SOPHIA WEBSTER

28, BRITISH SHOE DESIGNER

Sophia Webster is in a playful mood as she makes her way to Bloomingdale’s in Dubai to launch her fall line. Her whimsical nature translates to her new collection, which features a fantastical combination of princess bows and über-feminine florals, inspired by films like Clueless. “My personal style is extremely colourful and eclectic, and this can be easily seen in my shoes. I think my strong femininity is also resonant throughout my designs,” she says.

Her flirtation with the obscure is one of the lessons she learned from working under Nicholas Kirkwood. “Nicholas undertakes a lot of really cool, often weird and wonderful projects,” she says. “I think the best lesson I learned was to trust my

“The best lesson I’ve learned is to TRUSTMY INSTINCTS and vision”

instincts and vision, and never have other shoes in my research. If you do things your way, then your shoes will always be creatively pure rather than your version of somebody else’s shoe.”

Her hot picks for the season ahead are the Penelope black suede and glitter pump for the evening, and the Millie flat pump in metallic turquoise for day, while her signature Riko sandal remains a bestseller. “The cut is very flattering and it is easily worn as day or eveningwear,” she says.

Ever since its inception, her eponymous label has gone to great heights and has garnered popularity with celebrities like Solange Knowles and Cholè Moretz. And if the designer’s unique fall line is anything to go by, you can rest assured it’s going to be a big hit.