The Stories: “I was out of a job for the first time in my life. During the pandemic I went from someone who was upbeat, to someone who was clinically depressed. Ricardo said to me, ‘Why don’t we do something together, to get out of this state of sickness.” “There is a huge opportunity out there for high quality footwear that has some fashion element to it, but not necessarily runway pieces. Shoes need to address everyday women’s lives.” “Because we make everything in house, we’re able to play with some crazy fabrics. At the end of the day, you have a fashion director giving direction on the product. Think about it: who is running Stuart Weitzman?" The Backstory: Went after her style.com job by approaching legendary editor Candy Pratts Price, who lived in her building, with a note and flowers. Wore her lucky Altuzarra dress twice on interviews with Barneys New York. “Our plaids and velvets…all come from the suppliers for Alaia, Gianvito Rossi, everyone else. We go to the best; we want the best---and we give that to our customer.” Wisdom Rains: "I have the grit to continue on, every day, and I believe that it has been instrumental in my career.” “The business needs to evolve; the technology is evolving. You have to keep moving. I’ve used that a lot in my career. When I thought I was so comfortable, I then thought…now it’s time to move. It’s key: you need to learn, and you need to move very fast.” On Inspo: “Those pages, for me, were a dream and the biggest inspiration. The time that I have the most nostalgia about were the years with Claudia, with Cindy, in Chanel pastels. They were happy, they were gorgeous, they were there to inspire you.” On authenticity: “It came organically…how we wanted to market the product, how we wanted to pass joy. And we never wanted to be a cookie-cutter brand.” What Else: “We're adding other creative directors into the fold. We'll take care of your business. So if you want to launch a shoe collection, give me a call."  Obsixed: A collection of Marina’s current obsessions.

a note from the host

Do you love shoes? Do you love when you hear the sweet sound of motivation and momentum in people’s voices? Absorbing that bit of energy can be deeply inspirational. Marina Larroudé is a spirited powerhouse, who, after a long career at places like style.com and Barneys New York, pivoted to shoe manufacturing and design, and today, her collection---Larroudé---is a one-to-watch player in the shoe market. You’ll hear how she’s brought her expertise as a fashion director to her current role and how authenticity and playfulness are paramount to the brand that everyone’s loving…including me. Marina’s platforms and cooler kind of clogs are all I want to wear. We talk about building a company piece-by-piece, the what’s-what of shoe brands and designers, and the categories and rules that often exist in the fashion industry...and how she’s deflected and is deflecting them, in bringing her shoe collection to market. Optimism and out-of-the-box thinking have propelled her forward, and, in a moment of sheer honesty, Marina dives into the darker time that got her to today, and what was happening in her life that prepared her for her perfect pivot. We head back to the beginning, when Marina knew no one in New York, when she stalked a notable fashion editor-neighbor who she would then go on to work for, when she wore the same dress twice for a string of interviews with a ravishing and respected retailer. We discuss everything from social media, branding, and Larroudé’s killer collabs to her morning routine and homemade granola. Which, of course, we’re bringing to you.

                                  + tamara rappa