Ten Minutes with Shoe Designer Angeline Tournier

Cross edgy glamour with a quirky sense of humour and you end up with London designer Angeline Tournier’s museum-worthy line of footwear under her Angeline Tournier London brand. From studded leather on cartoon-wrapped platform wedges to slick embossed leather tennis shoes that go just a touch girly with embroidered hearts, Angeline’s shoes are that perfect something extra to lift any outfit from ordinary to extraordinary. Her palette of metallics and pop art fluorescents is perfectly on trend while the elegant silhouettes mean these shoes will be closet favorites for a long while. Here’s ten minutes with the Matthew Williamson alum.

Oligoville: Tell us about your brand and how it is different from your competition.

ANGELINE TOURNIER: Our shoes are cute, with a twist. Our signature shoes are the cartoon wedge (exhibited at the Cartoon Museum in London) and leather heart metallic tennis shoes. They are comfortable to wear: the heels are not too high and the toes are rounded, and they come in sizes 5 to 13.
Oligoville: How did your career or interest in design begin?

ANGELINE: I loved shoes because I couldn’t buy any beautiful shoes in my size growing up. (I’m an 11.5.) I started off with a career i law, but after seven odd years, I finally followed my dream, left law, studied shoe making at the London College of Fashion (Cordwainers), then gained more experience by working for U.K. designer Matthew Williamson and in a shoe factory in London making Vivienne Westwood shoes.

Oligoville: What’s your design inspiration?

ANGELINE: Mainly color and texture and the leather itself. I visit Italy twice a  year to choose my leathers. I usually have an idea in my mind of what shoe I want to design for the following seasons, but often seeing and feeling the leather itself gives me new ideas on color combinations or a vision of an entirely new shoe. I don’t work the traditional way with mood boards and abstract inspiration. Designing is an ongoing process. I always think about shoes and how to improve them.

Oligoville: Describe a typical day for you.

ANGELINE: Running the business has now become a fairly smooth process. I have a production manager in Portugal who visits the factory daily to ensure my designs are interpreted correctly and the shoes are made on time. I speak with or e-mail her daily. With digital cameras, explaining small changes is easy. I spend every day receiving orders and dispatching them, plus doing all the business stuff and designing.

Oligoville: Describe your fashion style.

ANGELINE: Casual but stylish. I like wearing flats, for example, our metallic tennis shoes with jeans, a t-shirt, and an interestingly cut jacket from a small, London-based designer.

Oligoville: Tell us about some unexpected setbacks you have faced since starting your business and what you learned from that.

ANGELINE: I ordered far too much stock the first two seasons. (We work two seasons in advance.) I had to find more storage space, and was left with large quantities of some styles at the end of  the season, which I had to sell at very discounted rates.  Eventually I learned how to judge which might be the best selling styles, ordering more of those styles and smaller quantities of an experimental style.  Although sometimes I’m proved wrong! I also now know which sizes sell the best, and order greater quantities of those sizes.

Oligoville: What has been the most rewarding part of your career?

ANGELINE: Making something tangible, in contrast to drafting legal opinions. I also love working my own hours and for myself, and being able to raise a family and work.

Oligoville: Tell us where you expect to see your business in the next five years and some of the goals that you have for your brand.

ANGELINE: Keep on increasing sales and brand awareness.

Oligoville: What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

ANGELINE: You really have to love and believe in your product because there are hard times where only your self-belief gets you over a hurdle. You end up with more responsibility and work than when you’re just an employee. But you hopefully will be living your dream, or at least having a go at it.

Oligoville: What song never fails to make you happy?

ANGELINE: “California Dreaming” by The Mamas & the Papas, “F.E.A.R” by Ian Brown, and “Boom Shaka Laka” by Shaggy.

Headlines This Week 4/3

• It’s nice to see Anna Faris in clothes and looking like she has more than three brain cells. I don’t know who’s her agent but can someone tell them that the whole House Bunny, looking like a pin up in mens magazine thing is so not cool. Thank god someone is trying to make this girl seem like she has some sense, fashion sense that is… FashionIndie.com
• Hot on the heels of Gwyennie Paltrow, Pamela Anderson has announced that she too is a fashion designer. Yes if you thought 2009 had already seen enough collaborations then think again, because here’s one more. The Baywatch buxom beauty has teamed up with ex-Heatherette designer Richie Rich to create an ethical footwear line. MyFashionLife.com
• The arrival of Topshop/Topman this week has sent New Yorkers into something of a frenzy. Fashion followers are desperate to get their hands on the British label’s cheap and cheeky product while partygoers are anxiety ridden over which of the three opening parties they’re invited to. (Yes, there are three. Apparently just one — or none — seemed too 2009.) WWD.com
• Every time a big event comes up, I find myself scurrying around for something to wear. I want to buy the hottest frock off the rack but I, literally, do not want to pay the consequences. And seriously, what girl wants to fork over $500 for a dress she’ll wear a couple times a year? Well, it looks like we can have our cake and eat it too through a cool site called WearTodayGoneTomorrow.com. FabSugar.com
• Soon you’ll be able to channel style icon Nicole Richie from head to toe — at least as far as accessories are concerned. Following the success of her line of headbands and jewelry, the star has just inked a deal to design footwear, WWD reports. People.com
• Okay, so I’m not a dude, but god Gisele is gorg!! Supermodel, humanitarian, quarterback’s wife, and May cover girl for Vanity Fair, duh duh duh… Gisele Bündchen. Apparently she also sells magazines if she’s on the cover. VanityFair.com

