Sophy Robson is the premier nail artist in the UK working with everyone you can ever imagine from mainstream celebs to global brands such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Grazia, Elle, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford and Vivienne Westwood.
Infamous for her super cool statement nail designs, Soph takes a lil pit stop to talk to us Skool Girls about how she conquered her craft!
Describe the general process you go through to conceptualise and design a piece of nail art.
I usually have ideas in my head and then wait for an opportunity to give it a go. When there is a brief involved, I look at the colours, as they are normally the starting point of my inspiration.
When did you realise your desire to become involved in the nail industry?
After I had a daughter in 1998. I decided that I wanted to do something more stable and little did I know…
What elements do you believe make your designs unique?
I have my own style and stick to it. It’s not to everyone’s taste but it works for me!
How would you define the Sophy Robson style?
Graphic and slightly street with a fashion edge.
Who are some of your favourite nail designers / artists and why?
Naomi Yasuda is my number one at the moment, she shows such diversity and unique skill in her designs, I never know what she is going to come up with next. I recently met her in Paris and she is also a lovely person. I am a big fan of Japanese nail artists and Disco Nail (who I did a master class with) is also one of my faves.
From personal experience, where are the best places to gain nail art / design skill, knowledge and understanding?
I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to do a college or official qualification. Nail art books are cheap and do not give you the knowledge you need to address real life clients. I taught myself in the beginning and then went to college for a year, people are too into short cuts these days and that’s why they struggle. I would also recommend Marion Newman, who has written some great books.
What advice do you have for aspiring nail artists?
Work hard, focus on your skills, and promote yourself after you have learnt your craft.
For more information on Soph:
Website: www.sophyrobson.com
Twitter: @sophynails
Facebook: sophyrobson
