Today I am interviewing Ingrid Miskinis from Talaria Flats. Talaria Flats is your one stop shop for cute foldable flats that are perfect to keep in your bag for when you need a break from your gorgeous heels.
1. How did you come up with the idea for Talaria Flats?
Two
years ago, I was at a friend’s bachelorette party in Chicago. As
bachelorette parties tend to go, we were out later than we’d like to
admit, and we were bar hopping to our hearts’ content. What this means
in a walking city like Chicago is that your feet really start to feel
the pain of high heels. At our last bar of the night, we saw women that
were dancing in their bare feet (yikes!) After my initial aversion to
the situation, the wheels began turning.
I
thought what a great idea it would be to have flats offered at events
that cater to dancing and fun (so that the girls don’t have to think
about bringing them). And so began the idea for Talaria Flats. I am
currently focusing on events and weddings, offering special boxed sets
of the flats. We’ve been very popular with brides who want to do
something special for their entire wedding to keep the dancing going!
They also make a perfect bridesmaids gift for the special ladies at your
wedding.
2. What makes Talaria Flats different than other foldable flats?
Talaria Flats is unique because of a few reasons:
1)
We cater specially to events and weddings. While we do sell our shoes
on an individual pair basis, our focus is to do special boxed sets. This
allows the bride or event host to have a wonderful favor for her
guests. Our big feedback from brides has been that they found the
dancing part of their night to be the most fun (after all the stress of
the wedding is over!) and the flats allowed female guests to join for as
long as they would like.
2) We have created
flats that are truly beautiful and functional – a very tough balance to
strike. They are much better for settings where flip flops just don’t
make the cut – such as formal events or weddings. And often times, it’s
actually quite hard to dance in flip flops. We made sure Talaria Flats
are good for the whole night and beyond. Many recipients of the shoes
use them for long after the event. Our Premium Flats also have extra
cushion built into the sole, so they really last a long time.
3)
We offer two styles of flats, depending on your style and budget for
the event: Our Classic Flats are $10 a pair in the boxed sets and our
Premium Flats are $20 a pair. Both styles are affordably priced and a
great quality.
3. What is your personal favorite thing about these flats?
What
I love most about Talaria Flats is the response I get when new clients
see them – whether at trade shows, on social media, or if a stranger
sees me outside wearing them. The response of “oh what a great idea –
but they’re cute and feel good too!” is heartwarming to me. I really
aimed to mix of fashion and comfort, and hearing positive feedback from
our customers is the best. At the end of the day, I am filling a real
need that women have and that is a wonderful feeling.
Our
Premium Flats are like my little baby – I worked for months on
different material combinations, sizing trials, and style changes. The
final product is something I am very proud of – a style that is timeless
and goes with a variety of outfits, while also being truly comfortable
and compact. The extra cushion on the bottom makes a big difference when
you are dancing! To have these features appreciated by my customers is
the best.
4. Do you plan on getting more colors and/or styles in the future?
We
are definitely going to add colors to our collection. We just currently
added white to our list (so that the bride can have some that match
her!). We have received some requests for a silver/metallic, so that
would be next on our list.
5. Are Talaria Flats sold in any stores or is online the best place to find them?
Talaria Flats are sold online at www.talariaflats.com. Join our mailing list on the site to receive special offers and discounts!
6. Where do you hope to see Talaria Flats be in 5 years?
In
5 years, I hope to expand my team and my operations on an international
level. While of course maintaining our focus on weddings, I would also
love to expand to markets for young lades – such as flower girls,
Quinceaneras, etc. We are also exploring a University Ambassador program
for sororities in the United States.
7. Is there anything exciting coming soon to Talaria Flats that we should keep an eye out for?
Yes!
Starting in February, we will be doing a partnership with Vengo, a
company that makes high-tech, compact vending machines for bars and
clubs. We will be selling our Classic fFats
8. Lastly, what are your social media accounts so we can stay up to date with Talaria Flats?
Oh we love social media! Definitely say hi to us
Twitter/Instagram: @talariaflats
Pinterest: TalariaFlats
Facebook: Talaria Flats
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A big thank you to Ingrid for giving such great answers! I love the idea of foldable shoes, plus these flats are so cute and perfect for occasions like weddings. Also if you are in the Manhattan area, Talaria Flats is going to be showing at the Great Bridal Expo in Manhattan on Jan 19th at the Marriot in Times Square. Click here for more info!
Have you tried Talaria Flats? Tell me in the comments!
xo, Scarlett