This post becomes more personal than it usually is, because it’s about getting back to work in the shoe industry soon. From September I will start working for the Swedish online store Skolyx. Think about this below.
Those of you who have followed Shoegazing for a while know that about 3,5 years ago I started working as a consultant for the Swedish/Italian brand Italigente, and a year later, I started working full-time for its owner Kavat where I worked with their online retail and operated Italigente. Kavat then streamlined its business and ended up with both the women’s shoe brand Blankens and Italigente, and for a couple of other reasons, I went on and have now worked for about 1.5 years at the Corporate Communications department at Volvo Cars. Now I have been “lured” back to the shoe industry again.
Skolyx recently launched its own line of welted shoes priced just above €200.
The online store Skolyx began its business about 6 years ago selling shoe trees in cedar wood. Since then, it has grown steadily, and today the store has a wide range of shoe care products, accessories, and not least shoes. First from Spanish Yanko, now also under its own brand and soon the new Spanish midrange manufacturer TLB. Emil Jansson, who founded the shop, wants to gear up and sell more internationally.
So, on September 1, I will start working 80 percent on Skolyx. I will be involved in developing the online store with product development, more content, marketing and so on. It will be very interesting to work close with the TLB plant on Mallorca, and also look forward to develop the range of different types of shoe care products. Over the years, I have helped Emil in various ways, just like I have with many others both in Sweden and internationally, with tips and advice, contacts, input and so forth. I have liked his attitude to dare to invest in many new stuff and constantly reinvest in the company and its products. I have received other job offers within the shoe industry both before and after Italigente/Kavat other job offers within the shoe, but for various reasons, nothing have felt right for me. That’s why I’m pleased with this now, where Emil also has the right attitude towards my work with the blog.
Loafer from the new Spanish brand TLB which Skolyx soon begins to sell (also top image).
For the remaining 20 percent of a full-time job, I will work with Shoegazing. It will be great not only having to work evenings and weekends with the blog and the events I organize. Working full time (often more than that), having two children and Shoegazing has been very tough, I have to admit. I have not had the time I wish, could not make the two posts a week I want to do, failed to respond to all mail questions I receive from readers, and so on. Certainly, one working day of the week will not mean a revolution in what I do with Shoegazing, but hopefully it will make my life a bit more balanced and I can keep it up all well for the future.
That I now become biased with a company and some brands, I understand some may see as a problem, but I experienced with Italigente that it worked very well. That I’m open with it is clearly a prerequisite, for example, I’m going public with this several months before I actually start working for Skolyx. And as the fact was during the years I worked with Italigente, I will continue to praise competitors to Skolyx and its brands, if they deserve it, and write less well of those I feel are as good. Hopefully, you will continue to see that it works and trust in Shoegazing.
Some of Skolyx’s own models, of course, with Skolyx shoe trees in them.
