30. How a mom built a 20-Year children’s brand rooted in Spain

A love letter to Spanish craft and the power of intention. We sit down with Kathryn Thomas, founder of Alice Kathleen & Company, to trace a 20-year journey from a mother’s search for thoughtful clothing to a slow fashion brand defined by timeless design, beautiful fabrics, and shoes built start to finish in Spain. Kathryn opens her sketchbook and her process, sharing how Valencian textiles shaped the brand’s signature and how multi-atelier shoemaking—soles, dyes, and hand-lasted uppers—preserves generational skill you can feel in every step.

We talk about what makes children’s clothing truly enduring: fabric you trust against a child’s skin, fit that moves from playground to party, and finishing details that reward care. She explains how she balances tradition with modern taste by evolving color palettes and subtle fits while guarding the core silhouette. She also reveals why the brand moved from trunk shows to tightly curated collections to protect intellectual property and keep a distinct voice in a crowded market.

Beyond design, we explore culture and memory. From Sunday dressing in Spain to everyday elegance in the American Southeast, these pieces mark births, holidays, and family strolls—and end up in “forever boxes” to be passed down. Kathryn shares the thrill of finally visiting her Spanish partners, previews athletic-inspired capsules influenced by a family passion for tennis, and speaks directly to loyal and new customers with a simple pledge: no shortcuts, ever. If you care about slow fashion, Spanish craftsmanship, children's wear quality, or building a brand with heart, you’ll feel right at home here.

If this story resonates, follow the show, share with a friend who loves craft, and leave us a review—what heirloom piece would you save for the next generation?

Transcript

Welcome, Sponsor, And First Guest

SPEAKER_01 0:06

This episode of the Maiden Spain podcast is powered by Goco Energy. Clean natural energy for life at the speed of Go.

SPEAKER_02 0:16

Welcome to Maid in Spain.

SPEAKER_01 0:18

I'm your co-host, Nalini Sharma, and Laura Senior Garcia here. Really happy to be here with you in this very, very special episode today.

SPEAKER_02 0:27

Very special episode. We've been doing this project, what we like to call our passion project, for a year, and we've never had a guest on. So this is actually officially our first guest. And we're gonna be talking today about craft culture and quality in Spain. So before we introduce our special guest, Laura, you've got a viewer-listener email.

SPEAKER_01 0:51

Sure. But just so you know who's at the table with us, if you're watching on YouTube or on any of the video platforms, we have Catherine from Alice Kathleen. And Catherine, do you want to just maybe just a short bit about who you are? And then we'll go to background later.

SPEAKER_03 1:09

Sure. I am Catherine Thomas. I'm from Birmingham, Alabama. I'm a self-taught designer. I own a children's clothing brand called Alice Kathleen and Company. And we are celebrating 20 years this year. Awesome. So excited to be here in Spain with you.

Listener Email On Spanish Quality

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Awesome. Well, we are loving having you. So we're gonna get right back to Catherine after our listener email. So our listener email, and we did pick this one out of all the ones that come in because we thought it was very suited to what we're going to be discussing with Catherine. I've always loved Spanish style, but I didn't realize how many high-quality, thoughtfully made brands come from Spain until I started paying attention to where things are actually produced. Your podcast has completely changed how I shop. I now look for longevity and story instead of trends. And Spain has quietly become my go-to for brands that feel beautiful and well made. Thank you for opening up that world to me. And that was from Marcy in New York.

Catherine’s Origin Story

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Thank you, Marcy. And that honestly means everything to us because it's exactly why we started this podcast is not just to showcase sort of our journey through life, but the things that are made here, that make us, that we love. We focus a lot on the podcast about the food, the places, beauty, but it's also about the, you know, the stories behind some of the things that we enjoy and that we see. And we're so excited to have Katherine here with us. It's Alice, Kathleen and Co., the official name. Katherine, welcome. Uh, you are behind Alice, Kathleen, and Co. Alice Kathleen, or AK for short. This started, much like our podcast, as a passion project for you. So we, you know, we had an interesting introduction, which we can save, we can talk about that later. But your products are many clothes, the shoes, a lot of them are manufactured here in Spain. And that's been now a 20-year love affair for you. So tell us about how it started and where we are today.

