We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kerry Clarkson-Valdivia. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kerry below.

Kerry, appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

The fashion (and food) industry standard is based on optimizing costs through mass produced or machine made items, or through manufacturing in lower cost regions. Instead of talking about why these systems can be problematic, I’d rather focus on the benefits of creating high-quality, artisan goods that are made in an environment of intimacy and care. I prioritize working with local artisans and use “noble” raw materials – goods that work in harmony with environmental systems. Ultimately I would like to see more human-based systems normalized across the fashion industry until it becomes an industry standard. As a designer I’d like to focus on form and function of the line (and have the ethics of the company stay as fine print). But until the fashion industry reaches tipping point the educational component is important to help encourage this change.

Kerry, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve been a life-long fashion designer who got into the industry designing shoes. Over the last 15 years I’ve witnessed shameless industry norms behind the scenes, and tried leaving the industry several times because I felt at odds with the underlying mechanisms of over-consumption and waste. I started Taka to reconcile my love of beautiful, handcrafted artifacts with an environmentally and socially sound business model. I wanted to help create a fashion solutions that help sustain ecology and build a more circular grassroots economy. Artisan know-how is slowly disappearing in out modern economy. The aesthetics of a handmade item is hard to define, it carries an almost imperceptible personality and character. For this reason I place a lot of emphasis on custom and one-of-a-kind items that display this unique human element. I have personal relationships with my artisans, and a personal relationship with all the items in my shop. As they become part of other people’s lives I see how they transform and adapt to the lifestyle of the wearer. I think of Taka items as artifacts we have relationships with, to be preserved for a life of longevity. This allows us to talk more meaningfully about objects and our relationships to them. Taka begins as fashion but end as contemplation of a lifestyle. I just started a Substack to talk more in depth around these abstract lifestyle concepts. Please give a read to know more about this fashion philosophy. :)

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I’ve had a shop in Topanga for the last 3 years that’s more like a by-appointment studio. I work the shop and take all appointments myself. In hindsight I think that added a special point-of-contact for shoppers – it’s personal and intimate and real, like the goods themselves. With the abundance of polished marketing in fashion I think it must have felt refreshing to have this down to earth experience. I was very supported by the community and my entire business growth depended on word of mouth and personal references.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

My entire online business is based on Instagram and my website. I’m learning to be less resistant to online media and recently started a Substack and Pinterest. The pros are clear – a potentially infinite audience. The cons for me are around how to translate the personal, intimate element into the digital format.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://taka.shoes/
• Instagram: @taka_studio_
• Other: https://substack.com/@takastudio?utm_source=profile-page

Image Credits

Shawn Hanna (photogrpaher)