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Steiger, Walter

Walter Steiger is Swiss-born, and the scion of a family of shoe designers. Following a family tradition of fine shoe making, Walter Steiger began his world-renowned career as an apprentice to a Swiss shoemaker at the age of sixteen. It was here that he developed his appreciation and understanding of the art of fine shoe making. Using only the best materials, Steiger quickly learned that fashion and function were an inseparable combination in shoe design.

In 1962, Mr. Steiger arrived in London's Kings Road and worked at the Bally studio. He was quickly discovered by the late Lady Claire Rendlesham, at the time the fashion editor of Queen Magazine. Despite his young age, Steiger established himself as a major industry influence, capable of true innovation and creativity. Features in prominent international fashion publications were common, and following the opening of his London studio in 1966, Steiger's designs were showcased in numerous international fashion shows.

He opened his first boutique in Paris in 1973. Today, there are 30 exclusive boutiques worldwide, including New York, Milan, London, Madrid, Hong Kong and Geneva. There are also more than 50 shops located in the finest specialty stores, including Bergdorf Goodman.

While Steiger creates the finest fashion footwear for both men and women, his industry reputation is deeply rooted in his incredible women's footwear designs. Walter Steiger designs his shoes in Italy with meticulous detail, and each season, he creates nearly 100 unique women's footwear styles designed to reflect the current fashion trends and vagaries.

Due in large part to his early training as a shoemaker, Steiger's design are more than fashionable footwear, but rather uniquely combine top fashion, quality and fit. He has always believed that his footwear designs should support current clothing fashion. He has been working very closely with the most famous und influential couturiers in the world whose philosophy he shares - to create top fashion with simple lines and forms.