When you finally achieve superstar status, be it in Hollywood or within your own realm of stardom, it’s a must that your styling and grooming game gets stepped up accordingly. Image is everything in the entertainment industry, especially within todays highly influenced Hip-Hop culture. To maintain that “superstar status,” there are many fashion houses including Sean John, Rocawear, Parish, LRG, Black Label and Christian Audigier’s Ed Hardy that cater specifically to the desires of today’s celebrities. Sure, they provide the hottest designs in shirts, jeans, outerwear and accessories, but one thing that must not be forgotten is the need for hot footwear to accentuate the entire ensemble. And J’Adore’s not talking about your regular shoe designs that are readily accessible at your nearest neighborhood mall. We’re talking about shoes that are rare, shoes that are extraordinary, shoes that speak to the individual personality of those that wear them. After all, fashion is an individual statement and the right shoe can go a long way to convey that accurately. We’re talking about Orravan Designs.

For those shoe fanatics that continue their never ending search for shoe immortality, Orravan founders Pierre Navarro and Arnaud Ribeaux urge you to search no more. Together, this young, exciting and ingenious duo is ushering in a new era in rare, collectible footwear, and cordially invites you to explore their mastery.

Like so many shoe collectors, head designer Pierre was influenced heavily by the Air Jordan craze of the early 1990’s. In his own words, the 1991 NBA Finals in which Jordan sliced and diced the LA Lakers in the Air Jordan VI was a revelation. Coupled with his business studies and summer job at a high profile Paris sneaker boutique, Navarro honed his knowledge of sneakers for hours, studying brand history, technology, and the particular tastes of customers and professional athletes. Combined with his immense creativity, Pierre used his talent and set forth to create custom shoe designs with high fashion flair. The dedication to his craft garnered him immediate attention from many sports and celebrity figures such as soccer great Didier Drogba, San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker and musician Fred Faulke. One particular Orravan Design created for Drogba to use in a 2007 national match between the Ivory Coast and Madagascar generated worldwide attention. With the Ivory Coast ravaged by civil war, Drogba asked Pierre to create a “Freedom Shoe” titled “Ensemble Pour La Paix” (Together For The Peace). Following the match, Drogba presented the left shoe to Guillaume Soro, former chief of the rebellion and now Prime Minister of the Ivory Coast. The right shoe went to the country’s President Laurent Gbagbo. The shoes, once reunited, were to be a symbol of the union between the two battling factions.

The “no limit” dedication to produce the best, most eye-striking footwear to satisfy each customer is what brought Pierre and his partner Arnaud Ribeaux together to conceptualize and formally create Orravan Designs in January of 2007. Now, the sky is the limit for the dynamic duo. With Orravan Design boutiques currently located in Paris, Berlin and London, Pierre and Arnaud have their eyes set on US invasion. “We just want to be ready to give the best of ourselves and provide respectable delivery time,” says Pierre. “We think it would be fun to be in cities such as New York, LA, Miami and Chicago…we will see.”

For now, Orravan will continue to create products that are eccentric, high quality and personalized. When asked about that one person they would love to make an exclusive pair for, Pierre sites Michael Jordan and President Barack Obama. “For both of them, the design would probably be a basketball shoe, one of extreme class composed of black metal with a touch of exotic leather and crystallized detail,” he explains. “The style would be inspired by the 1960’s era of which they were both born.” Well, one thing that we do know is that when the opportunity presents itself, the design will, without a doubt, be presidential.

In the meantime, Orravan Designs will continue to provide the flyest in personalized shoe design to the globe’s most avid shoe addicts, collectors, celebrities and entertainers. So, for those still seeking that perfect pair of shoes to jump off your newest Ed Hardy, Christian Audigier or Sean John outfit, Orravan Designs has that perfect pair guaranteed to make heads turn not just stateside, but worldwide.

To learn more about Orravan Designs or to place your customized order today, visit www.orravan-design.com or email Arnaud Ribeaux at arnaud.ribeaux@orravan-design.com.