SPEAKER_03 3:07

Yes. So to start, my daughters are Alice and Kathleen, and the company is 20 this year. So it's been a wonderful 20 years. Congratulations. That's amazing. Yes, very exciting. Lots, lots to come down the pipeline. But for the um the backstory, there was never an intention to have the brand. It was never a formal business plan or roadmap. It was definitely developed from a passion product of having pieces that were thoughtful made for my daughters. And most of that started when Kathleen was a baby. She's actually the older one, even though it's Alice Kathleen. I had quite a few pieces made for her in the beginning. And Alice was a surprise. She came about five weeks early. Oh, wow. And that is really when it started. I had several little special pieces for her to made to go to the hospital around town. And we happened in a local boutique in Birmingham, and the girls in there were so sweet and complimentary of the pieces and wanted to know everything about them. And that was really when it was a spark that somebody else shared the same passion through what was special to me and dear to me. And they asked me to have quite a few pieces made for their store.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

So the reason you had the original pieces made was that you were looking for something specific that you couldn't find.

SPEAKER_03 4:30

Correct. Thoughtful. Something for my daughter to wear on the most special day when baby sister, our second daughter, was going to be born. And um, that was very special to me. And I, like I said, never intended to have a business. It just continued to evolve. And I did agree to have some pieces made. I don't know how or why with a premature baby and a three-year-old at home and a husband growing his career was very difficult, but it was fun, passion. It's what I love to do. I've always loved anything, everything, fashion. So I I conned a local seamstress in Birmingham and having a few pieces made, and they sold out very quickly. And um, so we've had a journey since then, and it's it's been exciting to see the company evolve. The girls, Alice and Kathleen, have always been the heartbeat of the brand. Everything has been intentional, designed through them. And at the end of the day, even today, when I'm designing, I'm sketching, I look at the piece and I say, Would I put my daughters in this? And until it's to that quality, it's not approved.

SPEAKER_02 5:36

When when do you think there was a moment as a you know, a small business owner, a founder that where you realized, wow, I actually I have a business, I have a brand. Like this is happening. I still don't know that.

Discovering Spanish Fabrics And Makers

SPEAKER_03 5:49

I'll be honest. It's been 20 years, and because of the wonderful customers and following, I mean that. I I have been, I still surprise myself. I still will put a design out there. I have a very, very dear friend of mine who I run most everything by. And I say, What do you think about this? And it's always a positive remark. And I I surprise myself every day that I can still design. I did not go to school for this. It's definitely, like I said, passion driven, but just a gift. It's been a gift and a true love of mine to design. I hand sketch every piece. I source and search for fabrics, many from Spain, many, many from Spain. So it's, yeah, I think that probably surprise myself every day. So it's good.

SPEAKER_01 6:37

Yeah. So we have some of these beautiful pieces that you brought with you here. And I believe you mentioned to us that the pieces that we have here, some of the clothing, et cetera, was uh made here in Spain. Awesome. Your shoes are definitely.

SPEAKER_03 6:53

Yes, the shoes are all start to finish. It's so interesting to me because I'm I'm learning a little bit of a lot about the shoes. Um, it's a whole side story of how I got involved. I have the most wonderful mentor who has been in the shoe industry for oh, well over. I mean, I'm scared to put a number on it, but more than 20 years. And she, I used to buy her shoes for my daughters, and we kind of connected through, I ordered some espadrills, which she didn't have them. So she reaches out, she says, I'm sorry I don't have them. It was for my photo shoot. And we connect and I tell her, you know, I'm your biggest fan. And I realized quickly she is the version of Alice Kathleen with shoes. You know, she cares deeply. And it turns out she she was willing to mentor me and help me understand the processes, which in short, I mean, the soles are made in an atelier. The leather is dyed in an atelier, the shoes are then handcrafted in atelier. So it's multiple hands on family generations pass down. And it to me, that's special. It's it's not something that's just being mass-produced. It's families, generations of work and skill, and you get the final product, but it is all start to finish in Spain. And how did that relationship come about? With my mentor?

