Tristan Blair creates shoes that look like candy. Gingham ribboned straps, velvet heeled mules and pink and black spider webbed ballet pumps are just a few of the delicious designs Blair dishes up in each collection.

Blair has slowly learned his craft through trial and error, by working with people who show him the ins and outs of the industry and by relying on intuitive inspiration. “I’d rather stay influenced by what I see and find on a day-to-day basis,” he admits. “I love going on little adventures into random towns and ethnic areas to refresh my mind. Not necessarily to seek instant inspiration, but to clear my head of the everyday things that chip away at ones imagination.”

Recreating these thoughts and ideas into footwear may keep Blair up at night, but his love of seeing an idea to the end means he spends much of the year flying to production houses in Brazil, Spain and Indonesia. “I oversee all the production of my designs first hand, spending months in factories with shoe manufacturers on a daily basis. It is a very time consuming task but so fulfilling when the product is finished.”

With such a sincere and hands-on approach, its no wonder that Blair’s creations look so sweet.

For more information, see www.tristanblair.com.

—Retna Wooller