Anita Flavin: A Top-Notch Irish Shoe Designer and Fashion Entrepreneur Shares her Awe-Inspiring Success Story

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have a Fashion Management Business and Finance educational background. Earlier you completed BTEC in Retail Distribution, Retail Management and Distribution from John Lewis Partnership / Cassio College. How has this helped you to rise in the profession of your choice?

Ms. Anita Flavin: I returned to London to commence a BTEC Higher National Diploma in Fashion Management Business and Finance at The London College of Fashion. This was the first year that this course was put into action and the aim of the course was to educate the future leaders of the fashion industry. I passed my interview with flying colours as the course Director Andrew Hughes remarked to me at the interview how passionate and determined I was to be part of this pioneering course. Andrew is now the Dean of The London College of Fashion and we still keep in touch. Both Andrew and the college have always been supportive of me in my career and I also have been on the college advisory panels.

To graduate from The London College of Fashion is regarded as highly prestigious on an international level. This has opened many doors for me however being a dedicated student and able to put into action the knowledge and skills I learnt from my education at the college has contributed towards me enabling myself to pursue a career in fashion.

After graduating from college I decided to link up again with friends I had made in Los Angeles and I moved to join them this time in Aspen. My time in Aspen was comparable to a playground of fantasy, living in a world of reality. It was here that I became part of the international Obermeyer family and my world of the business of fashion became infused with my silent longing to explore my creative talents. Klaus Obermeyer believed in dreams and brought out the hidden gems in the people he decided to surround himself with. The inner I was unleashed and a kaleidoscope of colour, texture, creativity and passion became mine for the taking. I had discovered my personal key to unlock my natural creative flair.

Upon my return to London the footwear fashion scene was beginning to rock the world by its foundations. Always being a woman to reveal in excitement I placed myself on fashions cutting edge monopoly board at Office London, with my combination of business and creativity in the world of fashion attributed to in 1998 Office store windows being the most sought after in the world. We brought and invested in many of today's international luxury labels.

This was not enough for me; I was still serving and not partaking to the extent of my dreams. Within my self-realisation I knew I was underselling my true potential and I was capable and passionate to create my own ladies footwear label. I identified a niche in the market for a new quirky footwear brand and commenced my own business.

Luxury has always been my passion I made it my business to venture into Italy and commence training by the elite of the Italian footwear industry. My chosen destination for a training laboratory was in the heart of the exquisite ladies footwear home, Le Marche region of Italy. It was here that I met up with Ennio and became part of his team.

 

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Who has been your inspiration and motivation or catalyst in choosing the role of the Creative Director at Ennio Mecozzi Ladies Luxury Footwear as your profession?
 

Ms. Anita Flavin: Last year an Italian shoemaking artisan Ennio Mecozzi whom I have been conducting business with for six years, approached me with a business proposition to become Creative Director in creating a luxury ladies footwear brand, which is handmade in Le Marche, the exquisite shoemaking region of Italy. I recognised this venture was the perfect partnership to represent the quality of my design philosophy and enabling me to present the collections in its righteous place among the creme dell a creme of shoe heaven.

Ennio Mecozzi is a third generation Italian shoemaker; he has his own factory and workforce and is well established in the footwear industry in the Le Marche region. This business combination is a pioneering venture, as it is the norm for Italian brands to be family operated and they wish to keep their businesses within the Italian circles. It is the norm for footwear designers outside of Italy to set up their own label and then seek a factory to work with. Establishing a well matched working dynamic between factory and designer is commonly known within the industry as the most difficult obstacle to overcome. Up until now our business dynamic has been an unknown in this field. I have taken Ennio's proposition as an absolute honour for me, and view this as a well-deserved reward after all my years of hard work and to keep on aiming for my goals against all odds, being given a licence to the creme del a creme of shoe heaven. The support and encouragement I receive from the artisan's I work with in Italy and also their belief in me is my inspiration and motivation. I feel after all these years in business I have finally found my feet and shoe family.