Sultan Al Darmaki's beautiful inspirations

We talk to the Emirati shoe designer Sultan Al Darmaki about the women who inspire his collections.

Sarah Bolger has a pair of Amazonia shoes.

Less than a year into his career, Sultan Al Darmaki became the first contemporary Middle Eastern designer to have his work picked up by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London when a pair of his shoes – the golden Lydia stiletto – was chosen to represent contemporary Middle Eastern fashion in the museum's permanent collection.

By his own admission, Sultan Al Darmaki, the creative force behind the couture footwear brand Darmaki, is rather taken with Angelina Jolie. "What I love about her is that she's a rebel in her own way," he explains. "The way she dresses on the red carpet is simple and elegant, but at the same time very striking - she still manages to capture attention." Darmaki says that not only does he identify with this approach, but that this idea of "subtle decadence" informs his creations. "I think that everyone is decadent in their own way; it doesn't always have to be overt. I try to demonstrate this through our use of intricate detailing and exotic materials."

And that he certainly does. During our interview in the VIP suite at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival, where Darmaki has been displaying choice pieces from both his Autumn/Winter 2011 and new Spring/Summer 2012 collections, several visitors stop to swoon over his striking creations. And why wouldn't they? Slim heels studded with Swarovski crystals glint as they catch the light, peacock feathers flutter and golden, handcrafted woven embroidery gleams with quality - these shoes are utterly extravagant, but they are also the embodiment of elegance. "I am a big believer that fashion and art shouldn't be separated, in my mind they go hand in hand," he says, his fingers smoothing out a barely perceptible crease in one of the hand-pleated petals adorning a sleek, daffodil-yellow court shoe (part of the Spring/Summer 2012 collection). "I never want to fall into trends; it is important to me that my designs are timeless and that I follow my own vision."

"Women with beautiful and strong personalities," be they actresses, royalty or a chance female he happens to meet, provide the inspiration for this vision, he says. And not only that, he designs with them in mind. "The women who wear my shoes are glamorous and playful; they're not afraid to take a risk and make a statement with their fashion."

This week, Darmaki has added the actresses Sarah Bolger, Evan Rachel Wood and Lily Cole to his growing list of fans, as well as Kim Kardashian, who was sent a pair of his shoes – the Alex: black, strappy numbers – to her hotel room at the Atlantis when she was in Dubai last week. Cole chose a purple pair, and Bolger, says Darmaki, was torn between the brand's best-known pair of shoes, the Amazonia – dark suede, black python leather straps, high-rise feather ankle cuffs – and the new, crystal-studded Vivienne stilettos. Both pairs are now part of her collection.

Evan Rachel Wood, on the other hand, surprised him. "I've read a lot about her and watched a number of her films, so when we met I was expecting her style to be quite edgy," he says. "Straight away, though, I realised that actually, she's a very classic dresser and sure enough, she was interested in my more refined designs, particularly the Dahab court styles, which were inspired by the Ottoman Empire and culture."

Darmaki is cautiously excited about the future. His shoes are currently stocked at a number of international boutiques, including Bullets and Butterflies in Dubai's Mercato Mall, Impression Boutique in Qatar and online at The Luxury Emporium. He imagines that a flagship store in London will be launched in the next two or three years but says that for the moment, he is "wary of falling into mass production" and is happy to hold back and concentrate on building his brand, rather than rushing to expand.