Aruna Seth | Let's talk about the engagement!

Luxury bridal shoe designer, Aruna Seth – the shoe designing powerhouse known for her emblematic butterfly collections and motif – is engaged! On hearing this news, I instantly wanted to get the low-down on what Aruna is planning style-wise (especially with regards to the shoes) for her wedding and luckily, I managed to grab a few minutes with the designer herself…

#1 Firstly, congratulations on your engagement Aruna! What wonderful news! As a shoe designer (and bridal shoe designer) you’re in a fabulous position when it comes to creating your very own DREAM pair of bridal shoes to walk down the aisle in. Have you always had something in mind? Or is this a brand new challenge?

“Thank you, and yes, I’ve always had something in mind – actually a few pairs – so I’m very excited to finally bring them to life. And, of course, I have made some already for our Aruna Seth Brides.”

#2 Have you started the wedding planning yet? If so, where did you start? What inspired you?

“Yes, I have started planning. I’m very grateful to have worked in the bridal industry for so long and gained experience along the way! Firstly you need to find the venue then everything else can follow. The venue is a big factor on what kind of dress and shoes you choose as a bride. With an outdoor wedding beautiful Swarovski wedges would be comfortable and still glamorous, for example. For an indoor wedding you can choose heels and then move on to flats later for the dancing.”

#3 When it comes to your bridal ensemble- what will come first? The dress or the shoes?

“Of course the shoes! However, of course the shoes chosen depend on the length and style of the dress. So I feel very lucky I have many styles to decide from.”

#4 Name two celebrity weddings that have inspired you – in terms of the bride’s style.

“I loved Priyanka Chopra’s recent wedding as she incorporated the white dress into her Indian wedding. I will be having both a white wedding and an Indian wedding so I really took inspiration from this. Also, Hayley Bieber’s wedding was very trendsetting with her bold veil from Off-White. It’s refreshing when celebrities can set a new trend and change bridal styles for seasons to come.”

#5 Have you started the dress hunt yet? Which designers are inspiring you?

“Yes! I love the true British designers such as Suzanne Neville and Kate Halfpenny to reflect my British heritage. Their gowns are for true English roses with a twist. But I also love the decadent embellishment from so many Lebanese designers and their dresses are a work of art.”

THE QUICK FIRE ROUND
#1 Summer or Winter?
“Summer.”
#2 Heels or flats?
“I love our new sneakers now so I am hoping to incorporate those also!”
#3 Pet hate?
“I try and have none- just positivity!”
#4 Favourite wine?
“Amarone as this reminds me of the region in Italy where I make my shoes and where I first started.”
#5 Pearls or diamonds?
“Diamonds are always a girl’s best friend.”
#6 Coffee or tea?
“Neither, matcha latte is my new favourite.”
#7 Favourite destination?
“Italy for the food, wine and beautiful cities.”
#8 Early rise or lie in?
“Early rise and get more done.”
#9 Dressed up or dressed down?
“You can never be too dressed up!”
#10 Favourite book?
“The Secret Garden when I was younger as this inspired many of my designs with the butterfly, which now adorns my iconic style the farfalla shoe.”
#11 Favourite way to relax?
“A good run around Chelsea then a steam and sauna at the Lanesborough Spa.”
#12 One piece of business advice on running and creating a brand:
“Always do as much research as you can before you start. Who will be your core clientele? Where will you produce your product? How will you make consistent sales?”
#13 Social media hate?
“We only like to see positive vibes on social media – so when people post negativity.”
#14 Social media love?
“Beautiful products and of course clients posting in my shoes!”

A huge thank you to the lovely Aruna Seth for answering my questions. Good luck with the wedding planning! We can’t wait to see the dress (not to mention the shoes).