A real shoe-stopper!

Talk about a different kind of 3 am caller! Shoe designer Aruna Seth has been a popular name in the UK for some time now, but her brand touched new heights recently when she got a call at 2 am from Donald Trump’s daughter Tiffany a day before the Presidential Inauguration for a pair of boots. The green shoes were specially flown in for the First Daughter.

Aruna is known for her high-end designer wear shoes, jewellery and handbags which have intricate designs and a princess-y touch to them all. Her clients include Pippa Middleton, Priyanka Chopra and Kate Hudson, among others.
The designer of Indian lineage talks about how Tiffany Trump got in touch with her. “A friend of mine is very good friends with Tiffany, and introduced me to her. She then followed me on Instagram, got familiar about the work I do, and we took it forward from there on. She’s very humble and polite and has the air of a princess around her. So, my collection really suited her,” she says.

Aruna says that she likes to incorporate her Indian heritage into her designs. “My father is Indian and from New Delhi. I grew up around shoes as he had his own company called Ascot Trainer Brand and it was a great learning experience to work with him. I studied business at University and then did a designing course at the London School of Fashion. I started my line seven years ago, and since then, I have been trying to incorporate exotic colours and intricate designs, much like the detailed embroidery in a lot of Indian clothing,” she says and adds that her designs are very personal to her. “My designs also reflect my personality. I am very girly and feminine and I make the shows that way,” she says.

Aruna says she has a list of people who inspire her. “My father has been my inspiration of course, but one person who has positively influenced me a lot was Marigay McKee who used to be the head of Harrods, and is now my strategic retail advisor. I also take inspiration from Tarun Tahiliani for my designs and am coming up with a collaboration with him in the near future. It is going to be interesting,” she says.

For her latest recognition, she says, “People have congratulated me and the whole experience was similar to the one when I designed for the Royal wedding. It is gratifying.”

Aruna’s collection is sold in various luxury stores like Harrods, Lane Crawford in Hong Kong and in Level Shoe District in Dubai. She is soon going to open a showroom in New York.