Can
you say you have shoes in your DNA? I mean we all love love them, don't we.
They can change an ordinary outfit and make it special. They take you from day
to night when your outfit stays the same but your accessories change, they are
the ultimate game changer. So, back to my original question are shoes in your
DNA? I can say for certain they are for today's Inspirational Woman Lucy Choi
as she is the founder and driving force behind the affordable luxury shoe brand
Lucy Choi London, the niece of
Jimmy Choo and sister to Sandra Choi who is creative director at Jimmy Choo.
However, don't be fooled that Lucy chose the easy path when choosing to embark
on a career in footwear. Family though has been a driving force as she says in
her own words "my parents have always been very entrepreneurial. They have
now retired, but they have always been such an inspiration to me throughout my
life, installing a really strong work ethic within me that has driven me to
launch my own business."
Lucy's
career path has seen her work in the financial sector followed by a term at
French Sole where she took the then fledgling brand and helped it fly. As her
own brand reaches the 5 year mark this year and having fulfilled the goals she
set for the first 5 years I was keen to know what her plans are going forward.
1. Q: It has been
five years now since you set up your brand. You have brilliantly achieved the
goals you set yourself, of opening your first boutique in London and having an
increased presence globally. What are your goals for the next 5 years?
L:
For the next 5 years, my main goals will be expanding internationally and
overseas.
D: The overarching
concept for your brand has been Rock n Royal. You dress like a rock chick and
are definitely footwear royalty. Although I know your muses were the two Kate’s
(Moss and at the time Middleton, now Windsor) is there one or other you
personally identify with more?
L: For me,
it’s definitely a mixture of the two. My go-to look day-to-day is very much a
reflection of my brand’s “Rock & Royal” ethos. During the week, I might
veer more towards Kate Middleton’s classic style, dressing smartly and
stylishly. Then at the weekend, I might dress a little more “Kate Moss” and
wear some edgier leather trousers with fur boots. But with “Rock & Royal”
you can often combine the two!
D: What is your
favourite part of your job?
L:
I love the variety of my job – every day my schedule changes, from meeting with
buyers, to customers, forecasting, accountancy, to attending Lucy Choi London
events, meeting with press, or shooting a new campaign, to travelling to Hong
Kong to design my collections. It is so rewarding to see my long held dream
realized, to have my own shoe label and to see my shoes sold around the world. I
was so proud to open my flagship store in 2015 on London’s Connaught Street,
where I can showcase the entirety of my collections. It is a beautiful space
and I feel so blessed to have my first boutique here, where it is so rewarding
to meet with customers and hear their feedback about the shoes, and their
comfort and craftsmanship. It is also really rewarding to see the capability of
my team growing, as they all develop into their individual roles in the
business. I am also a strong believer in work experience to obtain valuable,
practical experience in an industry, and so I really enjoy running an intern
program which allows me to pass on experience and skills to my interns, who can
get a first hand experience of working in the fashion industry.
D: When you sit down
to design a new collection where do you turn for inspiration?
L: I find inspiration from all around me, from speaking to
people and my different customers, travelling abroad, exploring London to
watching what people are wearing at the airport!
From working in the shoe industry for 10 years I
saw clearly that there was a gap in the market for stylish and luxurious, but
also comfortable and affordable, shoes for all occasions, and for women of all
ages and tastes.
The Lucy Choi London ethos was born out of my
idea to create affordable luxury, and questioning, why should you always feel
you must spend hundreds of pounds for a pair of beautiful shoes! I noticed that there were huge disparities in
price ranges between other brands, with designers charging over £900 for a pair
of shoes you may only wear a couple of times and high street stores charging
lower prices for shoes that won’t be long-lasting. My idea is to pioneer both
craftsmanship and design, alongside an ethos that luxury should be accessible
and affordable.
My shoes must also fit my 3 C’s: Comfort,
Craftsmanship and Character. Every time I design a pair of shoes I think of our
motto “Rock and Royal” typified by the two Kates - style icons Kate Moss and
Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. Some shoes
represent the edgy and iconic Kate Moss, other shoes the elegant and classic
Kate Middleton, and many are a combination of the two! They will always stay in
an affordable price range, but they must always have that wow factor.
D: Describe your own
personal style. You wear black a lot, why is it the colour of choice?
L: Black
clothing is guaranteed to look smart and chic, but I do like to inject
character into my outfits, particularly through my shoes! I am quite playful
with fashion and while I love to wear black, I like to mix pops of colour with
different textures and fabrics, such as leather, silk and lace. I am not a
follower of trends particularly, as I love to be creative, innovative and
explore new styles. I am really looking forward to the spring so that I can
wear some of our new summer styles that are so vibrant and striking!
D: It is an
interesting time at the moment in the UK with all the uncertainties of what the
impact of leaving the EU actually will be. You work with factories in various
countries. If any, what challenges do you think you may face in keeping the
affordable luxury ethos of the brand?
L: I firmly believe that
quality and craftsmanship are key for my brand, and if I have good production
processes in place with good reliable factories, the rest will follow. I am
sure many challenges will come my way, and it won’t be easy to keep my prices
“affordable”, but I am determined to stick to my ethos. I do believe there is a
gap in the market for affordable luxury, now more than ever before, so I am
driven to make it work. Lucy Choi London launched in 2012, in the face of the
recession. With the challenging economic climate, and within a competitive
footwear market, we were able to establish the brand, offering luxury yet
affordable footwear. I know that keeping this focus, and the highest level of
craftsmanship, will be essential for the growth of the brand and
future-proofing itself against any further economic instability.
D: We have seen your
shoes adorning the feet of many well known women. Is there anyone you haven’t
dressed yet that you would love to see wearing your shoes?
L:
I would love to dress my icons, Kate Moss and Kate Middleton! I am very lucky
to have such inspirational women wearing my shoes, with three generations,
ranging from Daisy Lowe and Kelly Brook, to Jodie Kidd, Cheryl and Joanna
Lumley. Darcey Bussell has been so supportive since
the very beginning. She has such elegance and poise, I love seeing her in the
shoes. She recently wore a pair of our Elphaba high heels, inspired by Wicked
the Musical, for Strictly Come Dancing, and of course she looked simply
dazzling!!
And
Finally
D: Tell me something
surprising about yourself.
L:
I’m always on the go, but I can’t drive! I ran over a pigeon while I was
learning and was forbidden from getting behind the wheel ever again…!
Thank
you to the beautiful Dorsett Hotel Shepherds Bush for looking after us so well
and allowing us to shoot our story.
*Nightly rates at Dorsett
Shepherds Bush start from £130. For further information and enquiries; visit www.dorsetthotels.com.
