Thanks for tuning in to the glossy podcast. I'm your host Jill Manoff, and today I'm sitting down with Jamie Gersh, CMO at Rothy's, the San Francisco-based footwear brand arguably best known for its flats and sustainable production. Five days ago, Rothy's opened its 23rd store in New York City's Flatiron neighborhood, and it plans to open two more stores this year. I wanted to ask Jamie about the retail rollout, including how Rothy's is faring in its goal of making each location a brand extension. I also want to ask her about the career leap from Old Navy to shoes, and about the current mesh, jelly, and crystal embellished flats phenomenon, to what extent are these hot, hot trends playing to the brand's advantage of Welcome, JV. Thanks for having me, Jill. I'm excited to be here. So excited to chat with you. I know Rothy's is not just flats, you're doing bags, you're doing other styles. Are flats the large majority of your, driving a large majority of your sales, or is that just me? Because I like them. Well flats, of course, are tried and true that we love. It's how Rothy's was born, and we are so proud of our flats business, but equally as proud that this year we actually introduced a huge sandal business and a summer business, which we never had before, and we cannot keep the styles in stock. So whether it's been our summer slide, our summer sandal that came in in May, whether it's been the weekend slide, we introduced a lightweight wedge, which has a platform, and it's been off to an incredible start. I mean, it's amazing to see the customer reaction to move them from their tried and true loves of the brand, whether it's been the point or the original Mary Jane, which has been the phenomenon, you know, in the last year. And now into, you know, showing some toes and being relevant for the summer season, we're super excited. Oh my gosh. That is exciting. Wild. So sandals for the first time this year. Yeah. So last year we introduced the weekend slide and could not keep it in stock. And we knew we were on to something. And so immediately the design team started concepting what could a larger summer assortment look like. We started with an espadrill, which we know is obviously the trend, hottest trend. And then we opened up some toes, right? And so then we moved into full sandal business, introduced a wedge platform, which, you know, took us off of the flat category. And the customer response has been incredible. So you just see the momentum building and what, you know, the customer appetite is for other categories for Rothies to deliver for her. Yes. What is the brand impact of these trends? You mentioned Mary Jane's, which I know you guys are doing those. Have you always done that? And gosh, when there's a trend and everyone, everybody is doing flats, is that good for business? It's definitely more competition. And do you kind of pay attention to those trends and lean in a little bit? Of course. I mean, you know, it's incredible to see our design team constantly on top of what's happening in the market and what, where we should be with that said, it's what's right for Rothies and how can we do it in a Rothies way? And you know, I think that's where the sustainability story comes in. And even if we're capturing the trend, what's amazing is that we're capturing the trend in a way that we know resonates with consumers because we're doing it better for the planet. And so we're very, very proud of the opportunity to capitalize on being trend right, but also making sure that we don't lose what has made Rothies, Rothies, which is, you know, the impact on, you know, keeping plastic bottles out of landfills, number one, and then making sure, you know, whether we have a zero waste factory or we produce an elite, you know, factory in China, it's all of it together that makes Rothies who it is and really helps differentiate even if, you know, a lot of people are doing Mary Jane's, why do you buy Rothies and you buy it because the brand stands for something bigger than just the trend? Yes. Are you marketing your production and your vertically integrated processes left and right? Is that, are you leading with style? What's the balance there? I would say it's a balance, right? We know that, you know, the product needs to be cute for her to want it first and foremost. So that is, you know, number one, we have to be on style and on trend and we feel like we are delivering on that. And then second, you know, we have an opportunity to tell the Rothies story and Steven and Roth, who are our founders, have, you know, they're incredible and they created something that was new in the market and we are so proud of it today. And what you'll see actually in the last week, we've done some amazing things for the brand. So we relaunched our website last week. And so we have a whole new sustainability experience on the site, which really goes into detail of everything from our product practices on sustainability, all the way to how do we produce our products at our own factory that allows us to control how we treat our workers and how we make the product and how much waste is happening there. And so you really see the story of sustainability come to life in a really new way for us. And then the other piece is our store. So you mentioned we opened our flat iron store on Fifth Avenue. I was actually in New York last week for the opening. It is incredible. And it's incredible to see the brand come to life and be able to tell the story in real form and get credit for the material of the product. So we have stories about the material stories about I haven't even talked about our product is washable, which makes it even more durable, which makes it even more sustainable. And so these stories are really coming to life in the in the experience that we're now delivering in our stores to our customers, which we're very proud of. So to answer your