Pia Nowland is an Adelaide shoe designer and brains behind Lapito — a footwear brand for dapper little feet. The name “Lapito” is a combination of her name and her two siblings, Lara and Toby. It symbolises family, first steps and childhood memories.
Pia travelled the world to chase her dream of becoming a shoe designer. In 2011, she gave up her career as a journalist and moved to Italy to complete a shoe design course at Polimoda International Institute of Fashion Design. Eager to learn more, Pia graduated in a custom-made footwear course at TAFE SA. You can’t help but be clucky when looking at her gorgeous designs! We love everything she makes and that’s why today, she’s our Inspirational Adelady.
Hayley xx
These are her fave places in Adelaide:
1. Fave weekend getaway
Myponga. Over the hills and far away — actually it’s really not that far! 47 minutes, thanks to the wonderful upgraded two-way Southern Express Way (genius idea!).
My family have a farm right off the beaten track, so whenever I need an escape or am looking for inspiration, I pack an overnight bag, grab my Ewok/dog, Doug and head off down South.
2. Fave beach
Port Willunga. It’s South Australia’s hidden gem. My childhood memories consist of running around nude, spotting crabs along the reef, playing in the caves, swimming with the local pod of dolphins, and my favourite part – eating an Old English Toffee Ice Cream from the Star of Greece on our way home. It’s a treasured part of SA’s coastline and I truly believe it’s our little secret paradise (pity about the sharks).
3. Fave place for breakfast
Rosey’s. Nothing beats this cozy little café on Unley Road. If you’re looking for seriously delicious, locally sourced produce, then look no further! Did I mention they do all-day breakfast? An absolute bonus for those late risers, like myself.
Image credit: Rosey’s
4. Fave place to go on a date
Located in the hustle and bustle of the central markets is Comida Catering Co., a vibrant Spanish stall that specialises in out-of-this-world paella. It has a great vibe and makes you feel like you’ve been whisked off to Barcelona for the night. Then, just a short stroll away is Cantina Sociale. A lovely little corner bar for a carafe of Grenache poured straight from the barrel. My kind of date night.
5. Fave bar
Oh this is easy! It’s Udaberri, a super-trendy bar with minimalist pintxos and tapas, on leafy Leigh Street. You’ll find me there every Friday night, actually, most nights. Yes, it’s that good! Not only are the bar tenders incredibly good-looking, they sure know how to tantalise your taste buds with a great cocktail. I love sitting at the front bar with an Espresso Martini to kick-start my night, followed by a G&T with dried lemon and muscatel grapes. If I’m peckish, which I always am, I’ll order half a dozen Coffin Bay oysters with champagne vinegar, followed by sautéed portobello mushrooms with egg yolk – so GOOD!
Image credit: Udaberri
For more of Pia and her gorgeous shoes for tiny humans, follow her on social:
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