“I have always loved shoes and have over 100 pairs”., Bernie Hurst
Noblivity Spotlights Emerging Designer Bernie Hurst
Company/Designer Name: Nooshooz / Bernie Hurst
Designer Background Summary: Started with my love of shoes at the age of 7
How did you get started? I have always loved shoes and have over 100 pairs. However, I went on holiday with my family and took 14 pairs with me, one pair for every day and to match every outfit. I got stopped at the airport for overweight luggage.
This is when I thought of designing a shoe where you could change the color to match any outfit and only need to take one pair on holiday. (holiday is vacation here in the UK )
What inspires your designs? Ladies who love to own shoes in all colors and being able to keep up with the latest trends that are a little different. You do not need to throw your shoes in the back of the closet just because the color is not in this year. You can change the upper to match this seasons in colors or prints.
How would you describe your design style, design signatures and who is your targeted customer? Ladies love the fact that they can get red, turquoise and white heels. No one else really does these, it is mainly black heels. My target customers are ladies who like quality handmade shoes and yet are not as expensive as the top designers but just as well made and in some instances more comfortable.
What designers inspire you? Christain Laboutin, Gucci
What obstacles did you have to overcome? I had to get all my designs patented and protected. Also when I first got them made I went to China, they were terrible quality and very poor materials. I had orders for them and no one to make them. Someone told me to go to Brazil, so I did and found a man who has been in the shoe making business for 30 years. He only hand makes his shoes and this made him my choice.
How did you overcome them? I knew if I wanted quality shoes I had to pay a little more, but I would not sell anything that I would not wear myself.
What has been your greatest moment on your journey so far? Greatest moments so far have been when the first order came through my website and being invited to London Fashion Week in 2009 to exhibit my shoes. Also when my shoes appeared in the English Vogue in August 2009 and a company in Germany called me and ordered a huge amount and now they are on sale in Germany, Holland, Austria, France, Switzerland and Belgium.
What has been the biggest change in your designs so far? I listen to my customers and if they don’t like something about my designs I change it. So far, all my designs are loved by those who own them.
If money were no object what would you do right now? Take out an advertisement on TV to tell the world about my shoes.
What are the best and worst things about being a designer? Best thing is seeing someone walk down the street in my shoes, there is no worst, I love it.
Describe your typical day? I get up, do all the mum things, lunch boxes, breakfast and school runs for my children. Get home and start to process my orders, get to the post office to get them delivered, deal with all the paperwork, check out all the latest colors and designs on the market and make sure all my colors are in stock. Pick up my kids from school. Cook dinner for my family, then answer customer inquiries, reply to emails, and maybe get to bed around midnight.
What’s your philosophy of life? Winners never quit and quitters never win
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? Nothing, I love what I do.
When will you know you have made it? When I see a celebrity in a glossy magazine wearing my shoes
The Nooshooz Collection is available in the US @ The MarketPlace Noblivity.com
