renowned figures in the luxury sector. He led Dior for 20 years, and is now chairman of the LVMH Fashion Group, which owns brands including Givenchy, Loewe and Céline.

Julia Toledano has made her design debut with her own footwear brand, Nodaleto, inspired by her Spanish and Moroccan roots. The label follows a strategy embraced by brands such as Spanish-British shoe label Miista and German brand Aeydé, which have gained a strong social media following by showcasing their striking, comfortable designs made locally.

“My father has followed the project from afar. I don’t want to sound hard, but I didn’t want him to be involved,” the designer said in an interview with Efe.

Toledano, who has become a well-known figure in the industry for attending fashion shows with her father and friends, was a journalist until two years ago, when she decided to study fashion design in London and then travel to Italy to learn the craft of shoemaking.

“I have an understanding about product [thanks] to my family, that is why I decided to make the shoes in Venice, Italy. Since I was a little girl I have known that Italy represents luxury, and it was important to me to contribute the know-how I have gained during my life,” she adds.

According to Toledano, her father (born in Casablanca in 1951) gave his blessing only once the project was completed. The brand has been in the works for a year in partnership with Olivier Leone, artistic director.

The first collection, set to go on sale online and in selected stores in Paris, such as the famous Bon Marché Rive Gauche, in the coming months, will introduce Nodaleto’s aesthetic: block heels for everyday wear, square toes and a '70s look.

“The goal is to sell online but also in physical stores, because the brand’s spirit and universe are very important to us and they cannot be fully conveyed online. However, our identity will focus strongly on social media,” she adds.

Leather ankle boots, flat mules with metallic heel spurs in white, brown and especially orange shades - Nodaleto’s signature colour in reference to Andalucia - are part of the debut range.

According to its founder, the brand’s warmth is represented by conveying the essence of her family’s roots: Morocco, Spain and the south of France.

“I think it was very important to us. My grandfather always spoke Spanish at home. As a child, I remember him as a tale of transmission of values and culture. This has joined my obsession with the '70s and architecture in the new brand,” she says.

Currently, after a presentation in Paris, Nodaleto has attracted a thousand followers on Instagram, supported by veteran French fashion journalist Sophie Fontanel, who has worn several models, and fashion influencer Gala Gonzalez.