Empowered by Erika Carrero & Her Luxurious Shoe Model Elizée

Be part of us for a peek contained in the empowering world of Erika Carrero, Founder, CEO, and Inventive Director of Elizée. The San Francisco-based, made-in-Italy, Luxury footwear model crafts footwear to empower the trendy lady’s versatile way of life. Sure, please!

Erika is a girl on a mission to reshape Luxury footwear by mixing heritage Italian craftsmanship with cutting-edge consolation expertise. A former Silicon Valley CFO, Elizée is Erika’s first entrepreneurial enterprise, and the unparalleled magnificence and luxury of her creations say all of it. Learn on to be taught extra about Elizée and Erika Carrero on this version of the Lh Empowered Ladies Empower collection.

Be Impressed by Erika Carrero, Founder & Inventive Director of Elizée

Erika Carrero, Founder & Creative Director of Elizée — *Erika Carrero, Founder & Inventive Director of Elizée*

Love Occurs: As our title and the tagline of our writer, KOKET, denotes, at Love Occurs, we’re agency believers that you simply can’t obtain any stage of success with out love. When did your love affair with sneakers start? How did it make you’re feeling?

Erika Carrero: I’ve at all times liked trend, and I used to be influenced by my mom and grandmother, who have been at all times very modern; my mom even ran errands in pencil skirts and stilettos! I’ve a vivid picture of my mother preparing for the day. Sporting a lightweight pink pencil skirt and matching stilettos. I used to be very younger, however I bear in mind clearly considering that she regarded so lovely and highly effective. I feel she nonetheless has that pair of sneakers someplace within the attic. That’s my first reminiscence of a pair of sneakers with completely different eyes – and that’s after I assume I fell in love with sneakers and couldn’t wait till I used to be capable of put on heels myself.

Lh: What made you need to shift from working as a tech government CFO to a Luxury inventive director and CEO?

Erika: I’ve liked trend, particularly sneakers, proper from the beginning. Throughout my years working in tech, I typically traveled for work, and I recognized a spot out there after I merely couldn’t discover lovely however snug sneakers to serve my wants. Particularly, I wanted to look skilled and chic whereas being on my ft for lengthy days within the workplace, the boardroom, and entertaining shoppers.

As soon as I’d recognized this want for the precise type of sneakers I (and so many different girls) wanted, I started by learning the business – initially as a pastime – for 7 years. Little by little, that pastime transitioned right into a stable marketing strategy.

As a tech government, I gained a lot expertise working a enterprise and launching start-ups, however my dream was to have an organization of my very own that might make an influence in an space that I liked.

All of it got here collectively after my final firm was offered efficiently. By that point, I already had the Elizée crew and a spread of designs, and the choice got here right down to both searching for a brand new CFO job or beginning my very own firm. I made a decision to take a leap of religion and begin my very own firm. And regardless of the challenges, it’s been essentially the most rewarding expertise.

Lh: How do you carry sustainability to Italian craftsmanship?

Erika: At Elizée, sustainability is certainly one of our core values, and we’re acutely aware about not overproducing.

We’re fortunate to have a powerful partnership with certainly one of Italy’s oldest heritage factories, which continues to work with us round minimums and supply instances of our manufacturing. We purpose to have small manufacturing portions and a brief turnaround time on re-orders, which permits us to reply in a fluid solution to demand somewhat than overstocking. Not solely is that this eco-friendlier, however these smaller portions save on the preliminary upfront funding prices as a result of we could be extra nimble. For instance, we will order extra of the kinds that work properly to keep away from overproduction and potential waste. Moreover, our leathers are sourced solely from Italian tanneries that obtain the best grade from Italy’s Institute of High quality Certification (ICEC). Our leathers are a by-product of the meals business from sustainable European farms, and the tanneries’ manufacturing and labor practices are held to the best normal of social and environmental accountability.

Sustainability is essential for our planet, and post-pandemic, we now have seen a profound, sudden shift in shopper preferences. Not solely are customers demanding consolation from their footwear like by no means earlier than – even in heels – however sustainability has additionally turn out to be a precedence for them. This flip in shopper tastes is much more encouraging for us since sustainable manufacturing and environmental and labor practices have been a part of our imaginative and prescient from the start.

Erika Carrero at Elizée (Photo by Annie Barnett) — *Erika Carrero at Elizée (Photograph by Annie Barnett)*

Lh: How do you describe the Elizée shoe?