SPEAKER_02 8:09

No, like here, so that you have everything being done with the shoes here, you're sourcing the fabric fabrics here. How was that relationship, you know, the genesis of it?

Shoes Crafted Start To Finish In Spain

SPEAKER_03 8:20

Yes. Well, in spay with Spain in general, yes, very dear to me. So in 2010, we traveled. This was before the world became digital. So you would have to go on treasure hunts to find the most special anything. And we um went out to Los Angeles to a trade show, and that is when I think it was an immediate like we turn a corner and I see these fabrics hanging. It's, you know, they're all all over the place. And um, it was a Spanish vendor, and he is so dear to me. Probably a bit of the heartbeat of the company. Um, these are his fabrics that are sitting on the table. Okay. And he um, yes, is here in Spain, and just it I think that that's probably what my company has been known for from the get-go was the fabrics, the quality of them, the cotton. I have been focused on that. And that, you know, you you worry about what you put on your children. People worry about that more today than they did 20 years ago. I worried about that 20 years ago, right? Being soft, something that can wash well, that can be passed down. And so I would say I think in Spain, the way that people take pride in their companies, the way that they produce, the way that they dress, there's always been a little bit of Spanish flair in Alice Kathleen, and I'm okay with that. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 9:40

The your the fabric, your manufacturer, he's near the Valencia.

SPEAKER_03 9:43

He is near Valencia, okay. Yeah, he is, and he's that's a generational business. They've been business a long time, and I think that he, yes, still the heartbeat 20 years later working with him is it's very special to me.

SPEAKER_01 9:59

So we are so excited that this is your first trip to Spain, right? So that's so to us. So one one of the things that um we also want kind of the listeners to peek into is the fact that you know, tomorrow you're going to be visiting one of the factories, you're going to be directly meeting some of the people that you've been collaborating with in person for such a long time. How does that feel? Like what's kind of going through your mind about that experience? So many things.

SPEAKER_03 10:27

It's very overwhelming. It brings a lot of joy. I cannot wait to see the process. I cannot wait to share that with my customers because I feel like being a direct customer business is a little difficult because we can only do so much with the camera, with the models showcasing what really is. But when we say handmade and handmade in Spain, we're all about to see that. And me for the first time. So I'm excited that's going to be a collaborative with the customers in the journey of meeting the people who have hands on. And I cannot wait to see the process of how the shoes are made. For example, a a pair that's on the table, the little flats, the new ones with the bow, that was in the works for well over eight months. So the process of from design to finish, I hope that we get to see that process. And I think I'm most excited just to see myself, the people that are working with the shoes.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

They are so gorgeous. I keep looking at these pieces and going, like, I would dress like I would wear these clothes. They had life sets. I would wear these clothes. We can definitely do that.

SPEAKER_05 11:32

Like they're so cute.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

Um, I just want to ask from when you started the company 20 years ago to now, how how have you seen um, you know, children's fashion change? And have you gone with any of the trends or have you stayed the course with your sort of designs?

Tradition Versus Trends In Childrenswear

SPEAKER_03 11:48

Alice Kathleen is Alice Kathleen. Okay. It's it's a bit of an animal that way. And I would have to say I have archival pieces, yeah. Which, if you're watching, and it's 20 years, we're probably going to be releasing quite a few of them, which I never do. And they stand the test of time. Yeah. So I think where we I'm a fashion enthusiast. I love it. I study it. I'm I'm constantly reading the business of fashion, constantly studying trends just naturally. It's nothing to do with Alice Kathleen. So I think where I incorporate that with the pieces in today's world is through color, maybe a little bit through fit, but I think mostly my my clothes are traditional and they there's a lot of patterns. I mean, some of them that I my daughters wore 20 years ago that I reproduce and they sell just as well, if not better, today. They might just have a little bit different color or shorten it here and there, but for the most part, I think, especially being from the Southeast, people expect a certain aesthetic for their children when dressing them.

