This episode is one of my favorites - so far! Marie Saint Pierre, one of Canada’s best-known and loved designers, gave me a tour of her Montreal atelier and then sat down to discuss the origins of her clothing line and the interplay between the skills her business requires and her essence.

Marie reveals herself to be endlessly creative, independent, determined, restless in her desire to experience the new, protective, and deeply attuned to purpose. One aspect of clothing design that Marie relishes is that each client cocreates the garment in how she wears it: it is Marie’s distinctive design, and it’s not, allowing for a satisfying personal connection often made explicit by clients. 

In her fourth decade as a business owner, Marie forthrightly describes the nightmares of financing and production, getting into the fascinating details of the fibers and fabrics that make her line unique. “You have to be able to let go and take risks all the time,” Marie says, and to tackle the multitude of problems “your mind needs to be athletic.”

Marie’s mind certainly runs ultramarathons, but you’ll enjoy hearing how her heart keeps pace!

Looking for more? Visit us at the 1000 Fibers Blog where the conversation continues.

The Holy Grail of pumps embodies confidence and elegance, feels like a sneaker, and lets you stride through a miles-long, 12-hour stretch with ease. My conversation with Sandra Powers Murphy covers how this accomplished executive and entrepreneur took up the quest for a truly wearable pump 5 years ago and has good reasons, especially the hours she spends in them, to believe her new line, Scarlett Chase shoes, delivers the Holy Grail of pumps.

While raising 6 children, enjoying her career in finance, and supporting women asset managers with a marketing consultancy, Sandra built the Scarlett Chase team. The team combines expertise in running shoe design, orthoses, movement patterns, sourcing, and production. After 60 iterations, the brand’s core shoe, the Scarlett 75 black suede pump, gave rise to colorful pumps, booties, tall stretch boots, flats, and mules. Each Italian or Portuguese-made shoe features the innovative insole support found in fine athletic shoes and an outsole cushion that adds spring and protection. 

In its evolution from passion project to primary work focus, Scarlett Chase is an integration of Sandra’s values: an appreciation of her daughter Scarlett’s strength, an homage to a gutsy grandmother, a desire to solve a painful problem in sustainable and aesthetically pleasing ways, and a commitment to constant improvement.

These pumps may dissolve women’s easy and instant bond – foot torment – but I’ll be happy to find pain-free common ground and cover it in Scarlett Chase stylish deep ocean boots!

Looking for more? Visit us at the 1000 Fibers Blog where the conversation continues.

Viviana Gabeiras, the creator of Petit Pois, welcomed me to her Hialeah, Florida warehouse that encloses her studio, showroom, factory, and shipping facilities. Meticulous and orderly, the facility hums with the purpose, people, and myriad machines that realize Viviana's desire to offer women uniquely colorful and practical clothing.

True to our podcast purpose, Viviana describes perfectly how what she imagines becomes the clothing in your closet and how she acquired the skills to make that happen!

Viviana owned a retail store and a home in Venezuela. Her drive to learn, create, and succeed in fashion impelled her to sell both and come to the US  - at 19 - to attend school in Boston first and then graduate from the top design school, Parsons, in 1984. After 16 years of working for and partnering in other companies, Viviana struck out on her own with Petit Pois in 2000.

Viviana smashed the odds against every small business owner by bringing new fabrics, original styles, and creative ways of dressing to an appreciative audience. With her husband at her side, they enjoy a rich family life and tackle business challenges: coping with a pandemic, skilled labor shortages, and the rollercoaster economy through their willingness to wear every necessary hat and innovate.

Viviana and Rafael should teach a Masterclass on how mindset, agility, planning, and resourcefulness fuel decades of success in the fickle world of fashion. Our visit closed with shopping, of course!

If listening to this episode inspires you to add some special Petit Pois to your wardrobe, please visit https://mypetitpois.com/.  To enjoy a video of the Fall 2023 Gemini Collection, click here.

Looking for more? Visit us at the 1000 Fibers Blog where the conversation continues.