Jen Smith of Inside Source recently posted a great interview with Jessie on her design process, motherhood, crafting, and her pics from the new collection. Here's a taste of the Q and A, but you can read the full story here.
The Inside Source: It is amazing how much you accomplish! Can you give us a glimpse into your creative life?
Jessie Randall: With my life these days being as busy as it is, I am most inspired by the things I get to do that are creative and fun but have no pressure associated with them. Things like designing t-shirts for favors for the boys' birthday or taking an embroidery class at Purl. So much of my life now is about being a mom... I am inspired by things I never was before - like the color palette of one of the boys' children's books.
TIS: We read somewhere that your grandmother was a big influence.
JR: My grandmother was very chic. She had a definite personal style - very simple, very wearable but it made an impression. The other day I was just thinking about her in the spring wearing a bright cashmere sweater and her tiny feet in a pair of Keds - with her perfectly white hair. She was glamorous to me because she did all the things my mom didn't want me to do like watch soap operas (she was in love with Patch from General Hospital), paint her toe nails, and gossip. She was fun!
TIS: The start of your company began with a shoe. When did your obsession begin? Was there a pivotal moment?
JR: Yes. My favorite time of the year was when my mom would take me to the shoe store in town to buy party shoes-the fancy shoes I would wear to all the birthday parties and holidays that year. I remember the smell of that store, the leather smell, and I just loved it. That was the beginning of my love of shoes, and they have always been my favorite thing!