I love art, being so close to the galleries, being by the water - and sunsets from the terrace.
I was lucky that I started very young, since I had a very clear idea of what I wanted to do. But my father is very conservative, and he never considered fashion to be a real career but something I could pursue as a hobby. He wanted me to be a doctor, and at one point, I thought of becoming a plastic surgeon.
I think every celebrity that I love wears my shoes. I'm a particular fan of Julianne Moore, and I adore Jennifer Lawrence. There are so many beautiful women. I love Poppy Delevingne, of course; I even made a collection with her.
I was surrounded by women and all I would hear is of them complaining about their shoes. Back then, 'comfort' was a dirty word in fashion footwear. This was before fur loafers or sneakers. So, I wanted to create a shoe that was like slipping your foot into a glove - something beautiful, feminine, and sexy at the same time.
I went to department stores, and there was nothing that I really loved. All the shoes were too complicated, too crazy, too ridiculous, too extreme. The platforms were so high; the shoes were so ugly, covered in crystals and feathers and crap. I just thought, 'Maybe somebody wants a beautifully simple, sexy shoe that they can actually walk in.'
For me, I knew the Christy flat was a beautiful shoe, but I had no idea the incredible trend that would follow - I mean, it's the most copied thing ever!