SPEAKER_01 12:57

Okay. They're absolutely gorgeous clothes. And I know that um, you know, I've had the chance to see them on uh my nephew and my niece, and I know we're gonna be seeing them later, but just you know, when you see a child that, you know, is you love or is close to you, and you see them dressed in these beautiful clothes, and it does transport you like almost to another time. Like I can see how you know that could be uh a square in a town, uh, you know, 20, 30, 40 years ago, that very high quality material that you want to pass down to the next generation. It's not something, it's not the fast fashion, it's not something you just want to throw away.

SPEAKER_03 13:39

We are very much slow fashion. Alice Kathleen, I I take very much pride in that. And it's a bit of a problem. We're working, I mean, sometimes it takes a long time to produce. I'm not quick to hit approve. I if I see that a collar is even a quarter of an inch too long, for example, it's not approved. And so I think that it the intentionality is is there for the fit. It's a very special, and it's kind of like me. I I live in Florida. I have four fur coats. Yeah. They're hanging in the hope that one day, you know, during the winter, I can put that coat on and get dressed up and go to dinner. Right. And I think my customers feel the same about my pieces. It's it's the piece hanging that it's a birthday, it's Christmas, baby sisters being born, whatever that might be. It pauses life for a moment in time where they they have that memory. And in that memory, it's dear to me that they're wearing Alice Kathleen, and that is part of it. And I have so many people comment that, you know, we'll have this piece forever, and it's in our forever box is a term that a lot of people in the southeast are using. Maybe that's nationally, I'm not sure, but it's it's special that they choose me to save, to pass down that we've provided that, you know, we live in a hurried world and to be able to slow down and have the clothes be a part of that is it's dear to me. And it was like that for my children. I was designing with intention. Where are we going? What are they doing? What do they need? And that that is Alice Kathleen pretty much each season. There's there's no rhyme or reason to how I design, when I'm designing, what I'm releasing, but you can count on it's a curated collection each season, each year that it's a wardrobe. Okay. It's head to toe. It's not just um putting out um a colorway and pants and shorts and bloomers. It's it's this piece belongs with this fabric. Right. Mostly the ones from Spain. Right. And um it it should only be seen this way. And that is I'm very intentional with the way that I produce my pieces.

SPEAKER_02 15:42

Okay. Can I ask um when you say the Southeast in uh the US? Yes. Do you do you feel the fashion there for you know the way people dress their children is a little bit different or special?

Slow Fashion And Lasting Memories

SPEAKER_03 15:53

I think different in the way that they're putting these pieces on every single day, okay, morning to night. That's the intention with Alice Kathleen because the fabrics are such high quality and the shoes, you wouldn't know it, but the soles I I have taken an extra step in the insole of these shoes. Okay. Then you have that capability to do when, you know, in other words, I'm not cutting a corner because the price is going to be better. I'm actually adding value to the piece and selling it at the same price because I care how it fits the child. That those shoes can be worn on the playground. And then because of the quality of the letter white, you know, you you can wear them anywhere. So I think that in the South, people are focused more on that. Whereas I have people throughout the world that are buying Alice Kathleen that it's more intention-based. Like it's Christmas Eve, it's it's a holiday. Where are we gonna put our children in?

SPEAKER_02 16:53

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 16:53

So I do think that's true.

SPEAKER_02 16:54

I would say here, and I think you would agree with me, Laura, that um it's very particular here. I noticed that Spanish families they dress their kids very well to go out.

SPEAKER_01 17:05

It's particularly true Sunday. Sunday.

SPEAKER_03 17:09

So it's not Monday through Friday.

