I’ve known Mike since the start of Presents, so I thought it would be apt to start off a new series of the Meets interview series revisiting an old friend of LMP. Especially as she designed my wedding shoes, more of those beauties later!
As well as court shoes, Yull have branched out into Chelsea boots, mens footwear and even nail varnish to match your shoe colour! You can see the collections right here at Yull. Now let’s crack on with the interview.
What encouraged you to enter this industry and what was your route?
I loved fashion as a teenager and wanted to work in the industry. I had wanted to get into dress design but fell into shoes through various jobs and work placements.
What is a typical working day for you?
My office is 5 minutes from my flat, so I usually arrive around 8:30 after walking Little Jack, our little office buddy. I get the admin out of the way before my colleagues arrive, and we usually get down to planning the jobs for the day and tasks at around 10 a.m. Then it’s PR pushing to magazines, calls to boutiques, factory visits, social media, looking after customers, and usually chasing up deliveries!
Where are you based, how much of an inspiration is your city and what are your favourite cities worldwide?
Based on the river in Battersea, London. London is a huge inspiration to the design of the shoes and the brand itself. It’s my favourite city in the world. Everywhere I go I am always so happy to be back.
Yull shoes are a feature of London life
Have you seen your industry change in the last few years? Have you had to adapt?
Yes, independent shops are closing down and more and more people are buying online. We have adapted by investing time and efforts into social media and online advertising. However it also means that the world is a much smaller place and that we can sell all around the globe. We target sales across all continents and aren’t afraid to do so.
What’s the most rewarding part of your work? What is your greatest accomplishment so far?
Getting to wear lovely shoes but also when other people are passionate about the brand and have heard of it. It means we must be doing something right!
What is next for you? What are your goals for 2024?
We launched our new A/W collection for retail. It is our biggest collection yet and was definitely a step up for Yull. We have the very wearable Cumbria boots, which were many alterations in the making. They are our first-ever long boots! My favourite, though, is the Chester high-heeled booties. I’ve been wanting a pair for over a year now!