Rodelle Payne chats to leading shoe designer Kathryn Wilson
New Zealand shoe darling Kathryn Wilson is as bright and bubbly as her latest collection.
Kathryn is about giving back to the community and making women feel fabulous - all through her shoes.
With more than 14 years as one of New Zealand's leading shoe designers, Kathryn has changed the traditional footwear print in New Zealand.
She was the first exclusive shoe brand to show at New Zealand Fashion Week in 2010.
This was followed in 2011 by a media-driven show opened by Kimbra where 2500 people attended.
In 2011 she also opened her first retail pop-up in the shape of a shoe box. This was then transported to Wellington and Christchurch - the first in New Zealand.
She now has three of her own retail stores in New Zealand and a strong presence in 100 stores nationwide.
Bringing fun to fashion, Kathryn also hosts the annual Veuve Clicquot fashion show in Queenstown and speaks at and hosts many charity events and dinners, giving back to the community and sharing her inspirational story.
This season the Kathryn Wilson and Miss Wilson collections are all about favourites and return to a nautical feel.
I asked Kathryn some questions:
Tell us about your highlights for this year
We have had a great year of change and development both personally and in the business for 2017. We have moved our headquarters to be closer to the retail stores and team which has been a great move keeping us all connected. Personally I am really enjoying seeing my daughter Lola Belle develop into a sassy wee mini-me with determination and a great sense of humour. Parenthood is a wonderful journey.
Where do you find your inspiration and how do you ensure you have the time and space to design?
For us the inspiration comes from friends, travel, film, music and vintage references. Taking the time to get creative and put ideas onto paper that have been developing for months is the fun part of our job... Julia and I always have far too many ideas and have to whittle down hundreds of drawings to be the finalised collections for both Kathryn Wilson and Miss Wilson.
What does an average day of work look like for you?
There is no such thing as an average day for us... the year is made up of a seasonal calender working on a rotation of travel, design, sales, production, marketing and events, so each week has a different priority. It makes things exciting for us always moving at a fast pace. We have a small open-plan office so it's always a bubbly and busy space full of laughter and chat.
Your summer collection is stunning - what was the inspiration behind it?
We were excited to introduce bright colours for S'17 of canary yellow, melon pink, lilac and emerald green...celebrating 'feet candy' and 'happy feet' for summer weddings and events. Hand-work floral embroidery features on heels and trainers which have been a highlight for our loyal customers.
How would you describe your own personal style?
Simple, timeless, feminine.
What are your 5 essential wardrobe items for summer?
Juliette Hogan bloom print jumpsuit, J Brand light-weight denim, Kathryn Wilson Janey trainers, Zoe and Morgan drop pendant earrings, Kathryn Wilson overnight luggage for long weekends away.
What do you and your family have planned for the summer holidays?
We are heading up north to Langs Beach with best friends for the week over New Year's Eve...enjoying the ASB Classic tennis tournament in Auckland and spending time with my parents at Pauanui Beach throughout January. We are really looking forward to making memories together with Lola Belle who will be three on New Year's Day.
What is one piece of shoe styling advice you can share with our readers?
Always buy quality footwear that feels good on the feet in their first wear and will last the distance on the dancefloor... you never want to leave a party because your feet need to go home! Have a bit of fun with colour and detailing on your feet...a new pair of colourful heels can change your entire wardrobe!