5 Things to Know About… Brian Atwood

Those towering heels that make starlets’ legs look ten miles long? The ingenuous little sparkling handbags that bring their red-carpet looks to life? If you’ve ever wondered how the Hollywood a-list always manages to look so, well, good, here’s your answer: Brian Atwood. And we’re very excited to have the amazing designer’s to-die-for shoes on the site for the very first time — including his famously flattering Maniac pump. Read on for five fun facts about the fashion phenom, and then shop Brian Atwood Shoes & Handbags on Friday, June 29, at noon ET on Gilt.com.

1. Born and raised in Chicago, Brian Atwood traveled the world before eventually landing in New York City, where he would go on to make his name as a shoe designer to the stars. He currently splits his time between New York and Milan.

2. As a young graduate of FIT, Atwood had a successful career as a model before landing a job at Versace as their head accessories designer.

3. The sky-high, über-flattering heels Atwood first debuted in 2001 have been spotted on Emma Stone, Demi Moore, Victoria Beckham, Scarlett Johansson, J.Lo, and countless other stylish celebs.

4. In 2003, the designer’s hard work earned him the coveted CFDA Swarovsky Perry Ellis Award for best Accessory Design. He was appointed creative director of Bally in 2007.

5. In March 2012, Atwood launched his first-ever line of exquisite handbags exclusively on Gilt.com. (Which we celebrated in true Gilt style with a fabulous party at the top of the Standard Hotel!)