StyleNest meets shoe design’s next big thing, Liam Fahy.
One time assistant to Rupert Sanderson, ex-psychology student and now a British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN nominee; shoe designer Liam Fahy has had an interesting career so far. With the fashion industry at his well-dressed feet and tipped as the next big thing in shoe design, we’re predicting this is only the beginning for the Zimbabwe born designer. StyleNest caught up with Liam to find out where he gets his creative inspiration from, his coveted NEWGEN Award and of course, his first ever pair of shoes.
Congratulations on being selected by the British Fashion Council for the 2013 NEWGEN Award. Tell us, has it sunk in yet?
Thank you. It’s very satisfying knowing that an organisation like the BFC are willing to put their name to my label. I have to admit it took a while to sink in.
How did you celebrate when you heard the news?
I was in my factory just outside of Venice when I heard the news, so I shared it with my Italian team. There are quite a few people involved in assembling our pieces so they where all just as chuffed as me.
Receiving the NEWGEN Award means you’ll show at London Fashion Week in February 2013, how’s everything going in the run up to that?
We started to put the collection together in October, as there are so many tanneries, heel makers and suppliers to visit. There is one shoe we are doing just for London Fashion Week that we are making partly with the Electrical Engineering faculty of my old university DeMontfort, as it has a small microchip in it. I’m just hoping we get it all done in time.
The NEWGEN alumni are an impressive list with everyone from Mary Katrantzou to Christopher Kane now globally recognised designers. Are you thinking big for Liam Fahy as a brand?
Definitely, we have the best factory in Italy and a distribution warehouse in Munich all set, although we would rather a steady and loyal growth instead of a quick and fickle growth. Each one of our shoes is deliberately made in limited editions to make sure we will always be exclusive compared to other luxury designers, so I guess we’re always going to be a little more niche.
How did you get interested in shoe design?
Growing up in Africa was a big part of it as we never had chain stores or multinational brands and endless adverts pimping every media stream. I remember having just two TV channels (ZBC or Dead-BC as we called it) that were on for half the day and a few government controlled radio stations. Living in a fashion desert gives you a clean canvas, no trends or off-the-shelf creativity so I’ve always been creating my own things whether it’s shoes, interiors or art. I then went on to study psychology, which eventually drew me into the fashion industry – I’ve always been fascinated with what and why people wear what they do. Every product and detail of our company is actually an experiment in progress.
What were the first pair of shoes you remember?
The first pair was probably blue decollete pumps my mother had in her shoe cupboard. The first ever pair I made were a traditional African slipper made from an old tire called a Mbatata. I still have them.
You grew up in Zimbabwe but are now based in London. Where do you call home?
Although I love London, I think Africa’s always going to be home. We have a small charity on the outskirts of Harare called the Shingirirai Trust that is run by an amazing group of women who support orphans infected and affected by HIV. Last time we went to see them we saw how they were literally making art out of junk, and doing it so well. All of the dust bags that come with our shoes are hand made by these women.
What is it about London that nurtures creative talent so well?
London is a condensed version of the world’s cultures in a 15 mile radius layered over hundreds of years. It attracts creative people that in turn attract more creative people and constantly raise the bar. I also believe it’s proportional to the power of London’s fashion media industry. The amount of iconic designers are matched only by the editorial talent and influence of this media. Without them, the designers might not exist.
What other shoe designers inspire you?
I’m more inspired by designers and creatives that have nothing do to with footwear, like Bauhaus, Corbusier, Ridley Scott, Stanley Kubrik, Bruno Minari, Robert Caldini and Philip K Dick.
What inspired your signature nickel sole that appears on all your designs?
An old 1950’s metal sign fixed on an old wooden office door. Today it would be applied with a single cheap plastic label to save time and money, but then, each piece had to be individually made and individually applied by a sign-maker. It makes our shoes much longer to make and a lot more expensive, but it’s this approach we have with everything that makes our quality and attention to detail unsurpassed.
You’ve had an interesting background so far, starting off as a psychology student and then taking a year out to live remotely with the Tonga tribe in valleys of the Zambezi River. How did these choices affect what you do now?
I didn’t so much learn whilst I was living alongside the river, but more when I left to go to completely different places like London or an industrial town in the East Midlands. The difference in human behaviour is so much more poignant and obvious then and it’s these choices that make me think what I can and can’t get away with in my designs.
You worked with fellow shoe designer Rupert Sanderson for a time. Tell us about that.
Working with Rupert was great. He is one of the very few designers who have succeeded without being related to a celebrity or billionaire.
What can we expect to see from your next collection?
The collection is inspired by 1970s vinyl umbrellas, aristocratic embroidery, steam trains, train trunks and classic 50s movies. Expect a lot of subtle details and our signature dark ethos.
Finally, do you have a favourite shoe design you are most proud of?
The Charlotte. It’s our signature silhouette and I like to say it’s scientifically guaranteed to add 50% sex appeal to any woman that wears, But in all seriouslnes, I’m very proud of it and it’s the only shoe we have done that has actually met the Queen.
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