As she launches her first collection for Start-Rite, Myleene Klass talks to Junior
My involvement with Start-rite is so exciting. I’m from Norfolk and that’s where the brand originates, my mum put me in Start-rite. I remember getting my feet measured and loving walking up and down the shop with my new shoes.
People sometimes forget about their children's feet. You don’t think twice about taking them to the dentist or making sure they are well fed with organic veg. Feet really get forgotten, and they carry us through our lives. It's like being in the army, you’ve got to look after your feet, because when they go down, that’s it!
When I was really young, it was all about patent. My shoes had to be patent, so I've put that in the range. One thing I wanted was a really beautiful red pair of shoes, I think its the Dorothy complex that we all grew up with. When we were putting the collection together, the first day I came in with loads of swatches, like, "This is the red! It has to be the red!"
Ava loves the collection and my godsons do too. I think that boys get left out quite a lot, so I wanted to think about them as well. I have designed brogues, leather school shoes and out of school styles as well. First and foremost its about doing something really eye catching that’s going to be good value for money. The shoes are named after operas so there’s Madame Butterfly and there’s Carmen, too.
Growing up, me and my sister used to fight over clothes. I remember going into my wardrobe and something would have deodorant on it and I would go bananas! But then you look back and realise it’s a really fun time. Its nice to have another wardrobe to dip into. Ava loves dressing up in my clothes and the only rule is just put the them back. I don’t want her and Hero to think they aren’t allowed to touch those clothes, because there are beautiful designer dresses, but its not a museum.
My biggest shoe disaster was falling over in a pair of white stilettos in front of the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance. I was hosting the ceremony and my heel broke. This is the thing, we look after our feet when we’re younger and then as adults we start to wear silly shoes!
I love that Ava has a little sister now. It makes such a difference, because you can then see what you’ve taught your daughter and how she imparts it on her sister, its adorable. Ava always tries to help Hero and she’s very protective of her, but she’s also quite boisterous. She’s tryng to protect her but she gets her in these big bear hugs and I'm like, "let her go!".
People might be surprised to know that I had a huge rebellion when I was in my teens. I remember once I told my parents I was going to a music festival in Torquay and actually I went to the Caribbean. There were no mobile phones then, so I got away with it!
Start-rite by Myleene Klass are available now
