By Staff Writer
Famed artist, Latoya Shaw, born in Sydney, Australia found her art and her voice through loss. Shaw moved to Los Angeles in 2008 as she was accepted to the University of South Carolina BFA Acting Program where she pursued acting until 2019 when she notes that “she lost someone she was very close to.” In this grief, she turned to painting shoes. Over time this evolved into her couture brand, LØVCHLD.
Each pair of shoes that she creates is an intimate process with her client. She discusses “their vibe, aesthetic, and what color scheme they would like her to curate,” she said. Each client provides her with the shoes that they want painted, and she works directly on the shoe as a canvas for her art piece. Shaw mentions that “I like to play and that’s the only way I can ever get to a version that I like. I kind of designed it that way – the messier the better.”
Asking Shaw what her favorite shoe design she has worked on she notes, “In recent years my favorite design was a pair of Camo Gucci Loafers that I had custom painted for a client. It took me 3 months but it was the first pair of shoes that I felt encompassed this elegant aesthetic that I realized I want to incorporate into my designs.”
Looking toward the future, Shaw wants to continue to build on what she has been creating. Her desire is to continue to combine her love of painting, writing, film making, photography and conceptual thinking to develop her collections. Shaw does not create shoes; she creates walking art. Shaw is currently working on her short film “Love Child” that released March 30. The film was based on growing up in a non-traditional household, and she views the film as the genesis of her brand, having first created this piece before she contemplated painting shoes.
While Shaw has not yet had the chance to create her custom painted shoes for a local Nashvillian, she certainly wants to. Asked what advice she would give a younger version of herself, she noted that “it won’t be easy but it will be fulfilling. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
If you are interested in Shaw’s hand-painted designs and the rest of her brand, you can check her out at www.lovchld.com.