question, we think it's such a balance. Yeah. So what was what's driving the design of the stores and the update to the website? It's kind of enabling this transparency that was maybe in demand. Is that how you would describe it? Yeah, I think it's transparency that consumers want and the the ability for Roth is to bring this incredible story to life. And when I joined the brand about a year and a half ago, one of the reasons I joined and moved over from Old Navy was the opportunity to build this brand and build and tell this incredible story that, you know, Stephen and Roth founded. And I like to talk about it as the story of possibility. They did something that no one believed was possible. They introduced a new shoe to the market that was stylish, sustainable, and, you know, and comfortable all at the same time. No one should believe that they could have done that. They did it and they unlocked this idea of possibility. And so we continue to push on what are the boundaries of possibility and innovation and how do we continue to tell that story? And so whether it's been re launching the website to make sure we tell that story in more depth or these stores that we're rolling out and how do we do that in a more tangible way for consumers? It's all about that journey of being able to tell that brand story. Yes, I wanted to ask about like kind of the other channels where you're marketing. But do you see the store as a marketing channel to a large extent? Or what's the role of the store? Of course, it's a marketing channel. And, you know, having been in stores my whole life, there's nothing better than a tangible experience with your customers and honestly, having your sales associates be the best brand ambassadors they can be for your brand 100%. But with that said, when we redesigned the store, we talked about the need for it to be emotional and functional at the same time. And we know that we need to make it functional and, you know, convert customers when they come in the store. And so how do we do better storytelling when we're in there to make her want to buy the product and understand why she has to have it? And I think the experience delivers on both the emotional and functional side really well. Yes, what's informing? What's opening? Where you're opening all these stores. So, you know, it's a combination, the flat iron district and being, you know, right on 5th Avenue in the middle of the flat iron in New York was a no brainer, right? We want to be where the action is. And that is such a hot bed of retail. We are very excited to be there. And then other stores, you know, we're opening in North Park Dallas in a month. And we know we have a huge Texas, you know, customer base. We have not been there. And that customer deserves to feel us in person. So we've been in Austin. We haven't been in Dallas. So we're excited to get into the Dallas market. And so we look at where, you know, obviously we have a big online business. It gives us the opportunity to see where our customers are and, you know, where they love us. And how do we enter markets where we know, you know, they love us already. And then we're just hot beds of retail and where do we need to be? Yeah, any rhyme or reason in terms of within an indoor mall, outdoor mall, you look for a destination like what types of, yeah, it's a great question store store set up. It's a great question. We're looking across the board and it's more where do we think the brand can resonate and where do we think the customer wants us. And so whether it's an indoor mall or a street location, it is all about where do we think we're going to resonate and where has our customer been asking for us to come? Tell me what other marketing channels you're playing in. Yeah, well, you know, it's been so, I mean, you know, the digital landscape has changed so dramatically and it changes every day. And so we found success in a bunch of different things just by trying and testing. And we have found such success in tapping into, I'll call them authentic communities and authentic communities of people that really love this brand. And what we found is tapping into these people and communities has just unlocked this value that we never could, could expect. And so whether that's been ambassadors to the brand and then opening up their networks and really we call them friends of Rothy's or in the influencer world and really tapping into influencers that really feel an authentic connection to us and then using channels to get that out there. And then it's spurred this virality that we never could believe existed. And so, you know, the Mary Jane is the perfect example of it took off. And it was just this, this tried and true style that we had that all of a sudden, you know, we had Erica who walked 15,000 steps in, you know, in Italy, that spurred to another influencer having to wear it. And then that just took off on TikTok. And all of a sudden, you know, we couldn't keep the shoe in stock and it's become, you know, the number one shoe over the course of the last year, which we're so proud of. And so it is these tapping into these authentic communities of people and using the platforms where we know consumers are today to really get the fanfare and the virality. Yes. And once you have that customer, tell me about loyalty, how you're keeping them was working to retain them. Yeah, I mean, I think the newness in the product is the way that we've been keeping them. And so constantly making sure that we're offering something that we know they have to have has been the unlock because they have to have the newest sandal. And, you know, and before Raffi's was very much focused, as you said, on flats and now with the expanded assortment, we've just given them such a reason, you know, to come back. And because the shoes are comfortable, and sustainable, they know they're going to last and they know what we