Ten Minutes with Shoe Designer, Kathryn Kerrigan

Stylish and classy shoes in Euro size 41 are hard to come by and I know. I happen to be one of those women whose prayers have been answered by Kathryn Kerrigan. This smart cookie spotted a need in the marketplace for beautiful and well made shoes for tall gals and decided to take matters into her own hands. She put here ideas on paper and brought them to reality with the aid of masterful artisans in Spain and Italy. The results? Alot happy women.

We were delighted to sit down with Kathryn and learn about the beginnings of her brand and her big plans for the future.

Oligoville:Tell us about your brand and how it is different from your competition.
Kathryn: Kathryn Kerrigan is the first luxury, fashion footwear company to specifically design shoes for women who wear size Euro 39-46.We then discovered that because our footwear is fashionable, comfortable and elegant, women who wear a size smaller than Euro 39 also wanted to wear our shoes. Now all of my designs are available in Euro size 36-46. Our shoes are all hand crafted by artisans in Spain and Italy of the finest materials, each shoe passes through several hands before reaching our stores.

Oligoville: How did your interest or career in design begin?

Kathryn: I was always interested in fashion, but in college I was a basketball player and majored in pre-law. I have always had a difficult time finding clothing and shoes that fit my 6 foot tall frame and I remember searching every mall in Chicago trying to find fashionable size 11 shoes for my prom. After I received my MBA from Loyola University, I wanted to look elegant and fashionable in the real world, but there were no options when it came to shoes.  I decided that if the shoes didn’t fit I would make my own. I drafted sketches and specs for my first line of shoes and worked with craftsmen in Italy to produce my designs

Oligoville: Who or what inspired your designs?

I have always been inspired by my grandmother, Dottie Kerrigan’s wardrobe. She epitomized the 1920’s flapper and followed the style standard “elegant and classic”. Several of my designs have this vintage flair. I am also inspired by colors and textures that I see everyday. I consider each one of my designs a work of art.

Oligoville: Describe a typical day for you.

Kathryn: A typical day varies from day to day. One day I may be meeting with design students from the Art Institute other days are filled with sketching and specs. I have to search through color swatches, I may spend hours trying to find the right blue in the right material there are over 400 shades of blue! Since I am a relatively new designer, I am always doing interviews and appearances trying to get my brand out there.

Oligoville: Describe your fashion style.

Kathryn: My fashion style has always been classic and sophisticated, pencil skirts, clean lines with a touch of modern colors and accessories.

Oligoville: Tell us about some unexpected setback you have faced since starting your business and what you have learned from that.

Kathryn: When I started this business, I thought I would be successful within a few years. I feel I have achieved success, but it is definitely an ongoing process. I have to work at it constantly and I learned that ultimately it will take time to get to where I want to be in the fashion industry.

Oligoville: What has been the most rewarding part of your career?

Kathryn: I cannot describe how happy it makes me when women and young ladies thank me for changing their lives. I understand because I felt their frustration. It may sound corny, but many of my customers have never been able to wear anything but an athletic shoe and now they have options, very fashionable options. A good pair of shoes really can change your outlook. I am thankful that I get to do what I love every day!

Oligoville: Tell us where you expect to see your business in the next 5 years and what are some goals that you have for your brand?

Kathryn: I plan on opening a location in Chicago’s Gold Coast this year, within five years I would like to add a New York and LA location and make Kathryn Kerrigan a brand that everyone recognizes.

Oligoville: What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?

Kathryn: I think the key to being a successful entrepreneur is starting with extensive research. Make sure that you have as much knowledge about your business as you can, that may mean taking a design class, or working in the field you are interested in.
Once you have the knowledge you can find your niche and create a passion for what you do and chances are you will be successful.

Oligoville: What song never fails to make you happy?

Kathryn: Oddly enough, Amy Winehouse “You know that I’m no good”

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