George Esquivel is a
shoe
A shoe is an item of footwear intended to protect and comfort the human foot. Though the human foot can adapt to varied terrains and climate conditions, it is vulnerable, and shoes provide protection. Form was originally tied to function, but ...
designer
A designer is a person who plans the form or structure of something before it is made, by preparing drawings or plans. In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, products, processes, laws, games, graphics, services, or exper ...
and
craftsman
Craftsman may refer to:
A profession
*Artisan, a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative
*Master craftsman, an artisan who has achieved such a standard that he may establish his own workshop and take o ...
. He is the founder, president and design director for Esquivel Designs, a southern
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
design company that makes
custom
Custom, customary, or consuetudinary may refer to:
Traditions, laws, and religion
* Convention (norm), a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted rules, norms, standards or criteria, often taking the form of a custom
* Mores, what is wid ...
shoes and leather goods. The company was founded in 2001, but Esquivel began making shoes in his garage in the mid-1990s, where he designed and began to make shoes for
Orange County's local wealthy clientele.
Shoes
Esquivel focuses on custom and made-to-measure shoes. His customers include a variety of actors, artists, entrepreneurs, and athletes. Some stores carry ready-to-wear Esquivels.
Esquivel's shoes range from US$650 to 2,500. Esquivel also designs the mid-range
Joe's Garb
G.I. Joe's was a privately held retail chain for sporting goods, ready-to-wear clothing, and auto parts; that operated stores in the Pacific Northwest region of the northwestern United States.[Petersen Automotive Museum
The Petersen Automotive Museum is an automobile museum located on Wilshire Boulevard along Museum Row in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the world's largest collections, the Petersen Automotive Museum is a nonprofit organiza ...]
in 2002.
In 2009, he was a Vogue/CFDA Fashion Fund nominee and finalist.
Esquivel's 2010 collection was inspired by the workers who built the
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story, Art Deco-style supertall skyscraper in the Midtown South neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States. The building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon and built from 1930 to 1931. Its n ...
. His 2011 collection was inspired by architecture and the art of
Frank Gehry
Frank Owen Gehry ( ; ; born February 28, 1929) is a Canadian-American architect and designer. A number of his buildings, including his private residence in Santa Monica, California, have become attractions.
Gehry rose to prominence in th ...
., and his 2012 collection was inspired by
Egon Schiele
Egon Leo Adolf Ludwig Schiele (; 12 June 1890 – 31 October 1918) was an Austrian Expressionist painters, painter. His work is noted for its intensity and its raw sexuality, and for the many self-portraits the artist produced, including nude sel ...
, the Austrian protégé of
Klimt
Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sketc ...
.
In October 2011, he exhibited at the “Americans in Paris” initiative, sponsored by
Tommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob Hilfiger ( ; born March 24, 1951) is an American fashion designer and the founder of Tommy Hilfiger (company), Tommy Hilfiger Corporation.
After starting his career by co-founding a chain of jeans/fashion stores called People's P ...
and Vogue magazine. The show featured emerging American designers. Esquivel was among the past CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund designers that were selected to participate in the shared space.
Esquivel was contracted from February 2010-2012 to redesign the American collection for Italian shoe company
Fratelli Rossetti, and has consulted for a number of other retailers including Net-a-Porter, Mr. Porter, and Colette (Paris). Tumi Inc., a renowned luxury bag and luggage brand, appointed George Esquivel as Creative Director from January 2013 to July 2015.
References
External links
Official Esquivel Shoes website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Esquivel, George
Living people
Shoe designers
Year of birth missing (living people)
Businesspeople from Orange County, California