I'm moving to NY!

Taken by Indy Sagoo (insta: @indysagoo)

So firstly apologies for being so absent the last few months - if you've been following me on social media you'll notice I've been all over the place with my schedule so naturally my blog got neglected! I'M SORRY! I'll explain all, since coming back to London from my summer stint in NY I managed to get signed with a modelling agency who sponsored me to work out there with a visa. Now where to start with the visa? and how much time do you have? ha! I started the process in September when I got back and I was eventually handed my passport on Friday (just gone) with the stamp to say I can work and live there for the next 3 years. (It wasn't easy and I will do a blog post about this) So it's official - I'm MOVING TO NY! I'm totally stoked and so ready to build a career while I'm out there, this of course has come with HUGE sacrifices but the one thing I keep remembering is that opportunities like this don't come easily and sometimes you just have to take that leap of faith! I'll be leaving the UK in Jan, so as you can imagine the last few months have been crazy busy with organising and preparing for this move along with spending quality time with family and friends I might not see in a while. I have also been planning what i'll be doing while I'm out there and since this will be the first time where i'll be totally independent there will be lots of room for me to blog and vlog what i'll be getting up to. I have planned to move this blog into a new direction which will still include my love for footwear but also documenting my move and how the modeling industry works out there not just for me as a model of colour from London but for other models I meet out there hopefully giving an insight to aspiring models who have always dreamed of working in NY like I did. I will miss London terribly, after all its where I was born and raised and where all my favourite memories are with family and friends but for now I'm ready to enter this new chapter with open arms. I could not have made this move without the blind loyalty and support from the people around me who believed in me and my dream even when I didn't! (you know who you are and I love you all so dearly) and of course thank you to my new agency who have been able to make this happen for me! All I can say without sounding like a cliche is DARE TO DREAM - they do come true!

where I've been and the exciting times ahead!

On our flight to Vancouver over the Canadian Rockies!

Firstly apologies for being absent over here! - its all for a reason I promise - Ive had 3 major life developments (which have been super time consuming) and of course like buses they came all at once!

1) I suppose I should start with the huge life changing development first - Im moving to NYC temporarily! Now if you have been following me and the blog for a while you'll know just how important and huge this trip will be for me! Now even though (for now) this will be a temporary move I will be seeing this as a taster for moving over there permanently. Its been a dream of mine for years and I'm so grateful that its even been able to happen! Testing the waters this summer will be a great way to decide whether its something I can do forever OR (and there is every chance of this happening as i have never lived on my own properly before) that missing my family, boyfriend and friends is so overwhelmingly crippling that I come back and take the 3 months away as an incredible time to explore an amazing city and do the whole 'eat pray love' thing. So as you can imagine I have been seriously busy organising and packing - I mean how I've even managed to pack my whole life in a suitcase is a miracle! You can keep up with my NYC via Instagram and will be trying my hand at vlogging while I'm out there so keep an eye out! Which moves me swiftly onto the 2nd exciting development - before NYC I will be holidaying in Vancouver Canada for two weeks - which as you can imagine is super exciting and also something else i've had to consider while packing! As I write this I'm sitting in our Vancouver apartment - which is INSANE. Vancouver is a stunning city with views that are to die for! Again i'll be blogging about this and doing some serious Instagram stories so stay tuned! We are here for the boyfriends best mates wedding in Whistler which I'm totally stoked about!

In our huge 4X4 jeep which Andy was super chuffed about driving!

When you're apartment is just off Drake Street #youknowyourincanadawhen...

Went to have dinner at a place called Earl last night! The tacos I had were a must and did I mention the garlic and coriander fries?!? TO. DIE. FOR! Andy was over the moon as every dish had a GF option which were delicious so naturally he went for a burger the size of this face!

