About  ZOU XOU

(Pronounced zu-zu) 

Zou Xou makes shoes for those who dress for themselves, the thoughtful dressers who seek pieces that are as functional as they are rousing; as fresh as they are long-lasting. The collection is a narrative of classic shapes made with a modern lens, brought to life through old-school craftsmanship and exceptional materials. The shoes are artisan made in Argentina using on-demand & small batch production models in service of creating a slower, ethical and more sustainable fashion cycle. 

A Letter From The Creative Director

  • When I started Zou Xou in 2015, I was in crisis. I had moved to New York City years earlier to pursue a career as a fashion designer but found myself disillusioned by my experience in the industry. The lack of originality, toxic workplaces, and detachment from social issues at the places I worked did not align with my vision, and I began to question why I decided to pursue fashion design at all.

    One of the few things I had going at the time were some shoe samples and contacts I had developed over several years and trips to Buenos Aires, Argentina. After a major wake-up call and a firm push from my loved ones, I decided to turn those samples into a collection. What began as an effort to solve a personal crisis and find creative fulfillment led me to reconnect with what I value as a designer:

    I love good, sensible shoes. Sensible shoes are comfortable, practical, and long-lasting. A good shoe is highly versatile yet makes the wearer excited to get dressed. Do I love it? Do I have a use for it? Do I think you will too? This is the rubric I apply to everything I design to decide whether a style has a place in the collection.
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  • Even more important to me is to manufacture our shoes responsibly by ensuring wellbeing for our artisans, rejecting overproduction & creating shoes that bring lasting value and joy to your life. I believe that what we choose to wear should express who we are and align with what we value. You are here because you probably already understand the impact those choices have on the planet and other human beings.

    My vision is for you to wear ZX shoes whenever you want to feel like the best version of yourself. Together with my team, we’ve built Zou Xou by selling one shoe at a time, and I feel privileged to share them with you.

    xx
    Katherine Theobalds
    Founder + Creative Director

  • I believe the things we choose to wear play an important role in the journey of self-definition. All the more reason for them to align with what we value. More important still is to recognize the connection to other human beings and the planet these objects have, because everything we consume has an impact on them. That is why it’s important to me to manufacture our shoes responsibly by ensuring wellbeing for our artisans, rejecting overproduction & creating shoes that bring lasting value and joy to your life.
    My vision is for you to wear ZX shoes whenever you want to feel like the best version of yourself. Together with my team, we’ve built Zou Xou selling one shoe at a time, and I feel privileged to share them with you.
    xx
    Katherine Theobalds
    Founder + Creative Director
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Our Vision

Zou Xou produces shoes in a way that empowers the people who make them and minimizes impact on the environment. All ZX shoes are manufactured in our workshop with respect and open communication. Our artisans establish their own wages and work hours, receive lunch + transportation stipends, and work in safe, comfortable environments.  

ZX shoes are made slowly, thoughtfully & carefully. All our shoes are made on demand or in small batches to avoid overproduction and refuse. Each pair of shoes is expertly hand cut and packaged minimally to reduce waste. Our materials are selected for their quality and durability to ensure our shoes are made to last, while the majority of our leathers are sourced from tanneries certified by the Leather Working Group or specialized in vegetable tanning.  

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  • ARTISAN CRAFTED

    We choose handmade over automated because we believe making shoes by hand leaves a smaller footprint, supports the local industry & preserves the craft for future generations. We value our community of artisans and recognize the connection our shoes have to other human beings.
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  • AUTHENTICALLY YOU

    We want to inspire you to dress for yourself, however you choose to define it, through footwear that is smart, functional, and well-conceived. This means making shoes that will work for you most days while stimulating your sense of creativity and expression. We believe the cultivation of personal style is a part of being a conscious dresser. By tuning into what makes us feel most like ourselves, we buy only what we truly need and love, ultimately buying less by making better choices.

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