Designer Heather Williams

After eight years as a shoe designer for brands such as Reebok and Calvin Klein, designer Heather Williams decided to create her own label, H Williams, debuting fall ’09. “This collection is definitely made for the woman who understands and values luxury, but has an eye for intricate details and a keen sense of design,” Williams says of the line, which retails from $495 to $2,200. Here, Williams offers a take on her new collection in an exclusive, extended interview previously published in the March issue of WSAToday.
What's happening with your new fall 09 collection? Can you describe it for us?
My launch collection for fall ’09 definitely reflects my personal aesthetic of continual movement in the patterns. This began early in my career when I designed athletic shoes. I was taught that the shoes should look like they’re moving while sitting still because they would appear more aerodynamic and convey a sense of movement. My previous experience helped me achieve some sleeker patterns in terms of my footwear and handbags.

Is there a standout style?
My favorite style is the Elise and I think it’s representative of the aesthetics behind my whole line. There is a design element because of the complex latticework, but the silhouette is still very streamlined and looks beautiful on the foot. It’s also easy to wear because it has a subtle zipper in the back. It’s definitely a versatile style and I can see my customers wearing it for day as well as evening.

What were your design inspirations for fall 09?
I started designing the collection after living in Italy for several months and literally soaking up the amazing culture and history of the country. After taking hundreds of photos of the mosaic designs in churches I visited, I laid them out in front of me and used them as inspiration for some of the woven, movement-inspired detailing that you can see throughout the collection.

Gracyn sandal

What materials and colors did you work with?
The main color palette is neutral for my launch collection—black, taupe, very light grey with some pops of color in rich aubergine. This was intentional because the patterns are complex, and I thought too much texture and color would be overwhelming. I want my customer to wear the shoe, not the shoe to wear the customer. There is also a really fun metallic python that changes color from bronze to eggplant depending on lighting. My handbags range from medium day bags in neutral nappa leathers to evening satchels in metallic leather, python, as well as colored satins. To round out my collection, I also designed the Portia leather day bag that has a computer sleeve with handles that can be pulled out of the bag to create two separate pieces.

What trends are hot right now, in terms of women's footwear?
I think a strong trend right now in women’s footwear is creating beautiful, elegant shoes with simplified entries. It allows designers more freedom to create interesting patterns with straps, buckles, and details. But for practicality, I think customers want a zip, lace, or elastic. I’m seeing a lot of patterns where designers have been clever about designing the closure into the pattern.

What have you found are some of the most important ways to reach your customers?
I’m most concerned about getting into the right stores for my brand. I really want to be strategic about the merchandising, selection and the ability of the store staff to talk about my designs. I also place a lot of value in terms of marketing and public relations. Getting the right review in the right publication that my customer reads or sending personal communications to my customers on new company news is very important to me. Also, I think it’s important for designers to wear their designs. You never know who you might meet on the street or at a party so I definitely wear my shoes and carry my handbags as much as possible!

Describe your customer to us.
She is very strong, confident, and dynamic. She’s also a customer that values creative design and versatility and buys shoes not based on the brand name but on the fit and how the shoe looks on her feet, not just on the shelf. I also expressly designed my launch collection to be versatile for many different wear occasions and I made sure that my designs segue well from day to night, casual to evening looks. I think many shoppers are concerned with how they will wear accessories so I tried to stay attuned to that with my collection.

What makes your brand different from other women's brands?
I like to think my designs have a unique vision without being too avant-garde or inaccessible. They’re definitely strong pieces and achieve glamour, sexiness, and convey strength. I also like to include a lot of design details, whether it’s pleating, latticing, woven leathers or interesting zipper details. It’s important for me for my customer to see glimpse my designs in a store and notice a different detail that they may not have noticed from far away. Whether it’s a bootie style like Rueda which has sexy cut-outs and a zipper that swoops up the front of the shoes, or the Gracyn sandal which has a complex woven pattern at the ankle strap, it’s all about the details.

Rueda peep toe bootie

Are you worried about releasing a luxury line now?
Buying dollars for retailers are definitely less than other seasons and I think buyers are more concerned than ever about moving product. The luxury market is definitely tough to enter as a new brand, but I knew it would be difficult even before the problems with the economy. Regardless of the market, it’s a huge step for a designer to go off on her own, and I made sure I designed things that looked fresh and presented original ideas, but with a sensibility that wasn’t limited to one type of person or a seasonal trend. I tried to make sure that my collection had its own voice, where the pieces are unique investment pieces and they won’t look dated in a season or in a couple years.

What have been some of your biggest challenges in starting a footwear company?
I’ve definitely focused on the big picture and pushing the process forward versus being hung up on small problems and setbacks, which every designer faces. It’s so important to keep perspective and be able to approach each challenge calmly and strategically. Whether it’s a tough market, production delays, or retailer response, it’s important to keep your objectives in mind and believing in yourself as a designer and as a business person. If you look at it from the bright side, starting a launch collection, the only direction to go is up.

What's next in women's footwear?
I think footwear that isn’t defined by seasonal trends is going to become more important. With an uncertain economy, consumers want pieces that they can wear for years to come. I also think sandals and bootie styles will continue to evolve, blending the categories of open and closed toe shoes. As far as upcoming trends, it’s definitely been a dark year for designers and retailers, for next year we’re all looking for something happy and uplifting. I think we’ll see things lean towards playfulness again but with a different sensibility that is less obvious.The unique and playful shoes will become basics.

What other designers do you admire?
For footwear, I have always admired Pierre Hardy because he’s so versatile. His designs can be clean and modern, or incredibly complicated, and then he’ll throw in a sneaker style to round out his collection. I love that! He manages to translate all categories to his modern sensibility and I really admire his ability to do this. Barbara Bui is another brand that I follow. Her designs are very chic without being minimalist and the shoes are made for a woman that can wear a statement shoe versus the shoe wearing her.

If you could change something about the industry, what would it be?
I think a lot of the industry is currently focused on very competitive margins and volume, and it’s taking the art out of accessories design and monopolizing the industry to only cater to the biggest producers and retailers. It’s become much harder for the smaller factories, stores, and designers to stay or get into the business. If consumers become more conscious about quality and not about buying in quantity, I think the art and tradition would be more recognizable.

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