deliver as a brand. And so they want to buy multiple styles from us. Right on. Are you guys been 100% direct to consumer? Where are you selling? Actually, it's such a great question. So we, this year, for the first time launched on Amazon and anthropology, and most recently, literally last week launched on Nordstrom. So we are new on the wholesale and other distribution channels, but, you know, testing and seeing what's working for the brand and excited to tap into new consumers through those channels. Oh, my gosh. It's prime day, you know. It is. We know. Yes. It is. Yesterday was a big day. Yes. Oh, my, do you guys do an offer like to kind of go along with that sale? We do. And or amazing. We do. That makes sense. Fantastic. And then just going back to your other, you know, the other thing I'll highlight that I think has been working has just aren't been our experiential, you know, tapping into the experiential side of this brand. And that's been new for us and something that's worked really well. So on Earth Day, we unlock this idea of a bottle swap, come in, bring a recycle, a plastic bottle and get a free pair of shoes. We had lines around the block at our Nolita store, Newberry store and Pasadena store in LA. And it really unlocked this idea that we see consumers wanting to participate in real life with us and be part of the action of making a difference and saving bottles out of landfill. And so we took that and said, how do we celebrate our fifth avenue opening last week? And it was incredible. And so the team had this incredible idea of how do we introduce New York, New York City's first refillable water station. And so you see these were fillable water stations popping up in airports and all these natural places where consumers are, but they are not on the streets of New York. And the insight was that 1.1 billion water bottles end up in landfill just out of New York each year. And how do we be? It's crazy. And how do we be part of the solution? And so we had this idea, we tested the concept and we're really hoping that it starts to catch on. And obviously there was such a consumer response. We had over 2,000 people line up over the course of two days and it was an incredible response. So we gave away, bring in your bottle, we partnered with HydroFlast, gave people a free HydroFlast and then they got to fill up the refillable water station in front of the store. And what was incredible to see is not just people lining up, but even passer buyers were just like, Oh my God, I can refill my water bottle walking down the streets of New York. And during plastic free July in New York, it was the perfect activation. And so there really is something to this experiential side of the brand that we're just tapping into that we know, you know, can be an unlock for us. I mean, that's so smart. Where is it found in the store or at the store? So right now, so last week it was actually on the street right in front of our window. And so anyone that walked by got to refill and saw that they can use the refillable water station. But also then we're peaking in our window to be like, Oh, look at the cute styles they have, right? And so we're going to test, you know, is it outside? How do we have some that are inside and just start to see what resonates? But just the idea of you don't need to use plastic. And really being that purpose driven brand of how do we reinforce our positioning and our purpose in every touchpoint with our consumer. And that's the perfect way to do it. And that will maybe possibly stick around for a while, the hydration station. Yeah. Well, so it's so we want to now bring it back because we couldn't believe the response. So we were testing it and now we see that there is such a there there. And so we're quickly working to figure out how to get get it back because we know the response was so great. Amazing. Does that only work in New York where there's put traffic galore or is that something you could bring to all of your stories? I think that's something we can bring to all of our stores. You know, I think the amount of people that are walking around with their water bottles, you know, and just, I mean, the amount of water bottles that you have the opportunity to participate with. We know that, you know, that is what consumers want to do. It just is an easy and that's the problem with New York, right? You have to go to your bodega, especially on 100 degree day in July, and you have to drink water and there's no other alternatives. And so what if Rothys can be, you know, the purse, the brand that stirs, you know, and starts to change that behavior, we would be so proud of. I'm imagining this collab where it's your bag with your place for your shoes with the place for your collaborative. I love that. Oh, I'm going to leave and go right over to the design team and say, how do you design a pocket that fits the water bottle, just like the backpacks have them. Yeah, so cute. Amazing. I highly recommend it. Exactly. What opportunities do you see for the year ahead? Obviously physical retail. What else are you eyeing? Physical retail 100%. We just, we talked about wholesale. We think that's a big opportunity. We know our customers want Rothys. They want to try it on and they want to see us wear their shopping in general. And so we heard that from consumers. We did some consumer research about a year ago, a little bit over. And we heard from them, they want us in more places. And so we are delivering on that. And that is, you know, first and foremost, we heard it from our consumer and we want to deliver on that. So whether that's our own spaces or someone else's spaces, we know that that's an important consideration. And then international, we just, you know, we're shipping to over 20 countries. We're very, very excited about it. We have a big presence and something exciting coming in the UK, which I'll be