In this episode, Katie talks to Charlotte Olympia Dellal who built her own footwear brand in 2008, after studying at London College of Fashion. Charlotte Olympia’s products are famed for their spin on Hollywood glamour, a mantra that as a designer she lives and breathes. A fellow Cordwainer and judge of the Cordwainer Footwear Awards she has a sharp eye for detail and is an inspiration to fellow designers across the globe.

Bought up in a globetrotting family with a mother who was in fashion, Charlotte believes that your accessories and hairstyle can dress you up more than anything else. They discuss the drive and inspiration behind her brand mixing 40’s and 50’s glamour with a novelty twist, and the journey she took to get there including working in a fashion house in Paris and manufacturing her graduation collection in Brazil.

Charlotte offers insights into how she seeks to strike emotion with her creations, and the connection we all have with our own footwear. How many shoes do you think she has in her own personal archive?

Listen in to hear more about the opportunities and challenges of collaborations, from working with MAC to Barbie. Hear about her defining moments, opening her first store, and her hints and tips on how to grow and develop your brand.

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This podcast is produced by Audio Coast