Who Is CHRISTEN Shoes Really For?
- Marina 2Jour
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
The shoe brand CHRISTEN, after appearing on Net-a-Porter and Mytheresa, has been showing up more and more frequently on social media, which made me curious about the language the brand is using.
Behind it is Nina Christen, known for her work at several top brands. Currently, alongside her own brand founded in 2024, she is also working on footwear for Dior.
On the brand’s website, there is not a single word about the brand itself. Literally: the “About” section links only to a customer support email. This kind of meaningful silence somewhat recalls The Row, where Nina previously worked — although in their case, even a brief description on the website still emphasizes core values such as exceptional fabrics, impeccable details, and precise tailoring.
Interestingly, Net-a-Porter and Mytheresa provide more information about the brand, and judging by the content, it appears to have been supplied by Christen. The focus, however, is placed more on the founder’s past than on what her own brand actually offers — a key weakness in the presentation.
The footwear itself recalls many things seen before: the Helix buckle echoes Balenciaga buckles; the Helix boots reference the sharp-toe silhouettes associated with BALENCIAGA and Saint Laurent; the Tabi shape brings to mind both Maison Margiela and CHANEL; chains reminf of TOM FORD FASHION.
The visual language of the website and social media sits somewhere between KHAITE and Phoebe Philo.
The high price point — every model priced above £1,000 — combined with the deliberate silence reads as a message addressed to a very specific audience: a self-made woman who does not care what others think, whose expression is somewhat aggressive (much like the shoes themselves), and who prefers to protect her personal space. As with Phoebe Philo, there are no bursts of color here — instead, a kind of laboratory-like sterility. They actually appeal to a very similar audience (I wrote about Phoebe Philo’s audience in Chair Theory here).
Will the growing media attention — across social platforms and print (most recently shoots in Elle USA on Victoria Beckham and appearances in HTSI by Financial Times) — help attract an audience? Yes, to a certain extent.
But is there a ceiling to silence as a tool for engaging with an audience? An obvious no.
The brand is planning its first boutique opening this year in Paris, where the dialogue will evolve through interior design and service. Whether these new boutique opening(s) will be sufficient will largely depend on the brand’s ambitions — whether it intends to remain a niche choice for a well-informed audience with a limited revenue ceiling, or whether a focus on larger profits will require an expansion of communication channels and additional touchpoints.
What key mistake has the CHRISTEN brand already made while expanding into new sales channels?
*The delivery country in all screenshots is the UK.
