How I Built This with Guy Raz Chilewich: Sandy Chilewich
Aug 31, 2020
Sandy Chilewich, a designer renowned for her innovative woven vinyl products, shares her entrepreneurial journey from a fun shoe experiment with a friend in 1978 to launching the successful Hue brand. She delves into the challenges and triumphs of building her eponymous business, emphasizing creativity and perseverance. Listeners will enjoy her anecdotes about debuting colorful placemats at an international show and the importance of vision in navigating the complexities of business partnerships and product design.
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Hue's Origins
- Sandy Chilewich and Kathy Moskal, slightly inebriated, experimented with dyeing black canvas shoes.
- This playful experiment sparked the idea for Hue, their colorful shoe and accessories brand.
Vogue's Validation
- Vogue editors loved the dyed shoes and requested specific colors and sizes for a photoshoot in Sardinia.
- To fulfill the order, Chilewich and Moskal had to buy cases of shoes to find the right sizes, working tirelessly to recreate the colors.
Specialization is Key
- Focus on sales or design, not both, for successful business growth.
- Chilewich transitioned from design to sales, recognizing the need for dedicated roles within the company.