As we launch our new Spring/Summer 2014 collection, I thought it’d be fun to show some of the behind the scenes of how a collection comes to life.

The entire process starts with the sketches. We work with an amazing designer, Michael, who is wonderful for a multitude of reasons. 1. He’s been in the shoe industry for decades and knows it inside and out. 2. He gets us, which is not an easy feat. Making shoes that look fashionable but don’t hurt women’s feet is much easier said that done, and right from the start, Michael found ways to incorporate our Flex Innovation Technology into each and every style. 3. He was born in Italy and speaks Italian fluently. I cannot overstate the importance of this when dealing with Italian shoe makers.

So way back over a year ago Michael started sketching. He sent us rough sketches (I say rough even though these drawings are 10x better than anything I could ever produce) of a bunch of different styles- multiple ballet flats, multiple wedges, all kinds of sandals and heels, etc. You can see below the initial sketches we received of the shoes that eventually became Edie and Tess:

These sketches serve as a starting point- from here we start discussing what works, what doesn’t, and which styles we want to move forward with.  For our Spring/Summer collection we started with around 30-40 sketches which we narrowed down to around a dozen and Michael kept tweaking. Here are some of the more detailed sketches further in the process:

At this point things like the type and color of leather to use haven’t come into play yet. This is all about getting the function and design right, and we go through multiple (MULTIPLE) iterations of these sketches trying to figure out which styles are going to be best for our line.

Next Up: Prototypes

We are so excited to announce that for the month of February we are teaming up with an amazing organization called All We Want is L.O.V.E. (Liberation of Victims Everywhere)! Giving back is so important to us, and we couldn’t be happier to be pairing with an organization started by one of our favorite Julie Lopez shoes models, Jillian Mourning. Back when we started getting our shoes photographed, all we were looking for was a model who would make our shoes look good, and of course Jillian more than delivered on that, but as we continued working with her and got to know her better, we realized how many more facets there were to her, and about all the wonderful work she does. In fact, last year Jillian was honored as a nominee at the Do Something Awards (see more here). We asked Jillian to speak a little about her own personal experience and her organization:

Julie Lopez Shoes: What led you to start All We Want is L.O.V.E.?

Jillian Mourning: When I was 19 I was a victim of human trafficking and didn’t realize it at the time. It ended and originally I thought I would never look back. Yet my final three years of college I focused heavily on human rights and completed a thesis on human trafficking. I kept having this feeling that I needed to use my experience and education to help others.

JLS: What is the mission of the organization?

JM: All We Want is L.O.V.E. fights human trafficking through education, rescue efforts, and advocacy. Through educating communities to understand them we get them to take a stand and do their part in the fight.

JLS: We know that one of your biggest areas is in education. What has been the most interesting aspect of going into these schools and speaking with students?

JM: I have presented and talked to students at over 50 high schools and colleges in a year and a half and it is rare that a student doesn’t come up to me or email me after with a story of his/her own. The issue is much more prevalent than people realize and sometimes just creating an opening for students and children to talk creates this amazing understanding as well as giving them a chance to open up.

JLS: Where would you like to see All We Want is L.O.V.E in five years?

JM: I would love to see us making an impact not only in the United States but internationally as well. In terms of numbers, if you help one person you’re doing your part. So as we continue to help one person as much as we can I am happy we are making a difference.

JLS: You went back into modeling after being sold into trafficking- what was the experience like?

JM: I have loved modeling since before I was trafficked. I started before my teenage years. When I was 3 I would practice different cries in the mirror and my dad said he knew he was in trouble. The world is not a perfect place and bad things happen but if you find something you love doing it doesn’t feel like work. Modeling is one thing that I love doing and it doesn’t seem like work. We learn from our experiences good and bad, and I truly think everything happens for a reason. Models will always exist and it should be possible to do it safely. I think it creates a better platform for me to discuss the issue that I understand and I’ve been there.

JLS: Ok, we have to ask- what’s your favorite pair of Julie Lopez shoes?

JM: I do love heels but I’m a practical girl. Being 5’8″ I also don’t have to wear heels all the time. I love the Josie because it’s stylish and can be worn day or night!

Jillian in her favorite Julie Lopez shoes, our Josie flats

So, how can you help us give back? Simply use the code “Love10″ at checkout all this month, and we’ll not only give you 10% off your purchase, but we’ll also give 10% to All We Want is L.O.V.E.! 

For more information on Jillian and All We Want is L.O.V.E. you can check out their website, or find them on Twitter. Also, while you’re at it, don’t forget to follow Julie Lopez on Twitter and Instagram as well!

Lovely shoes for a L.O.V.E.-ly cause,

Erin

I ran across these GIFs the other day and loved Lauren Conrad’s awesome response to this question. As a woman owned and operated business, we just love our fellow female CEOs, especially when they know how to put people in their place.

via 

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

-Erin

We’re breaking new ground here people- our first blog video! As I mention in the video, I have been meaning to write about the sacchetto construction that we use to make our Josie flats for quite some time, but each time the post kept getting longer and longer and longer. And no one wants to read a blog post as long as a book- right? So I made a video.

And if you haven’t yet tried our super-sacchetto constructed Josie flats, well I’d definitely recommend picking up a pair of your own.

- Erin

From all of us at Julie Lopez, we wish you a wonderful holiday season full of love, family, and friends. And as our special wish for you, here’s to a pain-free 2014 . . .  well, at least in the shoe department. Happy Holidays Everyone!