Do you have a story behind your company name?

Yes! Co-founder Bill Clark and I are SoCal natives, both loving everything about what being a ‘Californian’ means. Consequently, our Californians brand is inspired by the laid-back culture of our Golden State. Our casual, boho-chic styles are vintage-inspired and reflect the era of California’s Golden Age. Our footwear spans from beach-vibe flip-flops, to cozy shearling clogs, to metallic Hollywood-glam heels. Outside of styling, our footwear is all handcrafted right in the heart of California, in our boutique, a eco-friendly footwear factory in Los Angeles! What could be more Californian?

How did you get started?

I got started in the footwear industry with the intent to make a difference. I was really frustrated with how uncomfortable women’s shoes were and decided to take matters in my own hands. I wanted to create footwear brands that were rooted in comfort but didn’t lose the sense of style ladies desire from designer brands. Since 2016, I have launched 3 brands and opened my own footwear factory that focuses on sustainability and eco-manufacturing. Our Californians brand arose when I met industry veteran Bill Clark, who introduced a new manufacturing method into my factory and together in 2019 we decided to launch Californians using this new technique.

That is so cool! What inspires you to create?

Designing Californians is a combination of Bill and my diverse backgrounds, experiences and styles. Between Bill’s immersion of 60’s surf culture and passion for all things vintage with my more modern style and eco-conscious approach, we have been pleased that the result is a brand people from all generations can get behind. The brand’s look features a fresh take on vintage styles, while its heart and soul reflect ‘made in U.S.A.’ and green manufacturing. We want our shoes to spur conversation, evoke nostalgia, and preserve the era of California’s Golden Age.

Love that! Do you have a favorite part of the maker process?

Our manufacturing process at our boutique factory here in Los Angeles is almost completely vertical. We bring in raw materials and make most of the components in-house. My favorite part of the process is our insoles. Since we have the ability to make our insoles in-house, we get to choose exactly how much foam is in each shoe. As a woman, I know the impact your shoes can have on your day. Uncomfortable shoes can affect everything from walking to getting things accomplished, to making or breaking your self-confidence. At Californians, we’ve chosen to use a revolutionary 6mm memory foam insole in our footwear. This makes our shoes, arguably, the comfiest on the market - whether it’s our proprietary flip-flop sole or our 4-inch heels, there is comfort built into every-single style!

What is a typical day like in the studio for you?

My typical day varies greatly day-to-day and is never boring! As the owner of our eco-friendly factory (called Clover & Cobbler) and our 3 in-house footwear brands, each day is an exciting adventure of new possibilities and challenges. As a creative at heart, my favorite days are when we’re planning new collection launches, full of designing, sample meetings, fit-testing and photoshoots. These days are chaotic and busy as can be, but to me, this is endless fun.

Do you have a favorite item you have created?

I absolutely love our slipper collection! We started with a few sandal-inspired slipper styles including a slide and a shearling flip-flop (appropriate for Southern California year-round) and we had a huge response! Since they were such a hit, we expanded upon the collection, which now even includes men’s slippers. Today, our collection has 3 different color shearling options and by popular request, we launched closed-toe women’s slipper styles this fall. I think we’ve seen such success with our slippers because they are designed with a traction rubber outsole which keeps them flexible, but also wearable outside! Throughout the pandemic, comfy-chic has become the “it” trend, and our indoor-outdoor slippers nailed it.

Our ‘Felicity’ slippers are my personal favorite! I usually prefer wearing thong-style sandals over slides, and the shearling straps are just SO soft and comfortable. The leather footbed and proprietary cushioned midsole make them super breathable and just the right warmth for Southern California evenings. They are my morning and evenings go-to!

Do you have anything special that you will be bringing to Jackalope?

We will be bringing an assortment of our handcrafted slippers, sandals, clogs, heels and boots! All our footwear is perfect for holiday gifting, but of course, we find that our slipper collection is most popular around this time of year. Our slippers master both comfort and practicality, featuring breathable genuine shearling, a super soft foam midsole and our traction rubber outsole.

What did you miss most about in-person events now that events are picking back up again?

We’re so happy to be back at in-person events! There’s nothing quite like touching and feeling a product and getting to see the quality in-person. Especially for our footwear, the comfort built-in to our insoles is truly epic and rather hard to get across digitally. Being able to witness the moment when someone tries on our shoes and FEELS the difference is so rewarding and exciting. In that moment, we know we’ve just made a lifelong customer. Making those connections is what I’ve missed most!

What do you love most about California, seeing that it inspired you to create?

I was born & raised in Los Angeles (Calabasas, to be specific) and don’t think I will ever leave California! I love so much about LA, but one thing I value is the tight-knit community that has formed within the fashion industry here. Since our boutique shoe factory is here, we are so grateful to be surrounded by like-minded designers, pattern makers, textile suppliers, and more right at our fingertips – allowing us to find what we need right here, supporting our local communities. Being a Los Angeles factory also means we can ensure that all those who work on our products receive fair wages and a safe place to work, and we hope to help promote the fashion industry’s movement toward transparency and mindfulness.

Anything special you would like to add?

Yes! At Californians, we hold sustainability at our core, upholding the utmost standards of respect for both the earth and its people. As environmentally and ethically conscious members of the fashion community, we’ve made it our priority to leave a positive footprint on the industry. By manufacturing in our own boutique factory in Los Angeles, we ensure that the manufacturing process itself and the environment we’ve created for our artisans upholds the core values of our brand. We feel it is our responsibility to make eco-conscious decisions every ‘step’ of the way. For example, we designed packaging that helps reduce waste and is completely recyclable. Our shoe boxes (also made in Los Angeles!) are made from recycled cardboard and are printed with only water-based inks which are less harsh on the environment, allowing them to be recycled again. Additionally, our shoes are made in small batches or made-to-order. By eliminating overproduction, we minimize our contribution to the fashion industry’s waste. Similarly, we do whatever we can to minimize our material waste. Rather than throwing away our leather and materials scraps, we repurpose what we can internally (look out for some keychains coming soon) and then pass along anything else to other businesses or local artisans who reuse the pieces for items such as bracelets and dog collars.

We can’t wait to see you in person this November 20th & 21st when Jackalope returns to Central Park, Pasadena.

Where to see more of Californian’s Footwear:

Website |https://californiansfootwear.com/

Instagram |@californiansfootwear

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