able to share in a couple of weeks with you. And we did some work on, you know, the marketing side in the UK and the response has been just incredible. And so we see a huge opportunity within the international markets. Okay, great. Is it necessary to have feet on the ground when you're expanding internationally? You know, I think we have to see, you know, right now we don't, but we have a New York team, you know, we're San Francisco based, but have a good New York team. They are close enough. And we'll see, you know, what else is needed as we go. Nice. What are your challenges right now? Well, I mean, you know, everyone has a chair of challenges and opportunities. And in the retail landscape, you know, we know the economy is a big thing on consumers' minds. And, you know, with an election year coming and the economy being where it is, and just the consumer, we are being, you know, cautiously optimistic and really making sure we're staying ahead of what is happening to the consumer in the landscape of retail, you know, in America specifically, you know, especially as we head into the back half of the year. And listen, the competition has gotten, like you said, you know, fierce. And what I think we need to do as a response to that is really, as I talked about, capitalize on why this brand is so special and why consumers love this brand outside of just the products we sell. And that story is as authentic as it comes and as real as it comes. And so I think being able to tell that and make sure consumers know that is a huge opportunity for us. For sure. What can you share about the trajectory of the company since, let's say like 2019, 2020, this pandemic time that shook everything up. Like, yeah, where people want comfort. I know that people want comfort. And, you know, even during, you know, even at my time at Old Navy, you know, back in the pandemic, there was a trend, style and comfort coming together. And that has not gone away. And so I think this brand is, you know, so well positioned to carry that. They started. That's how the brand was founded. And so it's as true as it comes. And so being able to continue that and make sure we're delivering on that, I think is, you know, a huge opportunity go forward coming out of the coming out of the pandemic. And just how people live their lives today. People are not interested in, you know, not feeling comfortable. And so on that note, you know, as we introduce wedges or, you know, different, different heel heights and trying different things, we will never lose the focus on how do we make sure that it is the most comfortable experience for our customers. For sure. Are you still rolling out? First of all, seasonal collections is that where it's at? And it does that kind of span all categories. You're doing new bags every season. And what other I have a lot of questions in this one question. What other categories are you playing in? Yeah. So I'm excited that, you know, this fall, you'll start to see almost how did we take the unlock on the summer and move that into the winter? And so, you know, we've always had a boot business, but the boot, you know, we had one or two boots. And now what you're going to see from us is a range of boots, which is amazing because who has a boot that's washable? No one. And comfortable. And so we're really proud of, you know, having an expansive boot collection. We've expanded into boot clays and shieldings. So all washable, all sustainable still, but the ability to tell these new material and back to believing in possibility and delivering on that purpose, really pushing on the innovation side of the product and saying, how do we winterize this brand the same way we summarize this brand? And so I think what you'll start to see from us is this cozy idea, this boot collection idea, and actually the cozy extends into bags. So you'll start to see bouclay on our crescent bag, which looks incredible and feels cozy but stylish at the same time. And again, it still delivers on the brand promise of, you know, what our customers have come to love us for. Right on. It's exciting. Very. Let's talk a little bit more about your stores. I don't know. I just feel like everyone's there's still folks that are scared of opening stores. I know there's competition for space depending on on the city. Yes. A lot. What are people not talking about? We're like, we're in terms of it's why it's working to any brand's advantage, but why it's working to your advantage. You clearly believe in it. You want to do more of it. You're just finding people want an experience like store versus retail. What's kind of, I don't know, why lean in to store? Well, especially in the footwear category, being able to try on the shoe is huge, right? So, you know, you have to remember specifically to to this category. It is so important. And and because we have such a comfortable experience, we want to get people in the shoe because we know that the second we get them in the shoe, they are sold. So having consumers be able to try on the product, touch and feel the product is an incredible experience. And we know that it enhances the brand experience and tells the brand story in a way that, you know, digitally is really hard and tough to do. And so the combination of having the opportunity for consumers to check us out online and then go and go and try on the shoe and feel the shoe is a huge opportunity for us. And then like I said, I think it is a brand storytelling vehicle. And so the more we can get consumers into the store, obviously to try on the product. But but even to tell the story about, we've saved 179 million bottles and counting and put those into shoes instead of landfills, or being able to tell our thread story and our washability story in real life offers the opportunity for consumers to fall in love with the brand in a real way. Yes. Have you ever tried virtual try on? Or