In episode 233, Kestrel welcomes Katherine Theobalds, the founder and creative director at Zou Xou, to the show. A slow fashion footwear brand, Zou Xou shoes are made in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
“I like using the word sensible to describe our shoes because it kind of challenges the common assumption of what sensible shoes mean. I don’t mean that they’re boring, I don’t mean that they’re not exciting, and I don’t mean that they can’t express your style. To me, the sensibility aspect of it speaks to the practicality of it and how often you’re using it, and the versatility of it in your wardrobe.”
-Katherine Theobalds
On this week’s show, Katherine shares more on how an array of circumstances led her to build out Zou Xou. Also, she explains some of the ways she and her team have had to get extra creative in their business throughout COVID-19.
Katherine also dives into more of what sensible shoes mean to her, and why she thinks this is an important way to build products — and in her case, shoes that you will build deep relationships with.
Two Days Off, Kestrel and Katherine mention Gina and her brand — listen to the Conscious Chatter episode with Two Days Off here >
“The last thing we want to do is promote mindless consumption — we don’t want someone to buy something because it’s inexpensive — we want them to buy it because they really love it and they’re going to wear it … you know, I am a reformed fast fashion shopper — I remember the times I would buy things just because they were on sale, not even because I liked it that much. And so that kind of affects our decision to not do too many markdowns as well — if we’re only producing what we’re sure we’ll sell, there’s no need to mark things down to get rid of them.” -Katherine
Li Edelkoort, Katherine mentions her work as a trend forecaster and with “new materialism”
Zou Xou Spring Collection Guide >
Who Makes Zou Xou’s shoes >
About Zou Xou >
Follow Zou Xou on Instagram >
This week's episode is brought to you by OEKO-TEX® - a worldwide association of 18 independent research and test institutes that sets standards for safer textile and leather production and products. The OEKO-TEX® portfolio of independent certifications and product labels help all of us make responsible decisions to choose products that are safer, more environmentally friendly, and manufactured in a socially responsible way.
Learn more about their labels at www.oeko-tex.com.
S04 Episode 200 | SANAH SHARMA, HER PLANAR FLUX ZERO WASTE TECHNIQUE + BUILDING HUMAN KINETICS INTO DESIGN
S04 Episode 199 | BRIGHTLY, USING TECH FOR SOCIAL GOOD + BUILDING A VALUES-DRIVEN COMMUNITY AROUND CHANGE
S04 Episode 198 | VIN+OMI ON RESISTING THE TRADITIONAL FASHION SYSTEM + DOING YOUR OWN THING TO BUILD A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
S04 Episode 197 | BUILDING RESILIENT, EFFICIENT + SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAINS AMIDST AND BEYOND COVID-19
S04 Episode 196 | MATE THE LABEL, DRESS CLEAN + FASHION'S IMPACT ON WOMEN'S HEALTH
S04 Episode 195 | YATAY SNEAKERS + BIO-BASED VEGAN ALTERNATIVES TO LEATHER
S04 Episode 194 | SHAHIDHA BARI, A PHILOSOPHY OF CLOTHES + HOW SOCIAL DISTANCING IS TRANSFORMING FASHION
S04 Episode 193 | OUTLAND, THE MEGHAN MARKLE EFFECT + DENIM TO END POVERTY
S04 Episode 192 | BY HUMANKIND + REDUCING SINGLE-USE PLASTIC WASTE IN OUR PERSONAL CARE ROUTINES
S04 Episode 191 | EVERLANE ON RADICAL TRANSPARENCY AND GETTING VOCAL ABOUT THEIR SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES
S04 Episode 190 | CLADWELL, DISCOVERING YOUR PERSONAL STYLE + WEARING WHAT YOU ALREADY OWN
S04 Episode 189 | GREEN HEFFA FARMS, HEMP + REPRESENTATION IN FARMING
S04 Episode 188 | G-STAR RAW ON CIRCULARITY + THEIR 100% RECYCLABLE DENIM ICONS
S04 Episode 187 | DANA THOMAS + FASHIONOPOLIS: THE PRICE OF FAST FASHION AND THE FUTURE OF CLOTHES
S04 Episode 186 | OLIVIA LOPEZ OF LUST FOR LIFE ON VINTAGE, INFLUENCE + EXPERIENCE OVER THINGS
S04 Episode 185 | PANGAIA, FLWRDWN™ + BRINGING SCIENCE, TECH + DESIGN TOGETHER
S04 Episode 184 | THE ENDERY, DEADSTOCK ALPACA + BUILDING SYSTEMS AROUND LEFTOVERS
Episode 183 | SVN SPACE + HOW THE HEMP PLANT CAN FEED, HOUSE, CLOTHE AND HEAL YOU
S04 Episode 182 | UNITED BY BLUE ON REMOVING 2 MILLION LBS OF TRASH, USING SALVAGED BISON FIBER + QUITTING SINGLE USE PLASTIC
S04 Episode 181 | ELIZABETH CLINE + THE CONSCIOUS CLOSET
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