Young Soles Run Free

I am always fascinated to see the paths people take - whether they are made up of twists and turns or whether they hit the high road and take a direct route with vision and focus.

A few months ago I was at Bubble London, a trade show dedicated to children’s design and products. Among the new hopefuls showing their collections was a stand-out brand - Young Soles caught my attention from across the aisles. Founder Louise Shill has a background in shoe design from DeMontfort University and it didn’t take me more than a minute to know that I had found something special. Louise was an intern from my design days - fast forward 15 years and Louise had earned her stripes as she travelled the globe designing and developing footwear for an impressive list of brands and retailers.I have worked in children’s fashion for almost a decade and to be honest I am tired of new brands and new stores that proclaim to be ”filling a gap in the market”, ”offering gender-neutral product” as though it’s a new concept and who wheel out the most over-used phrase ”to inspire and capture the imagination of children”. Really? The world needs innovation and originality. Young Soles bring just that - they have an authentic story, a wealth of experience, skill, vision and knowledge. Put those things together and you have the birth of a new brand that has the chance to stand the test of time. Needless to say I am thrilled to showcase the debut collection in my store Olive Loves Alfie.I spoke to Louise about the brand, her background and her approach.

A: Going it alone is tough but can be rewarding. Did you always have a yearning to work for yourself?
L: Yes always, but especially after I had my daughter Rosie I spent some time freelancing. I really had a taste of working for myself.

A: How long did you spend developing the idea for the brand before you launched your debut collection?
L: I had the idea for at least two years. I worked closely with my factory in Portugal for a year developing and fine tuning the product until I was 100% happy with it.

A: The branding is really strong - who worked on this with you?
L: I am really fortunate that my partner runs his own branding and PR agency. We worked really hard to get the brand story right and after that everything was easy. They have a talented team and I really love the logo and the shoe box.A: You worked with one of my favourite photographers Flannery O’Kafka. L: Yes I stumbled across Flannery’s blog when I was compiling fashion ideas and trend boards for Young Soles. Having been through this process many times in the past Flannery’s photography struck me as being edgy, gritty and atmospheric and unlike most other children’s editorial photography out there.

A: Your personal style comes though in your collection - how would you describe it?
L: A bit of a mix but like my designs I would describe it as simple, yet classic styling mixed with contemporary detailing with a hint of vintage/retro.

A: Any advice for people setting up on their own?
L: Be prepared to put in the hard graft but never give up the dream.

A: Do you have any favourite children’s fashion labels?
L: I love lots but my favourite at the moment is Bobo Choses. I love that they think outside the box, mixing unexpected styles and prints.A: What advice would you give to anyone buying footwear for children?
L: Choose shoes that are made in natural materials, leather is great for moulding to the foot and allowing it to breath.

A few of my favourite images from the AW14 shoot with Flannery O’Kafka.

Ashlyn Gibson

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