Cool Girls Will Live in Helsa and Gia Borghini’s Chic Shoe Collaboration This Spring

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x Helsa Money Loafer x Helsa Money Loafer x Helsa Boss Mule x Helsa Boss Mule x Helsa Boss Mule x Helsa Peek-A-Boo Ballerina Flat x Helsa Peek-A-Boo Ballerina Flat

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Helsa’s allegiance to Scandinavian minimalism is colliding with the exquisite craftsmanship of Italian shoemaker Gia Borghini. If you aren’t familiar with the footwear designer, Gia Borghini is a favorite in the closets of many stylish women, from Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to Jennifer Lawrence. And, yes, the founder of Helsa, Elsa Hosk, is also on that growing list of fans.

“Having worn their shoes, seeing the collaborations they’ve done—I was really excited to meet Gia Borghini and have the opportunity to collab with the team,” Elsa Hosk exclusively tells ELLE. “The quality is so good, they’re Italian-made, and there’s such attention to detail.” The proof is evident throughout the entire Helsa x Gia Borghini collaboration, from the exacting silhouette on the slip-on heels to the sharp stitching on the loafers.

helsa x gia borghini — Helsa x Gia Borghini

The lineup prioritizes elegant comfort with three different flats: a round-toe mule, a caged ballerina, and a croc-embossed loafer. For dressier moments, Helsa and Gia Borghini created one high-heel design that has a unique pointed-meets-square-toe shape.“The mood board was all ’90s,” Hosk elaborates. “It’s mostly all neutrals with a splash of red.

“When we were designing the collection over a year ago, I had a strong feeling about zebra and leopard print—and now the trend is all over, which is so exciting to see.” Her label, Helsa, has been at the forefront of ready-to-wear trends, and the tradition continues into its further expansion into footwear.

“Helsa, in general, is all my different personalities,” Hosk says. “I can be super dressed down, I can be this alter ego on the red carpet, and I can be comfortable and everyday chic. I was trying to make a shoe for each one of those different vibes.”

If Hosk could only pick one design from the collection, the timeless loafer is already one of her favorites. “I really wanted to make this perfect loafer,” Hosk says. “I brought them to New York, I wore them in Paris—since I got the sample, I’ve been wearing those the most,” Hosk says. “It’s just a really, really great, beautiful shoe that I think is very versatile. It was inspired by this old vintage Hermès loafer in croc that I’ve had for a while. And this one is even better.” In addition to the lust-worthy designs, the craftsmanship is top-tier. “You can’t cut corners on that,” Hosk says. “It has to be really, really well made—something that’s going to last and be in your closet for years to come as your go-to shoe. And we nailed it.”

To capture the beauty of the collection, Hosk decided to strip down to keep the focus on the collection.“It’s really hard to shoot shoes,” Hosk explains. “Sometimes you want to crop a picture, but the shoes are all the way down at the bottom of the image. So, I decided to go for it and shoot the collection in the nude. I really wanted to make something strong and powerful, because the collection is simple, but the shapes, the prints, the colors—they’re strong.”

Hosk and her team set up a backdrop in the backyard of her house to shoot the intimate photos. In addition to shooting at home, it helped to be able to work with one of her favorite photographers. “Yulia Gorbachenko has become a close collaborator of Helsa. She’s the ultimate girl’s girl,” Hosk says. “She gives her whole soul when she shoots, and not everybody has that. That’s how I am too—whatever I put my mind to, I want to give people my whole everything.”

The Helsa x Gia Borghini collaboration is officially available to shop today. Well, that is until all of the cool girls make it inevitably sell out.