is that even happening on the site now? And not yet. We keep talking about it and have been testing and talking to different people, so you never say never. Yes. Is there a certain demo that you have for your customer falls in? I think what's been so eye-opening and incredible to see just entering the brand has been the response from such a range of demographic women and men, but primarily women, obviously. And what I like to say is it's a mindset. It's consumers that expect this experience from a brand that fall in love with us. And yes, we have older consumers that now travel all the time and want a comfortable shoe to travel in because that's what they're doing. But then we also have the Mary Jane lover who is walking to work every day in the city and she's super on trend and she's younger than the woman traveling. And that's what's incredible to see about this brand is it's more of the mindset and tapping into that mindset of who resonates with us versus a specific age range. Yes. Is there... I have a hunch brought these is not going to be doing soledos any time soon. Are there certain categories where you're not going to play in or it doesn't make sense for you clearly? What'd you say? I think 100% there are things that are not going to be we're going to play in and even if they're on trend, we won't play in. But what I will say is you'll start to see a little heel come from us and fall that's still comfortable but plays into the trend. But it still delivers on the style, comfort and sustainable mission of the brand done in the Rothy's way. Exciting. Who knew? What shoes are you wearing today, Jamie? I am wearing the weekend slide. I always wear the weekend slide. I love it. Well, actually during the other shoe that I love that we haven't talked about is the clog and the clog took off similar to the Mary Jane. And we, it was the sleep away hit and talk about comfort. So the clog is the most comfortable shoe to travel in to walk around in. And I like to say, I literally have five pairs. So my kids come into my closet and say, you don't need anymore. But every time a new one comes out, I seem to, seem to buy it. Oh my gosh, it sounds amazing. I wear it around the house, work from home. Exactly. Wear it out yoga. I mean, we're seeing, speaking of virality, you know, what we're seeing with the clog is just, and it has unlocked a different end use. And what we see, you know, all of a sudden on Instagram and TikTok, we started seeing all these women wear the clog to and from Pilates to and from yoga. And we were like, oh my God, this is, you know, the end use is totally different than we thought. But how cool is that? Awesome to see. So cute. I can imagine this book. Yes. I can't. They're very chic girls. Oh my gosh. Well, long term. Last question. Like, obviously you came to the brand. You saw so much opportunity here. Just like looking forward, Sky is the limit. We'll be doing heels. We'll be expanding like anything else we can expect from the brand or that you really like want to champion on a longer term. Yeah, I think, you know, with possibility as the core purpose of this brand, I think what's been incredible for me to see is just the internal employee response to that calling and that mission and really believing that the sky is the limit and that optimistic attitude of carrying forth what Stephen and Roth bred in this brand and being able to unlock more possibilities as we go. And so I think the sky is a limit for this brand, whether it's the brand building, whether it's distribution and, you know, tapping into getting the shoes and this brand on more customers in all these different ways. I think, you know, everyone has a lot of heart for which, you know, is exciting to be a part of. Okay, really last question. Your customer, anything surprising you about, like, behavior, like, I'm hearing just a lot, changing consumer behavior, changing consumer behavior. And that's largely like, you know, on the luxury scale, but everywhere. I mean, like, what, what are they doing that's blowing your mind? I mean, I would say, you know, it's such a good question because the brand of Rothies has changed over, you know, just the change of the product and really telling the brand story. So, you know, our consumer has changed with us. And that's what I think has been incredible to see for us is we had a consumer that loved us for our original point and our original flat. And, you know, I think there was a little bit of is she going to come on this journey with us and believe that she should have all these new shoes that she has to have in her closet. And it's been such a warm welcome from our consumer and something we're so proud of. And being able to tap into new consumers and make sure that they, you know, experience us has been, you know, equally as, equally as joyful. Would you recommend that to other brands start with this hero product, like become well known, gain that customer, you earn their trust and then venture. Yeah. And never lose sight of what made you who you are, right? And so we have such a tried and true love for not only our customer number one, but also, you know, our original products and, you know, holding true to who we are and why this brand became what it is. And then being able to, to be, you know, or expand off of that has been a great opportunity. Yeah. Well, I feel like we missed our opportunity. We've done some of these podcasts where people are phoning in from their shoe closet. And I just, I have a hunch. It's, it's, it's epic. I would love to do that. That sounds so fun. I bet it's amazing. Oh my gosh, Jamie, thank you so much for being here. This was great. This was great. Thank you so much for having me. Our theme music is by Otis McDonald. If you liked this episode, be sure to share it with someone else you think would. Thanks for listening to the glossy podcast. Bye. (upbeat music) You
