After years of working in the corporate world, Anouk finally dared to follow her creative heart at 50 and started Signed by You.
She was apprenticed to an artisan shoemaker for a year and made several pairs of shoes. In July 2022, she launched Signed by You with the first model, a pair of ankle boots with a detachable collar.
Creating SxY didn’t just happen overnight -it’s a complex yet rewarding process.
Anouk
So why now? At the age of fifty, many people ask me. The process mainly involved getting to know me, listening to my inner voice, and daring to trust it. How does it feel to launch SxY? Liberating. If I had known it would be so much fun, I would have taken this step much sooner.
I entered the fashion world quite naively at the age of fifty, an industry in which a lot revolves around youthfulness and perfection. The funny thing is that I don’t feel fifty but thirty. I fill in entrepreneurship with years of experience in the corporate world, gut feeling, trust, and joy.
But occasionally, someone who clearly indicates they prefer to work with someone younger passes by. And then why? Naive, maybe, but on the other hand, it also feels like a mission. We can make a significant contribution because of our experience. Fortunately, there is a platform like AndBloom and my shoe! A statement and, therefore, the brand is called: Signed by You.
About the shoes:
- They are made of stock leathers, the offcuts left over from large productions. Working with these leftover leather pieces sparked my creativity because I work with what’s there instead of contributing to the demand for more leather, which harms our environment.
- All SxY pairs are unique pieces. With each pair, you receive a value certificate, just like artwork.
- We can offer a higher quality product with a longer lifespan by producing small runs.
- Each pair is made with care and by hand. Our shoes are manufactured in Portugal in a family factory by artisans appreciated for their expertise.
- AND It is primarily women who work there.
So, shoes inspired by women, made by women for everyone!
Check out SxY www.signedbyyou.nl
Anouk is also a Bloomer. I portrayed and interviewed her in 2020 for AndBloom. You can find the interview here.
