It’s been an exciting couple of months for luxury footwear designer Chloe Gosselin. She has just earned her spot as a finalist for the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize, only two years after launching her namesake label. The French model-turned-designer may be new on the scene, but she’s far from green. Chloe has been a student of art and fashion her whole life; her collection expresses a storied understanding of shape, texture and a tradition of Italian craftsmanship. She got her start at the La Cambre Fine Arts Program in Brussels, and from there she entered the fast-paced world of fashion as an internationally acclaimed model. But after a whirlwind decade of travel, photoshoots, and runway work, she craved a way to express herself more creatively. She pursued shoemaking and production at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and Ars Sutoria in Milan, before launching the Chloe Gosselin brand in 2014. Soon she was catching the attention of celebrities like Madonna, Taylor Swift, and Kate Winslet. Her collection ranges from colorful, functional flats to exquisitely designed pumps, evoking feminine elegance and sensuality. She characterizes each style with the name of a poisonous flower—beautiful and dangerous, elevated by elements of exotic materials, bright colors and fierce design details. So when she travels to Los Angeles, where does this designer on the rise, mom, and fiancé of illusionist David Copperfield go for a drink? –Courtney Fortune
