We met the fabulous Yael Star: read about the top shoe trends and where Yael gets her inspiration from in her job as creative director of Edward Meller. Confession here: this is my all time favourite shoe shop!
Congratulations – Celebrating 40 plus years in business is no small feat (excuse the pun!) What has been the most fulfilling part of your journey?
The most fulfilling part has been working alongside my father for the last twenty years and watching the business grow, change and evolve with the ever changing market and being able to remain both successful and relevant.
How difficult is it to succeed as a woman in retail?
I don’t think It is any more difficult for a woman than a man to succeed in retail. An individual’s drive, passion and hard work not their gender will most often determine success. I do think that women often face a unique set of challenges; personally for me it has been finding the balance between being a mother and wife and pursuing my career.
Would you say Women love Women who run businesses?
I think as women, of course, we appreciate businesses run by other women because we know just how hard it is to juggle a work and home life.
Can you tell a woman of style by her shoes? Why are shoes such an important part of a woman’s outfit?
Shoes are the key to completing an outfit. The wrong shoe can destroy the look completely, no matter how beautiful the dress etc. might be. Shoes alone can transition an outfit from day to night; casual to chic. Someone’s footwear choice is an insight into someone’s style and tastes from daring to conservative.
Where do you get your inspiration? Tell us about your trips to India.
Our inspiration comes from the streets of Europe and New York Taking these inspirations and then interpreting them for the unique Australian market is key.
India is an amazing place to visit. It’s so full of life; the people are so lovely and the craftsmanship is astounding. It’s the fun and creative part of the job where we get to play with colour and material and build the product from scratch.
What part of your job do you enjoy the most and why? Is it the creating, merchandising or marketing?
The creative parts of the job are by far my favourite. However, I really enjoy doing a little bit of everything. It keeps me challenged. I also love spending time in our stores selling the product we create and curate to our loyal customers. There’s immense satisfaction in seeing something go all the way from conception to realisation and then home with a happy customer.
