In a bi-weekly series, we're interviewing female executives, founders, and CEOs on their "power suit," a.k.a. the outfit they wear every day for easy dressing to conquer whatever the job throws at them.
As a design student and shoe lover attending New York's Fashion Institute of Technology in the mid-2000s, Sarah Flint recognized a significant problem in the luxury shoe market. Designer heels weren't often wearable in real-life settings, frequently designed with sky-high platforms and mile-high stilettos.
With a desire to craft stylish and comfortable shoes, Flint moved to Italy to study under artisanal shoemakers who had mastered the engineering and manufacturing of footwear, inside and out.
Those techniques, alongside features like arch support and extra footbed padding, became the backbone for her namesake shoe line, Sarah Flint. Nine years later, the young designer has amassed a cult following, including celebrity names like Meghan Markle and Amal Clooney. With curated collaborations—her newest alongside the iconic handpainted wallpaper company Gracie—a bridal launch, and plans to expand her brick-and-mortar presence, having a reliable workwear wardrobe is more important to Flint than ever.
We sat down with Flint to hear about her love of vintage fashion and how she dresses from the feet up.
On Getting Dressed:
"I love that there doesn't feel like there's a typical workday. I go through different phases. If I'm in a design period, I'll shut myself away and design for a couple of days. Then I'll resurface and meet with my team.
My work-from-home uniform is either a turtleneck or a cashmere sweater, one of our silk scarves, and leggings on the bottom.
My favorite place to spend the workday outside the house is in our stores and with our customers. We have a permanent store in Dallas, and we're about to open up in Nashville.
For those days, I always get dressed from the feet up. It's definitely a tough decision as to what shoe to go with. I have hundreds and hundreds of pairs of shoes. I have my old faithful styles, like our Natalie flat and our Emma pump, that we make in new materials every season. When a new season's been released, I always want to show off my shoes, so I pick the outfit out around those."
Her Style in Three Words:
"Timeless. Eclectic. Tailored."
On Her Workwear Wardrobe Staples:
"I'm a big dress wearer because it is so simple and easy and I love prints and patterns. I'm also a huge vintage person. I inherited many of my grandmother's clothes and scarves, some of my most treasured pieces. I have a plaid Yves Saint Laurent jacket with big shoulder pads. It looks great with any kind of trousers or jeans. I also have a cropped black Chanel jacket that goes great with dresses. I love mixing vintage with more modern styles."
On Her Favorite Designers:
"I've discovered Austrian designer Lena Hoschek in the last few years. She's got beautifully tailored pieces. I have quite a few dresses from her, and she makes excellent high-waisted trousers.
I love the crepe and knit pieces from the Australian brand, Scanlan Theodore. I always wear a Scanlan Theodore jacket if I have an investor meeting.
I also love Monbouquette Jewelry from a mother-daughter design duo. They make earrings that are two in one. They have a hatch, and they can be this beautiful dangling earring or a smaller post version."
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