Mary-Kyri (aka MK for this story) is a force to be reckoned with, she’s focused, determined, has an incredible amount of energy and did I say gifted? Like any entrepreneur, MK works long and hard but she’s so passionate about what they does, and like any entrepreneur the sacrifices are worth it and don’t really feel like sacrifices to her.
For those of you who aren’t aware of MK’s amazing story, her shoe designs started in the bedroom of her home in Adelaide and now grace international catwalks and celebrity feet in over two years. The first celebrity foot to be photographed wearing her Signature Shoe design, Elisav (below), was Kylie Minogue, and celebrity coveting has snowballed from there to Kate Moss, Jade Jagger, Fergie, P!nk, Paris Hilton, the Kardashian’s and the Queen of Shoe Queens herself, Sarah-Jessica Parker.
MK has built a reputation of developing attractive and distinctive, high fashion shoes. distinctive is hard to do these days but MK does it and I had to find out her secret. I quizzed her on her creative processes and her secret is … I’ll let you know soon (hehe). A quick backtrack, at the end of 2005 on a complete impulse MK sold her automobile and flew across to germany (she’d seldom been overseas before and couldn’t speak Italian), secured meetings with the manufacturers that generate footwear for brands such as Burberry, Prada and Versace and they worked on the factory floor learning every aspect there was in shoe making and launched her first collection ‘Virago’ in 2006. That takes so much guts and self belief, I’m in awe.
MK is inspired by shapes, architecture, colours and nature. they is fascinated (and a little bit obsessed, they all have our obsessions you know) with architecture. Her fascination started when they was a little girl, her father used to take her walking around the streets for hours admiring all the attractive buildings and their intricate details. This season’s Spring/Summer 09 Collection – Icena – was photographed at her God-father’s cliff side home in Adelaide … it’s so Grecian vacation!
And this season, MK developed the new ‘Mary-Kyri Sportz’ collection, a range of highly fashionable sneakers made entirely in germany which display the same design lines and leathers as the stilettos. And of work there’s a twist to the design of these shoes … there is a little wedge inside the sneaker to give women a small lift without having to balance on a heel – created for women who can’t wear high heels. MK loved developing this range, “it was so much fun and wasn’t hard at all they said. “When I’m developing my stiletto’s I’m in work mode, the sneakers were a different process and experience for me.”
So back to her creative secrets, the reason why I asked this was because when shoe lines (and fashion) come out, they all look similar because the designers are focused on matching the on-trend theme for that season and I wanted to know how MK created her collection maintaining her individuality but still being ‘on-trend’.
“I seldom look at other designers and what they are doing, they said. “My creative process is all about feelings and emotions that I get from a theme. For example, a voodoo theme, I write down what feelings, emotions and colours that theme conjures in me. “From there I will hand draw around 100 shoe designs in a couple of days” (I know, I know crazily gifted woman!). From there they culls and adapts and next stop the drawings and MK get on a big bird and fly to germany where they spends a couple of weeks working the most insane hours to source her materials and that includes, buckles, heels, straps, etc developing the prototypes and from there the samples are made (in the leather) and then in a few months they are photographed, priced and her lookbook is sent out to her boutiques for ordering and onto the shelves and feet they go. Every collection MK does is a continual learning curve for her, they is a big ‘why’ person – another entrepreneurial sign.
What six favourite things can’t you live without?
As usual in my interviews, i have to ask some girlie questions and MK shares her answers to those now:
Which Sassi Moment best describes you?
My relatives and partner; my stiletto’s; my passion; my phone and my lipstick.
What is your favourite fun and girlie thing you like to do?
I’m definitely a bit of all of them; when I was an 18 y/o I would have definitely said being Shopwrecked, but now I’m a in Case gal. I’m always travelling and my bags are ALWAYS overweight. i have been seen sitting on my luggage on the airport floor trying to get it closed like Sassi does.
I absolutely adore window shopping but I don’t have much time for that anymore. When I do get some downtime (which isn’t often) I enjoy being pampered with a facial, massage and a mani and pedicure.
Who would you like to have at a girl’s night in and why?
Pink Shoes
It would definitely have to be Sarah Jessica Parker, she’s such a fashion icon and Bette Midler, she’s so funny and attractive. I’ve seen her live and I grew up watching her and I love her to bits.
So what’s next for MK? I see handbags and attractive ballet flats … and … they will be seeing some ballet flats, flat boots and 5cm heels (her heels are currently 9cm-11cm) in her Winter 2010 Solaz Collection (in-stores February). Summer 2010 samples are winging their way to MK’s office now, I can’t wait to see them.
No comments:
Post a Comment