Since winning Project Runway, Christian has designed for a growing list of celebrity clients which includes: style icon Victoria Beckham; supermodels Heidi Klum and Alessandra Ambrosio; actresses Mena Suvari, Vanessa Williams, Becki Newton, Maggie Grace, Tori Spelling, Shailene Woodley, Kristen Johnston, Katrina Bowden, and Whoopi Goldberg in her role as host of the 2008 Tony Awards; and singers Lady GaGa, Pink, Estelle, Kelly Rowland, Nicole Scherzinger and the Pussycat Dolls, Thalia, and Kimberley Locke. He has signed on to design a full couture collection to appear in the upcoming film Eloise in Paris, starring Uma Thurman.

Marie Claire did a mini interview with Christian:

MC: What was your inspiration for the collection?
CS: I was inspired by what I felt like the modern Egyptian woman would want to wear. It was my fantasy of Egyptian royalty from the sandstone temples and pyramids to the hieroglyphics. The architecture inspired the color palette of light sand, mocha, chocolate, and this amazing Persian green that really makes the shoes come alive! We created a beautiful print based off an etching found in antique jewelry and I think it is one of the strongest pairs in the collection.

MC: What is your hope for how the collection will make women feel?
CS: It’s about luxury, royalty and affordability! Woman should feel confident, chic and powerful in these shoes. I want the shoes to have power but I also want the customer to feel fabulous in them.

MC: What’s your favorite pair from the collection and why? Where would you wear them?
CS: In all honesty if I could wear each pair I would every day, trust me. The heel size is just perfect – not too high and not too low. I am a huge fan of height but I love that we could translate runway to reality. I think the Persian green hieroglyphic bootie is cool.

MC: What was your first thought when Payless approached you to do a line with them?
CS: When this project was first brought to me I was so excited and really felt it came at just the right time for me and my growing business. I have a very fashion-forward and savvy customer but coming off a reality competition show my fan base is so much more than that. I really need something that was relatable to my younger fashion fan. It’s helping me grow in so many ways and reach such a huge customer base, which at the end of the day is all about sales and being a part of everyone’s closet!

You can check out his forthcoming collection for Payless at paylessontherunway.com.