Shoe-Obsessed Virginie Morobé Brings Antwerp Style Down Under

What’s the first thing you do in the morning?   

Cuddle my daughter and dog and make myself a coffee.

When did your love of shoes begin? 

I went to a catholic school with a uniform, so we had to wear very classic shoes in black, dark blue or brown. Even at the age of five I already had a problem with boring shoes. I always managed to find a pair in the correct colors BUT it had always an extra. My first pair, that I can remember was a moccasin in black with a big leather flower on it. I adore braiding, origami folding and wickerwork. Those three elements are always present in the collection. Our core part of the collection, which is called “les indispensables de Morobé”, all have wickerwork or braiding.

Which is your favourite pair that THE ICONIC stocks and why? 

The Robien, our most iconic slide sandal. I truly love it because it has no age limits, my daughter wears it and my mother too. Almost every type of woman likes it. It doesn’t put women into certain categories. It’s made and designed to please all.

Do you really put your outfits from the feet up? 

I have a natural way of always thinking first which shoes I wanna wear. I choose my clothes based on my shoes, not the other way around. Been doing this since always. First my shoes then the rest of the outfit. 

What does your Morobé partnership with your husband, David, look like? 

First of all it’s a marriage, being parents and on top of that owning a business together. The tricky part of working together is being able to stop talking about the business after work… you do not wanna end up talking only about that with your man. Your partnership needs to stay more than the co-owned business or it will not last. 

The second tricky point is that during work, your tone of voice in discussions is different with your husband than with an employee. If you have different opinions with your husband at work you will not hold your horses.

What does style mean to you, today? 

Style means to me: being yourself, staying true to yourself and wearing clothes that make YOU feel good. Wearing things that you like, not what stylists and fashion editors tell you to wear. When you feel good in what you are wearing then you look confident and happy. Happiness is very attractive and is the best style guide for every woman.

What makes Morobé’s Antwerp style unique to the rest of the world?

Well, MOROBÉ has a very feminine look and feel, almost Italian but with a more North European twist on it. It’s less charged in design a bit more “EPURÉ” (refined) as they say in French. But still very recognisable because of the wickerwork and braiding. It is also more wearable than some luxury Italian shoe brands. My shoes you can wear during daytime but still looking chic and very fashionable.

What’s the most unusual thing to have inspired one of your designs? 

A pair of earrings.

What does your aesthetic of ‘Contemporary elegance and street couture’ mean to you? 

My collections are feminine but in a pure way, not overcharged. The designs are recognizable and tend to be effortlessly chic, but always very wearable for daytime. You can actually walk in my shoes. That is very important to me. They need to fit well! Wear them to go shopping in a city but for a date as well. People will look at your feet with my designs, you will not pass by unnoticed.

Tell us about the craftsmanship…

A lot of the shoes are still handmade. Some processes have so much stitching and padding that it slows down the production of the factories by 60%. The most experienced women in stitching are always the ones who make our first protos or production pairs – they know how to find solutions.

Who is the one person you would love to wear your shoes?  

BEYONCÉ.

What’s your personal styling tip? 

Always wear good shoes. You can rock vintage Levi’s jeans with a simple white t-shirt but ALWAYS wear beautiful shoes. That makes the difference in first impressions. A man with bad shoes never had a chance to get to know me!

You say “classic doesn’t mean boring”, how do you ensure that’s true? 

Because the designs need to be timeless, seasonless and they need to make you smile. Women can truly fall in love with a pair of shoes. They can make your heart jump. A jean doesn’t have that capacity. 

What has been your proudest moment for the brand? 

When MOROBÉ was 6 months old, just a baby, I got a message from (designer and influencer) Chiara Ferragni herself asking me to do a collab. She fell in love with a pink velour bootie at the time. 

How do you celebrate wins?  

I am a very down to earth person. I do not especially celebrate great moments. But I do celebrate life in general. I try to enjoy myself as much as possible in my free time, I do not need a great moment to do that.  I am Belgian so I am a bourgondier by heart. But I promised myself;  the day I achieve my dream of [being stocked in] 350 stores, I will celebrate it together with my friends. I’ll take them all for a long weekend to the sun, dancing, dining and drinking.