Erika: Glamorous, seductive, female, and highly effective are the phrases my crew, and I take note of after we design each shoe. Every fashion is meticulously designed and crafted to make the lady carrying it really feel like the perfect model of herself each time she slips them on – assured, beautiful, snug, and empowered to tackle the world.

Lh: Do you may have a favourite Elizée shoe, and if sure, why?

Erika: I like the Ametista! It’s ultra-sexy and versatile and made from buttery comfortable python-stamped leather-based. The refined metallic sheen can add sparkle at night time for a night outing however goes equally properly with denims or day clothes, whereas the silhouette is strappy with a flattering match. It’s the good pair for touring – for resorts, dinners within the metropolis, and work conferences. I named this fashion after my birthstone, the amethyst, so it actually has a particular which means to me.

Lh: Elizée has been on the ft of many ladies, from The Actual Housewives of Orange County to Promoting Sundown. Who would you like to see carrying Elizée sneakers?

Erika: Angelina Jolie, as a result of her fashion is traditional, and daring at instances – like our designs. She’s an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and mother who does all of it. She could be such a great model ambassador as she embodies lots of the qualities of the Elizée lady. The Elizée lady is continually on the go, juggling a thousand commitments and various roles in her private {and professional} life, and he or she’s a frequent traveler. She very a lot owns her female energy. She’s innately trendy, appreciates impeccable high quality, and immediately acknowledges nice design when she sees it. She is aware of precisely what she needs, and he or she’ll settle for nothing lower than beautiful fashion and good consolation.

Lh: For those who may give one bit of recommendation to your youthful self, what wouldn’t it be?

Erika: A profession is one thing you form and that continues to evolve all through your life; there is no such thing as a one proper/distinctive path for everyone. In case you have a mission that you’re captivated with, get began, get educated, and go for it!

To me, the model will not be solely about promoting sneakers. Elizée is a platform to empower girls to really feel horny, assured, and snug suddenly as a result of confidence comes naturally if you really feel your greatest.

Lh: What empowers you most?

Erika: The privilege of being a enterprise/lady chief and having the ability to use my voice. In a world the place girls nonetheless must combat onerous to entry alternatives, we have to work on cultivating our personal successes. We have to champion ourselves, whether or not which means having a dialog along with your boss about that subsequent promotion, asking for more difficult alternatives at work, or talking up at a gathering in a room full of individuals. It may be intimidating, and it takes braveness, however in my expertise, that energy comes from inside if you imagine in your self.

Sadly, you could frequently show your worth and value as a girl. For instance, you should show that they made a great determination hiring you; you need to work more durable to indicate what . However on the finish, it’s all value it. All through my profession, that’s precisely what I’ve accomplished, particularly within the male-dominated tech world. And now, because the founding father of my very own firm, I work extremely long and hard hours to make sure the corporate runs easily. I negotiate, I don’t take no for a solution – immediately, and I could be agency and easy with my groups to push them to success. Being assertive is a piece in progress for me – it doesn’t at all times come simply, however it’s crucial.

To me, the model will not be solely about promoting sneakers. Elizée is a platform to empower girls to really feel horny, assured, and snug suddenly as a result of confidence comes naturally if you really feel your greatest. We use our social media to carry empowering messages to girls and push the causes we imagine in (breast most cancers consciousness month, giving again to the group).

Erika Carrero Elizée black mesh open toe ankle boots

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Lh: What’s subsequent for Erika Carrero?

Erika: By way of rising the enterprise, the sky’s the restrict! We’re targeted on rising all of our factors of sale, and significantly in increasing our in-person retail partnerships, as we’ve seen how effortlessly the sneakers promote when girls can really feel the standard and luxury for themselves: as quickly as they’re capable of strive them on, they immediately perceive the worth, and stroll away with at the very least one pair. We’ve an thrilling SS 23 deliberate, and we’re including to our assortment wedges in lovely shimmering leathers from SS23. We’re additionally enthusiastic about our 50 mm booties that I’m certain would be the go-to booties for Fall 23.

Moreover, we’re planning to maintain up our stable income progress by persevering with with our direct-to-consumer mannequin balanced with wholesale and retail with accessible Luxury costs. On the identical time, we plan to broaden our geographical worldwide distribution. To that finish, I foresee us taking up a associate or buyers that may assist our enlargement into new markets.

Later in my profession, I would really like to have the ability to give again and assist different companies via board positions or as an investor. I’ve at all times loved mentoring and training, and fortunately with the numerous roles I’ve below my belt, I’ve discovered loads that I can share with others.

Be taught extra about Erika Carrero and Elizée at elizeeshoes.com.

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