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From bubbles to Beyoncé

We caught up with well-known Kiwi shoe designer Kathryn Wilson to find out a little more about the woman behind the 15-year-old brand.

So, what’s been your best moment of 2018 so far?
Well, we’ve just celebrated our spring/summer collection launch in Queenstown at the incredible Clicquot in the Snow. The event is always a calendar highlight but this year it truly topped the rest, as we held a catwalk that quickly escalated into a Whitney Houston dance-off! The following day we taught our three-year-old daughter how to ski, so it certainly was a weekend in Queenstown to remember!

What shoes are you wearing at this very moment? Why?
I’m currently testing next season’s hi-top samples for comfort and durability, which is a real perk of the job. I love mixing up feminine outfits with hi-tops!

What’s your favourite shoe style of all time?
It has to be the classic ballet shoe! It was our first ever design that went into production in 2003.
It’s a classic, versatile style that will simply never date.

What celebrity would you most love to see in one of your designs?
One word… BEYONCÉ.

If you weren’t a successful shoe designer, what would you be?
I used to have my heart set on being a marine biologist, but now I’m scared of sharks. I absolutely love bridges and buildings, so perhaps I’d try my hand at being an engineer or architect!

What would we find you doing in your free time?
As you can imagine, we’re a busy, busy household, so we spend any special free time with our daughter at our beach house in the Coromandel, where we spend our days reading, playing board games and walking on the beach.
I also make sure to lock in time to spend with friends; it’s hugely important to celebrate the wonderful people around you.

What’s been your career highlight?
My career highlights come down to both Jimmy Choo and Beyoncé. Meeting Jimmy Choo in Malaysia whilst judging a student design competition and then hosting him here in New Zealand for a cocktail event celebrating ‘The love of shoes’ was simply unforgettable. Then, my aforementioned dream client Beyoncé posted a picture of herself alongside her gorgeous daughter, both wearing my designs, to her 88,000,000 Instagram followers. As you can imagine, I was over the moon.

What’s next for Kathryn Wilson?
The future is looking very exciting indeed! You can expect to see great expansions in both retail and e-commerce, with great scope to diversify our product range that will soon include bags and accessories. I’m so excited to work further with the incredible team who make all of my dreams a reality.

What words of wisdom do you live by?
I live by these two sayings: ‘Choose a job you love and you will never work a day in your life’ and, rather fittingly, ‘Celebrate your successes with great champagne and good friends’.

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