Ephemera

“SYRO’s focus when creating heels in large sizes has always been to encourage and normalize queer femme expression for everyday life,” Henry tells me. “Since launching, SYRO has been embraced by many people of queer and nonbinary experience, and allowed us to wear shoes that help radicalize our identities.” Queer icons with big feet like RuPaul, Lil Nas X, Sam Smith, Bowen Yang, Bretman Rock, Troye Sivan, Bad Bunny, among others, have found a legitimate haven in the brand. 

With its unrealistically tall stiletto heel, the bag stands as a lofty love letter to femme expression, power, joy, and independence, and a reminder that SYRO “has always been a brand for queer femmes, and violence, unfortunately, coexists alongside the beauty in our community.” Available in three colorways — black embossed patent leather, silver embossed patent leather, and raw brown leather — the design of the bag is both functional and camp.

Ahead of the release, we sat down with Henry to discuss the inspiration, process, and expectations for the launch. 

What inspired SYRO to collaborate on a shoulder bag design alongside its footwear collection?

I was on 23rd Street in Manhattan years ago and saw an artsy middle-aged woman wearing a knee-high stiletto boot as a DIY backpack. I’d come across countless “shoe-bag” designs before but I’d never seen one that appeared simply like a realistic shoe being used as a bag. From that moment on, I dreamed that when SYRO could finally be ready to develop its first bag, it would absolutely have to be in the form of a realistic shoe. In partnership with our shoe technicians, the STILETTO Shoulder Bag was created utilizing footwear technology. The creative process made so much sense for us as shoe designers, and we are so excited by this design.

The stiletto has remained a charged symbol of sexuality, power, and femininity. How did the idea of merging a classic stiletto heel with an asymmetrical shoulder bag come about, and what makes it practical yet campy?

There’s really no heel that’s more feminine than the stiletto, but for many years the classic style didn’t feel aligned with SYRO’s mission to create wearable everyday heels. When designing a shoe to function solely as a bag, however, we realized we could create a stiletto heel as unrealistically tall and dangerously sexy as we desired; so that’s exactly what we did. It’s pure camp to rest your designer shoe on the restaurant table during dinner and it feels perfectly queer to actualize such an edgy fantasy. Remarkably, our size-43 stiletto boot is rather practical and can carry a lot. The natural curve of the boot fits snugly under one’s arm, while the zipper along the front of the shoe is easily accessible. Who knew?

Could you tell us more about the three distinct colors available for the STILETTO Shoulder Bag and the thought process behind those choices?

The maiden voyage of the STILETTO bag features three colorways: black embossed patent leather, silver embossed patent leather, and raw brown leather. In complement to classic black and brown colors, our silver bag is in continuation to the fact that SYRO has always been a silver brand. While the design of our STILETTO Shoulder Bag is utterly camp, our goal is to also establish its wearability and highlight its functionality by introducing classic colors. 

The bag is described as a symbol of strength and resilience for the queer community. What specific design elements convey this message?

Before it was our new shoulder bag and before it was the ultimate feminine heel, “stiletto” was originally the name of a specific knife. For SYRO, our 115mm metal stiletto heel is not just an aesthetic choice but simultaneously a nod to the violence of the original stiletto knife. SYRO has always been a brand for queer femmes, and violence, unfortunately, coexists alongside the beauty in our community. We continue to face cultural, political, and physical violence as we live our lives, shine our light, and advocate for equality.

I know that the inspiration for the STILETTO Shoulder Bag is deeply rooted in a powerful story. How do you see do you see this resonating with those who wear the bag?

The dueling beauty and violence of the STILETTO Shoulder Bag is an intentional representation of the beauty and violence that coexist within the queer community. In November of last year, Club Q in Colorado Springs was subject to an anti-LGBTQ shooting. One heroic patron, Richard M. Fierro, tackled the shooter and put a stop to the damage. He described pummeling the shooter with his fists and yelling at a fleeing trans performer to kick the shooter in the face with her high heels. This horrifying scene has stuck with us through all of 2023. 

Queer people face enormous adversity in this world and we unfortunately are often called to fight for our own protection. Any data dump around queerness and its relationship to things like bullying, depression, anxiety, addiction, and homelessness will tell a story of our disproportionate vulnerability. This past summer, right here in Brooklyn, O’Shae Sibley was senselessly killed in response to simply vogueing in public to Beyoncé. For the queer community, self-expression and self-protection go hand-in-hand.

As the STILETTO Shoulder Bag represents a fusion of fashion, innovation, and advocacy, what kind of response are you hoping to receive from those who engage with it?

Above all, the STILETTO Shoulder Bag is our love letter to femme expression, femme power, femme joy, and femme independence. The design of the STILETTO Shoulder Bag is fun and camp. We hope people will simply enjoy the whimsy of this bag. Use this bag. To hold your shit, and hold you down. We celebrate our community and advocate for our safety.