We love all of the amazing independent designers out there. In order to find out more about just what makes all of these creative types tick, we present to you an ongoing segment called Indie Designer Interviews.Today's interview is with designer Nancy Geist of Butter, an fabulous independent shoe company. Nancy and her business partner Lee Reich are responsible for Tibi Shoes and their bridal line, Something Bleu, in addition to collaborating on Butter shoes.
Tell us a little about your company. My partner Lee and I work very fluidly. We honor classic Italian craftsmanship and customer service, but we have a tight team that keeps things spinning. We design in NYC but the shoes are all manufactured in Italy.
How did you get your start as a designer? I guess the short story is that while I was in art school, I got hit with shoe fever and never recovered! : ) My first gig was as a design assistant, making samples in Italy for a hip shoe designer...soon after that, I went corporate designing for BALLY..after working 24/7 for 4 years, I branched out on my own.Where do you find inspiration? Travel, interiors, people watching, modern life ... We love the clothing from Philip Lim, Stella McCartney, and see by Chloe.
What are your top fashion & beauty must haves? A great handbag, moisturizer, and Chanel red lips. ; )
Do you have any advise for aspiring designers? When we interview people it always surprises us how many are going for a job they don't want..FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS !!!
Where can people find Butter shoes? The shoes can be purchased online at endless.com, simplysoles.com, shoefly.com, the brick and mortar store Tani in NYC and many other specialty stores across the country.