"Bitch, I’ve worn a pair for 13H before. I’m very confident."
Ganni x New Balance are teaming up for another collab, and this time they’re going big: For the launch of their new exclusive sneaker, they’ve worked with four different talents from the Cphfw Newtalent initiative and asked them to create their own versions of the new launch. But toss aside any ideas of red mary jane ballet flats, velour Birkenstocks or any other minimalist Scandi aesthetic, because Copenhagen-based designer Alectra Rothschild, the founder of Masculina, is sprinkling some fun, dark, dirty and sexy underground glamour magic onto her interpretation of the shoe collab.
Rothschild’s queer and countercultural designs have graced fashion icons like Michèle Lamy, Eartheater and Arca. She has worked under fashion most prestigious designers like Alexander McQueen and Iris van Herpen. In celebration of the Ganni x New Balance sneaker launch, the Masculina founder took it upon her to give the classic sneaker a new, daring twist – and turn it into a stripper heel.
How would you describe your aesthetic in a sentence?
Flamboyant, performative and glamorous!
Your work features references from both the ballroom scene and from queer underground clubbing culture. What fascinates you about these spaces?
They are FUN. No, but really: These spaces and especially subcultures are from which my label is born from. So maybe it’s not so much the spaces, but more the people in these spaces that I value a lot.
Your designs were worn by quite a few style icons, like Michèle Lamy. Who else would you like to see in your brand?
I think I actually dressed my ultimate icons like ARCA, Eartheater and Michèle Lamy. But seeing Lady Gugu Gaga in my designs would be fun!
You have trained under brands like Iris Van Herpen and Anne Sofie Madsen, which both are known for their impeccable constructions. How do they influence the way you work?
I think it influences some of the processes of my work. Also, Anne Sofie Madsen is a good friend of mine till this day. So we talk about fashion and culture together, which is fab.
What construction technique and design processes go into your AW24 collection?
There are so many techniques, my God! Ruffles, rushing, embroidery, leather work and creating my own latex from scratch – just to name a few.
What other aspects of craftsmanship would you like to try in the future?
I would love to get into shoemaking and make them myself!
For the Ganni x New Balance collab, you decided to create a hybrid stripper heel. Walk us through the process on how that came to be.
I work quite instinctual, so it kind of just came to me. I wanted to transform the shoe into a sort of sculpture. So I needed a platform for the shoe to be on and because I love heels I chose that as my platform!
Ganni, New Balance and your brand do vary widely in style. What was your first reaction to the project?
I like to work with things that don’t necessarily makes sense immediately, so it’s a fun challenge.
Is there a story behind the tape featured on the shoe?
It’s black gaffa tape. I wanted to recreate that scenario where if you break your heels on a night out, you would just fix it with gaffa for that night. We also used that reference for my show. Also, the coloring of the shoe is inspired by something I created with my bestie Proxy Server for another project. She also drew the fun little dolphin tattoo on the heels.
Your AW24 collection featured looks with stripper heels. What’s your personal connection to Stripperwear?
I wear pleasers when I go out. It’s a streetwalker heel and I love them!
Last, but not least: How confident are you in walking in platform stripper heels yourself?
Bitch, I’ve worn a pair for 13H before. I’m very confident.
The Ganni x New Balance collab sneaker launches today and is available via ganni.com.