3)  Now as if that wasn't enough to organise (and I never thought id see this day coming after how long its taken to get there) I HAVE FINISHED MY FIRST COLLECTION. I have been working really hard alongside Megan - who has beautifully embellished three styles from the collection.We have worked tirelessly to get the collection completed in time for me to take them away with me. I can't wait to share them all with you when I'm back from NYC where I'll be having a launch which you will all be invited to! If you've been following my @madebykirenmodi instagram you will have been lucky enough to see some sneak peeks of what I've been up to with the collection while i've been making them, and would have seen what colour schemes I have gone with and some of the exclusives I have been working on. I was also lucky enough to fit in a quick product shoot with a great photographer before I left and I have been in talks about a website which is all coming soon and very exciting!

5 shoes to help you transition from spring to summer

The last couple of weeks have got me feeling well and truly excited about the summer, and its at this time of year that the question 'right what shoes should I wear with this?' pops up even more so. Now assuming your wardrobe is slightly lighter now with your roll necks neatly tucked into the back of your wardrobe what you're wearing doesn't necessarily match the shoes - there is no way boots are going to cut it with this new spring outfit or weather I hear you say - so to help you out with this small and easily rectifiable situation I have brought together a selection of footwear that will help you easily transition from spring to summer so you are feeling perfectly fitted out for when we have those slightly cooler days that aren't quite spring or summer. The best thing to come out of this particular cycle of fashion is the humble slider/slider mule. Now they may  take a little time to get used to but I'm sure you're going to love them. They're totally perfect as transition pieces as they don't totally cover up your foot and leave your ankles and heels revealed - basically the happy medium between being cold and warm or in-between spring and summer, they aren't quite summer sandals or spring ballet pumps! AWESOME! So here it is my must have slider collection for transitioning into spring and summer.

Alexander Wang £425

Sam Edelman £115

Lanvin £755

Topshop £56

New Look £49.99

Shoemaker George Esquivel X Jonathan Cohen's 

Fall 17 Collection

Shoemaker George Esquivel and Jonathan Cohen have teamed up to bring a new women's footwear collection featuring boots and sandals all handmade in Orange County California. The fall '17 collection is inspired by Cohens fascination with the 2016 documentary '"Look at the Pictures" which looked at the life and work of artist Robert Mapplethorpe and the collection has an emphasis on beautiful brocade fabrics which are featured on a pair of knee high lace up boots and smoking slippers. The shoes retail between  $795 - $2,995 and will be sold at A'maree Newport Beach California. Im looking forward to seeing this brand grow and branch out into new stockist so us Brits can have a pair!

Square Toe Shoes

So the square toe front is definitely having its moment in fashion. I adore them and can't get enough of them and since they have graced the catwalks for last season its only fair that I share some of my favourite styles. So without further ado - the best (I think) square toe front shoes about.

Gucci £530

H&M £24.99

Topshop £56

Zara £29.99

Camilla Elphick £190

Mercedes Castillo

New luxury shoe brand Mercedes Castillo debuted its first collection for spring 2017 and from the get go has done exceedingly well. Seen on Zoe Saldana recently at Victoria Beckhams garden party for her collaboration with Target. The brand will be rolling out in all major department stores in the US this spring/summer and the designs are just to die for. I have always been a fan of structured, and textured footwear which probably come from my days studying architecture. I particularly love the colour-ways used in this first collection, and shockingly i'm actually drawn more to the flat slider sandals and tie up sandals over the heels - although the heels are just as much to die for! - i've been a flat shoe kind of phase the last few weeks so that may be the reason. Anywho - go on have a scroll through some of my faves and definitely head on to the site!

P.s she doesn't only design footwear - she designs bags and jewellery too.

Odalia $425

Larissa $395

Leyana $450

Olenna $475

Katrina $475

Lane Marinho

As a shoemaker seeing other shoemakers work is both inspiring and motivating. Lane Marinho does just that, her brand has grown from strength to strength and the footwear she makes are just beautiful - its no wonder she has done so well. Working from her own studio she has stayed grounded and to her roots with handmade footwear and her new venture in accessories. I absolutely love the raw and authentic style of her accessories that totally show off her Brasilian background (one of my favourite places in the world) Im totally obsessed - her Instagram is totally to die for, the photography perfectly represents the artisan and its ties to the handmade industry so be sure to to have a scroll through its perfect for those lazy Sundays!