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Where do you sell your shoes?
Fashion boutiques and top-end shoe shops. We’re very flexible and make very small quantities for individual shops. That’s true all over the world, not just in Spain. We sell at places like Scooter in Madrid, Como Agua de Mayo and Entre Bambalinas in Barcelona. In New York, we’re available from all the big luxury department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom… In London, it’s Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Harrods. In Paris, our collections are on sale in Printemps and Le Bon Marché, but also at very exclusive boutiques. In the future, we’ll be using retail corners, first in Japan, then elsewhere.

Where would you like to launch next?
In my home country Brazil. But there my shoes would retail at virtually €600. Brazil has a very complicated imports policy. It’s a way of promoting its own industry. We’ve looked into it, but I don’t think it’s an option. Otherwise, we’re already available in all the European capitals, China, Japan, the Middle East and South Africa. That leaves Latin America.

“We want to open our own shops. The first will be in Tokyo”

How did you get into such top-end locations?
We have 10 sales agents and eight press offices around the world. But it’s mainly been through tradeshows. That’s the big secret behind our success outside Spain. We go to 14 each season.

Any plans for your own shops?
We’re starting to think about our own shops now. The first will probably be in Japan, in Tokyo. Then I’d like to open one in Barcelona or Madrid, another in Paris and one in New York.

The Chie Mihara website has an e-shop. How successful has it been?
It’s gone down very well. We see it as a little shop of our own where we can sell the designs we really like. We’re about to launch “Sample Sales”, which is a collection with only one or two sizes per model. The US is the country that buys most over the Internet, also the UK. They’re more used to it than we are in Spain. We ship it all from here by UPS, with whom we have special agreements.

“Sofia Coppola, Halle Berry and Celine Dion have all worn my shoes”

Any celebrities who wear Chie Mihara?
My American rep told me Sofia Coppola bought some flat sandals and so did Halle Berry. Celine Dion bought two pairs of boots for concerts. For the new Harry Potter film, I’ve made some boots for Helena Bonham Carter and her little witches.

Tell us about the spring/summer 08 collection
I’ve used fluorescent shades that I’d never really liked before, but which suddenly grabbed my attention. There are phosphorescent straps, heels and heel-plates on shoes in more restrained colours, so the effect is not too garish. I’ve also used vinyl for a futuristic look and a mixture of earthy shades which I’m very fond of.

How do you feel about these last few years?
It’s been wonderful. I’m not a very business-oriented person and I don’t do things for money. What matters to me is doing what I enjoy and I always feel the money will come in if you do things properly. I’m so devoted to footwear; I take work home with me at the weekend. Not to mention the weekdays when I carry on working after I get back from the studio. Footwear design is just part of my daily life.

More at www.chiemihara.com