Hello Yvette! How are you today?
I'm very well thank you having just been made an Auntie! Woo hoo!
You are the owner of Red's Ruby Slippers, tell us a little about what you do?
In a nutshell I customise shoes, bags and accessories with crystals. I tend to work on a commission basis and I can either breathe a new lease of life into something that is a bit old and battered (like your birthday shoes Lori!) or sparkle up something new that perhaps was a little bland to begin with, which is how RRS started. I was after a green pair of vintage shoes for VLV to go with a new dress. I'd not long bought an amazing pair of 50s vintage springolators that were completely covered in AB rhinestones, but they were a little too delicate for a night of dancing. These shoes then inspired me to have a brainwave to customise a boring pair of gold scuffed springolators that had sat in my wardrobe unworn (by me) for years. A whole load of research into technique and materials then ensued, and RRS was born!
Where has your passion for shoes come from?
When I was about 5 I used to sellotape things to the heel of my little flat shoes in the hope I'd then have high heels to walk in. It never worked oddly enough! Then when I was old enough to start buying my own clothes, shoes used to be the thing I'd buy. By the time I was 17 I'd already collected about 150 pairs of shoes (I now own approximately 400 or something crazy like that). I then carried out work experience at Ravel with Lynsey Hand who now owns Miss L Fire shoes and I was hooked! I then went on to complete a Degree in the subject at Cordwainers College/London College of Fashion. Then life got in the way.....!
There are a few companies and individuals customising their shoes and purses with crystals recently, what's your USP? Your items seem a lot sparklier than the others!
I guess you can say my USP is that apart from the Polly style shoes, you won't see me churning out the same endless pairs of modern high heeled platforms or Converse with the toe cap covered in crystals. I like to do one offs. I LOVE strassing (the term for adding crystals) battered old vintage shoes, the kind that sit at the back of your wardrobe gathering dust that are either too boring compared to other pairs you may own or that are scuffed, marked, and looking a bit worse for wear. I can change them a whole different colour if need be and clean them up so they look like new again! I won't customise an already fabulous pair of vintage shoes though, I just couldn't live with myself. It would be like taking a fabulous 50s vintage mermaid dress and cutting the mermaid hem off to make it into a mini dress!! It's just WRONG! I could only bring myself to customise my lucite "wedding" purse because there were two cracks in the back!
My items would seem to be sparklier than other companies because they are! I prefer to use either Swarovski or Presciosa crystals; Preciosa being in the same league as Swarovski in my opinion, just a tad cheaper. Some colour crystals I think are actually better than Swarovski. Some say that Preciosa sparkle more from a distance which is why professional dancers tend to use these on their costumes. I will use resin crystals if a customer asks me to, and have had some great results with them, just they are not my preference. I want things to have the "WOW" factor! Most companies generally use the lesser sparkly resin crystals, which are cheaper. But you get what you pay for.
How long does it take you to fully customise a pair of shoes or a bag?
It all depends on what is involved. I work full-time so can only generally work on things in the evenings. Shoes might require painting first which can take a few days. On average I like to have 2-4 weeks to work on each commission.
Where can people pick up your 'off the rack' items?
At the moment, my items can be purchased from Greyhound vintage in Camden, and at the odd craft or wedding fair. I also sell online via my facebook page:www.facebook.com/redsrubyslippers and also on my Etsy page:www.etsy.com/uk/shop/lilrockingal
This year has been pretty hectic with copious amounts of wedding planning, but I will have more "off the rack" items for sale next year.
You're also a very talented singer! What projects are you working on now and where might we have seen you perform?
Why thank you Miss GHV! I am currently lead vocalist in Sugar Ray's Lucky Strikes which also features the extremely talented Sugar Ray Ford aka Mr Pat Reyford. We are an 8 piece 50's jump jive R&B band influenced by the sounds of Lavern Baker, Ann Cole, Ella Mae Morse, and Wynonie Harris to name but a few! We are still fairly new and are due to go into Sugar Ray's vintage recording studio next week to lay down some tracks to get ourselves out there. We'll be performing at the Dover Street Wine Bar in London on the7th November, and also at Ladywood Social Club in Birmingham on the 30th November. Without my diary in front of me, I do know we're also back at the Hep Cats Weekender in March!
As well as being a show sparkler extraordinaire and chanteuse, you are also a fully qualified nail technician! Is this a sideline you might take public in the future?
As a side-line, I'd love to get back into the nail industry at some point in the future. I'm such a girly girl and I love being all creative with colour, glitters and metallic foil. I even have MEN at work comment on them saying how they've told their 13 year old daughters about my amazing ever-changing nails. You can't beat a freshly manicured set of nails, glimmering away as you bash at letters on a keyboard! Once I’ve finished planning and executing my destination wedding, it's already part of my New Year's Resolution to get some clients to do in my spare time. (I think also you'll kill me if I don't!) I actually can't wait to buy some new products and maybe go on another training course or two! Did I tell you about the wallpaper my Dad got his hands on recently? SOLID SILVER GLITTER! Like you need sunglasses for it! It's mental! He wanted to do the downstairs bathroom in it.... but I already have other plans......! Black and silver art deco beauty room anyone?!
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I am 32 and feel far from being a grown up! My mum bought me a T-shirt once saying "I went to take over the world but got distracted by something sparkly". It's SO me. My ultimate goal in life is to be happy and content! If I am shoe/bag/nail sparkler extraordinaire whilst gracing a few stages with my band at the same time then great!
And lastly, have you shopped with GHV before and what has been your favourite purchase?
Yes I have most definitely purchased a few things from GHV....before I was insanely saving for a wedding! My favourite purchase has to be the red chrome spun lurex dress with matching belt that I bought off you! RED LUREX! MMMMMMM! Although there is the 3 piece red Alfred Shaheen shorts, top and cover-up I went a bit mad on last weekend.........both fabulous purchases!!
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