The shoe designer Marina Larroudé and the artist Gabriela Noelle were bound to hit it off. They share many similarities, starting with their Latin roots—Larroudé is Brazilian and Noelle is Cuban-American—and including their love of color and their creative natures. Not long after Larroudé bought one of Noelle’s whimsical “Toadstools” for her home in 2021, they met and became fast friends. Before long, they decided to work together.
Unlike Larroudé’s other collaborations, which come in short but sweet offerings of shoes, her collection with Noelle is more expansive: Six styles, including a mix of everyday flats along with party-ready mules, will be available for purchase on the brand’s website starting today. Floral acrylic decals adorn shoes in a range of colors from black and white, to bright neons. Larroudé is known for her fashionable, affordable shoes, but she also wanted to make a special, limited edition style highlighting the idiosyncrasies of Noelle’s art. Together, they produced a run of 40 pairs of the Gradient Full-Bloom Mule, which will come in numbered, custom-shoe boxes hand-drawn by the artist.
A hand-dyed shearling figurine from Noelle’s Imaginary Phriends series for Pharrell Williams, fetched $30,000 at auction; these shoes go for $450. “And once they’re sold out, they’re gone forever,” says Larroudé.
The collaboration is all about one-of-a-kind details. The Dew Drop Mule, for example, features gradient fabric at the sole, and the nature of the fabric ensures that no two pairs will ever be alike. “It feels super kooky,” Noelle adds. “You could buy two pairs—if you can get your hands on them—and you would have two different looks.”
Because Noelle’s work is based around interacting with real-life objects, she knew that it was essential for their collaboration to be available in a physical store. The immersive pop-up will open tomorrow in Miami’s Design District. Beyond selling shoes, Larroudé wants customers to surround themselves in Noelle’s work. “You’re going to see all her favorite things and experience everything,” says Larroudé. The goal for the artist is to ensure that visitors can immerse themselves in her colorful world. “I want adults to play dress up, to feel like kids again, and not to take themselves so seriously,” Noelle says. “You don’t have to be in a full business suit, and you can wear color, flowers, and high heels!”
Shop the Larroudé x Gabriela Noelle collection below.