Out with the (c)OLD! and in with 30% off spring styles 🌷🌷 SHOP SPRING CLEANING
After years of planning and dreaming, Paige Sandilands and TC Brownell finally launched E I T H E R / O R from their apartment in Queens, New York in 2020. Shortly after, they returned to their roots in Tacoma, Washington and linked up with designer Emily Eddy, setting out to create a footwear line that embodies an effortless vintage nostalgia and desire to live simply. The trio conceptualizes each piece then sends the design off to Mexico, Portugal, or Peru where every shoe is hand crafted in small batches. Read on to learn from the team of three about their biggest creative inspirations, the story behind the name, and a few of their favorite spots around Washington.
The name E I T H E R / O R was inspired by the idea that consumers have a choice to make, that the things we buy and the ethos behind the companies we support matter. We believe our customer is choosing to do better, and we set out to create a better footwear company to serve that need. A brand that is independent, responsible, and accountable. A community that supports the people who support it.
Emily’s Seattle faves:
Paige & TC’s Tacoma faves:
Currently, our design space is a bit of a construction site—but not for long! For the past six months, we’ve been building a backyard studio/warehouse from the ground up. The design inspiration is “creative calm.” We envision this new space to be somewhere we can spread out, open the doors for max fresh air, and get creative (and maybe even a little messy).
We are very excited about our first ever boot (coming in August)! We’ve been working on the prototype for about a year now. We wanted to create an investment basic that would wear beautifully and stand the test of time. We asked our customers what they needed in their wardrobe, and this was top of the list—we hope you love it!
The Woven Slide is our first baby, though, and it adds the perfect amount of casual warmth to any outfit. We love to style it with well-worn denim, cotton dresses, and cozy, oversize basics. We laugh because it is very much a spring/summer shoe, but we absolutely wear it year round—probably a benefit in living in a pretty mild climate.
Our favorite new style is the Mule! We love how comfy and versatile it is. It’s one of those shoes that instantly makes you feel put together on the fly. Right now, I’m styling it with a sweatsuit and oversize sherpa coat. Yesterday, it was trousers and a fluffy sweater. You literally cannot wear that shoe outside without someone stopping you to ask where you got it.
Overall, we’re inspired by the craft of leather shoemaking. Our shoes are very simple in form: vegetable leather soles that mold to your foot with wear, soft hand-woven uppers on chic European-style shapes. The end result is something sleek and modern, but also very timeless. For our woven styles, we work with a small group of artisans in Medellin, Colombia, who are experts in traditional leather-weaving techniques. Each pair is handwoven by a single individual and they can create about one or two pairs a day. Our brand really embodies “slow fashion.” To make something with this level of quality and detailed craftsmanship takes time.
I suppose our shoes are also a little nostalgic for simpler times. I think, like many people, we all felt a pull to do something stripped down but more meaningful with our lives in the lead up and during the pandemic. How do we connect with our favorite craft, with our own creativity, and create a business that sustains us and the larger community that is involved in our production? These are the questions that make us excited to get up each morning and keep designing and partnering with amazing artisans to make more beautiful shoes.
