WA shoes leap into celebrity market
Amid the morning rush with her young son, Kym Hall got the phone call that would make her the envy of many big fashion designers: "Hello, can you spare a pair of shoes for Oprah?"
Only an hour earlier, the busy Perth shoe designer had found a website offering public relations opportunities and soon had a contract to supply footwear for some of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Next year, shoes designed and made by Mrs Hall and her business of only four people will go to celebrity nominees for the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Grammys and Emmys as part of the $80,000 celebrity "swag bags".
The pink heels filling her small Subiaco studio will become the shoe gift in the bag - one of the most popular celebrity freebies left in the hotel rooms of the world's best actors.
MORE WA FASHION SUCCESS
POPPY LISSIMAN
GEMMA WARD
SKYE & STAGHORN SWIMWEAR
Mrs Hall said she was in awe at requests in that surreal phone call that April morning just nine months after starting Jakii Shoes to fill a shortage she saw in comfortable occasion footwear.
A blue strappy pair has gone to Oprah Winfrey and stars of The Bold and the Beautiful have others.
Now Gone Girl actress Rosamund Pike and Meryl Streep top Mrs Hall's list of celebrities she'd like to see wearing her designs.
