Georgina Goodman
Georgina Goodman, whose shoes have been fêted as ‘summer essentials’ by Thandie Newton and ‘the future of footwear’ by Manolo Blahnik, on Grove life
Above: Shoe designer Georgina Goodman
Where do you live and why?
I live with my husband, BJ Cunningham [who is also her business partner], daughter, Silva and our dog, Mr Brown in Queen’s Park. We have been here for 10 years. We love the community and the park. A lot of our friends are nearby. Importantly for us, our daughter is at the local community infant’s school and she is very happy there. We like the idea of being a part of an area rather than apart from it.
What was your upbringing like?
I am the second of four sisters; that probably gives you a good idea! I left home at 16 to go to college and to work in London – so I’ve always been fairly independent and looked after myself but I have a strong sense of family.
How would you describe yourself?
I am extremely empathetic and sensitive: it is my gift and my curse.
Why do you love shoes?
I think being a woman helps! I love their form and shape. I love how they hold you and support you and serve to ground you. They are practical and beautiful and have a universal language understood by everybody.
How did you get into design?
Art college, my fascination with architecture and fashion helped to focus me. My grandfather was also influential; he understood the flow of fashion. He talked me through fashion styles; he inspired me to be inspired. And my mother: when I was 12 she bought me a book on Coco Chanel. She still buys my Vogue yearly subscription. She has always supported that particular side of me.
Where do you currently get your inspiration?
I find everything inspiring. On a walk I’ll stop to photograph a mark in the sand, a cloud in the sky or a broken bottle. I collect pebbles, bark, rocks, driftwood. I also try to get to as many exhibitions as I can – other artists inspire me.
Does this area inspire you?
To a degree. Certainly the more natural parts of it or the much more urban. Where we live is very safe: I don’t look at Queen’s Park for inspiration but the more active parts of Notting Hill; the markets and the high streets give me a buzz.
Who are your favourite local characters?
Our vet, David King at All Pets on Sidmouth Parade, NW2. He is a great vet and has saved our Mr. Brown on too many occasions. More than that he took on our teenage chickens, Lover and Dustbin (who turned out to be a magnificent cock) and we still get great eggs.
Are there any local designers you admire?
Bill Amberg is a personal favourite. I love how he continuously reinvents leather and I like his shop on Chepstow Corner.
Can you tell me a secret about the area?
Lillian at the Osteopathic Practice [Doyle Gardens] is a back-bending gem. Her healing hands are well worth discovering.
What has been your greatest achievement?
Taking the decision to go back to college as a mature student. I wasn’t happy in what I was previously doing. I was working in magazines and as a researcher and in PR and generally hopping about from one thing to the next without any real clear direction.
Your shoes are known for their craftsmanship. In this technological age, why do you think that is still so important to people?
Sophisticated consumers want the imperfection that comes with hand-crafted products. They want the perfectly imperfect single sweep of a hand-painted line.
Who are your customers?
Design connoisseurs, artists, fashion journalists, and women in the know. Essentially these are women who are subtly sexy and not all bling.
Do you have someone in mind when you’re designing?
Each season I choose a different woman as a muse.
Tell us about your Spring/Summer 07 collection?
My S/S07 muse is American singer/songwriter Chan (pronounced Shawn) Marshall aka Cat Power. Her music seems to rise from nowhere, envelope the room, then vanish. Also Chan is strikingly different. I love her voice. I love her quirky creativity and strength. This season’s collection is all about cool glamour and 50s elegance, interwoven with striking, vital and inspirational forms: towering heels and hand-finished, multicoloured, shimmering leathers.
Who would you most like to design a pair of shoes for?
Tracey Emin. I really admire her. She is amazing and in my view a true hero.