London-based designer Ancuta Sarca utilizes scent in her latest footwear collection, intertwining artistry and olfactory experience through a partnership with Molton Brown.
Emerging London-based shoe designer Ancuta Sarca is venturing into an innovative realm by incorporating scent into her latest footwear design. Sarca, who hails from Romania and gained recognition for her unique sneaker-heel combinations, first showcased her work at London Fashion Week in 2019 as part of the Fashion East initiative. Since then, she has made significant strides within the fashion industry, establishing a distinct position that merges sportswear with luxury, alongside her ongoing commitment to circular fashion.
Sarca has recently been selected as one of Molton Brown’s ‘Artists of Note,’ an initiative that invites creative talents to reinterpret a fragrance through their own artistic lens. Her task was to create a shoe that embodies the essence of the brand’s new scent, Bluebell and Wild Strawberry. This fragrance features a heart note of bluebell complemented by top notes of wild strawberry, warm amber, driftwood, and Molton Brown’s signature earthy violet leaf, reflecting the vibrancy of spring. The scent was crafted by Senior Perfumer Véronique Nyberg, who drew inspiration from childhood memories in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and serene nature walks.
In designing her footwear, Sarca chose to work with deadstock materials, utilizing purple velvet and leather to create a pointed-toe kitten heel mule. The design features a blue flower motif, characteristic of her work, fashioned from repurposed trainers with her logo prominently displayed at the center.
In an interview with Schön!, Sarca expressed her excitement about collaborating with Molton Brown, highlighting the allure of creating something based on scent, which was a new frontier for her. “What really excited me from the beginning was the idea of designing something based on scent, which I hadn’t done before, so it came as an intriguing challenge that really excited me,” she said. She noted that the creative freedom bestowed upon her by Molton Brown allowed her to develop an authentic piece aligned with her artistic voice.
Sarca elaborated on how incorporating scent into her design process was a transformative experience. Historically, her focus has been on texture, color, and form; however, this collaboration introduced her to an entirely new sensory dimension. “Translating an olfactory experience into a visual and tactile product was a fascinating challenge,” she shared, emphasizing the shift in her approach to storytelling through design.
The initial impression Sarca had upon encountering the fragrance was one of vibrancy and freshness, imbued with earthy depth. She remarked, “There was a harmonious balance between energy and calm, which I knew would be important to translate into my design.” Notably, she concentrated on the purple, green, and woody elements of the scent, which inspired her to incorporate structured yet organic shapes and materials with subtle textures.
Inspired by Nyberg’s affinity for nature, Sarca aimed to evoke the feeling of reconnecting with the outdoors in her design. This influenced her choice of earthy tones and fluid forms, striving to achieve a balance between groundedness and elegance—mirroring the essence of nature itself.
One of the most significant challenges Sarca faced during this collaboration was translating the intangible concept of scent into a tactile product. She noted the intricacies involved in ensuring that the final piece not only captured the essence of the fragrance but also the emotions it inspired. “Striking that balance between inspiration and practicality required a lot of thoughtful iteration. But that challenge also made it incredibly rewarding,” she stated.
The new Bluebell and Wild Strawberry Collection from Molton Brown, featuring Sarca’s innovative footwear design, is set to be available both in-store and online starting February 17, 2025.
Source: Noah Wire Services
