Footwear queen gets strides with purpose
So when an opportunity to design her own line came up that's exactly what she did - right out of the door of the shoe shop that until that moment had put the food on her table.
This week Hammond's journey came full circle when she selected Rosemount Australian Fashion Week to debut her new footwear label Marsu Homme.
The result of a collaboration with pal Amy Low, whom she met while at the shoe shop but who later went on to become a lawyer, Hammond said she originally started out designing women's shoes but learnt "pretty quickly" that she couldn't survive on her own.
"Amy was looking for a challenge outside of the courtroom and wanted to be more creative, whilst also applying her business mind to building a brand. We originally wanted to develop both a men and a women's line but we quickly discovered that the men's market was far more interesting, with better opportunities."
Targeted at "well-travelled, intelligent and stylish men", the range will be targeted at international brands such as NDC, Costume National and Premiata.
Constructed from vegetable tanned kangaroo skin and hand-crafted by a traditional artisan factory in Florence, the styles of shoe in the collection are modern classics, inspired by what Hammond described as "unique personalities and big city lifestyles".
The range's unique detailing is expected to be a key selling point of the label with calf skin lining and leather soles blake stitched with nail enforcing on the heals.
The collection's spring/summer debut collection - featuring oxfords, espadrilles and boots - will be offered in naturally finished blacks and browns as well as a number of hand-finished colourings which Hammond claims have not been seen in men's shoes before.
Available in European sizes 40 to 46, retail price points for the collection will range from $400 to $699.