Dragan Mrdja: Shoe Guru
L.A.'s Dragan Mrdja has no formal training in fashion. But his background in architecture, painting and furniture design proved fertile inspiration for his latest endeavor: designing a line of classic men’s shoes (which, fyi, is one of our new obsessions).
In fact, Mrdja's intensive training in Modernism parlays nicely into his new shoe collection, which could be described as traditional and uncomplicated. Though the line is only ten styles strong, each look comes in a range of colors, from pale pink to basic black. And when shoes are this well-made, you don't need bells and whistles. Each shoe is hand-stitched using top-drawer Italian leather.
SHOE DUDE: Dragan Mrdja with his designs.
After meeting Mrdja during a recent Ferus Gallery reception to celebrate his line, I sat down with the Serbian-born designer to hear about his adventures in shoe design:
SSLA: Where did your passion for shoes begin?
Mrdja: I love shoes. I always wanted to have these certain shoes and I could never find them. So one day I said, 'I am going to have to make them.' It was like, 10 or 12 years ago.
So it was pretty selfish? I jest.
I'm pretty big and strong and I need strong shoes. And I need normal men’s shoes. At the same time, I'm really casual as a person. Not in an L.A. way, but in the sense that I see design and fashion as very important tools of self-expression.
The first thing I notice about a man is his shoes. You've nailed the shape — especially in the toe.
That was the biggest part. I looked at toe shapes, and I was thinking, Why do I have to do pointy or square? Then I realized those shapes are for people with no taste and no style. They let fashion throw them around. You must understand that men don’t change their shoe; they don’t change their style. Some people think that men are fashionable creatures like women and that they behave the same. And they are wrong. I believe that a shoe expresses the character of a person. I am expressing strength, but no too much.
The shapes are so traditional, but the color range, especially in the patent leather, is quite a rainbow. How did that happen?
The colors were part of my spiritual recovery when I moved form New York to Los Angeles. In New York I would look at a color and gag because it was all mental judgment. When you are in New York, you have a very narrowed vision and perception. In L.A., I started working with a shaman who helped me open up my colors. The first one to open up was baby blue. I was obsessed. I bought a baby blue 1967 Mercedes convertible. The big one. It was like living in a commercial. Everyone was honking at me and waving.
Did you purposefully choose Serbia for production because of your heritage?
I looked into Brazil, China, and Portugal as well. I didn’t look into Italy because I knew I was not interested in working with them. They wouldn’t be good for me. They are stubborn in their way of doing things. They would try to overpower my ideas with their knowledge. Someone called me from Serbia, which is where I am originally from and it just clicked. That is a big part of the story for me. I am so happy to be there.
What about living in southern California influences your designs?
New Yorkers don’t use the word happiness. It gives them a bad taste (Laughs). We learn so much in California, in L.A., to evolve in a certain direction. I now understand that happiness is a choice. This is the strongest energy wave I have ever rode in my life. From the first moment, everything was incredibly strong. I feel the best I have ever felt.
In addition to online sales, Dragan Mrdja shoes are sold at Church Boutique, Douglas Fir and Specific Merchandise. www.draganmrdja.com