SPEAKER_01 17:10

No, but it depends though. Let me let me do a caveat to that. If you are in the some of the cities that are more dressed up, like Madrid or Sevilla or Barcelona, you know, in these places, if you are, let's say, let's say the mom and the dad tend to pay a lot of attention to what they wear, the oh, they will also dress the kids up like that. However, for most people, you kind of usually see that the kids get more dressed up on Sunday. So Sunday is a lot of times the day that families get together. It's also usually the day that there are, I mean, it's not all the time, but where there's like events like you know, communions or baptisms or uh weddings, etc. And that then you're definitely going to see uh kids very dressed up and very uh in line with this kind of design. So that's actually one of the things that uh my my first impression when uh Nalini shared about Alice Kathleen, when I looked at it, I was like, Oh, this is like in my mind, it was like set Spanish Sunday wear for the kids, you know?

SPEAKER_02 18:19

It really is. I mean, it's very you might see sometimes the parents dress casually, but if you I and I do this, I do this too. I mean, we don't live in Alicante, we're outside of that. But when I go to Alicante, we always dress up. You dress up to go to the sort of the city, you know, it's the closest city to us.

SPEAKER_03 18:38

Right.

SPEAKER_02 18:38

So we'll dress up to go there. My kids will dress up to go, they wear something nice. Whereas maybe in, you know, where I'm from, Toronto, you would put on your, you know, your tracksuit and a hoodie and you're gonna do it.

SPEAKER_03 18:50

I was just gonna say you just go out where it's taken over the world.

SPEAKER_02 18:53

Yeah, you would not wear a dress.

SPEAKER_03 18:55

No, and I do think I will have to kind of course correct. I think for the Southeast in particular, what I can tell from my sales and orders and customers, when they're probably like 18 months, 12, 18 months to three or four, and the parents probably still have a lot of control over where they're putting the children, they're dressed. I think it's hard. I think my older customers, the children that are probably like five years and up, it's more intentional, like you said, Sunday wear. Yes, yes, or event.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

Yes, because if not, the kids don't like they want to wear the track hood.

SPEAKER_03 19:31

And we did release some recent pieces that were athletic wear-ish and I couldn't keep it, they went quick.

SPEAKER_02 19:37

Oh, interesting. Okay, yeah, it's hard to beat the athleisure.

Business Model, IP, And Growth

SPEAKER_03 19:41

And you can't wave everything to everyone. No, and we have I think if I could say one thing, we've stayed in our lane, kind of going back to what you had said earlier about Alice Kathleen. Um it's I've not ventured.

SPEAKER_01 19:57

So that that was actually a question that we wanted to ask you. As the brand has grown, how do you protect that craftsmanship, the integrity, the intentionality when you're getting, you know, sold out? I mean, that's something that it was fascinating. You know, you have a subscription service for like people who want to be high priority clients. These are things that you don't see in a lot of other brands.

SPEAKER_03 20:20

There is an emotional involvement with Alice Kathleen. On some degree, I think it's um very special and overwhelming at the same time. But I believe a lot in intellectual property. And that's kind of where our business model in the beginning was trunk shows. And I would come and I would source all the fabrics. And again, that was pre-digital age. So I could find things that nobody else would have based on the trunk, the um textile show shows I was visiting my contacts a lot here in Spain. And they could put a piece to they could they could select any of these fabrics and put it on shorts, a skirt, bloomers. And moms would host these trunk shows in their homes throughout the southeast. Okay. The company grew organically. It was very cool, very humbling. And and that was probably a point where I was I realized we we have something and something that people are very passionate about, right, which is Alice Kathleen. So we changed the business model, and I believe it was 2016. It was our 10-year anniversary. And I started to design a little small collection that was as is, like that, like I designed it. It was all intentional. Right. Because we continue to meet ourselves around the corner with some of my pieces, and I don't value that very much. So I realized that was a a turning point for Alice Kathleen. So I think staying true to that one way is and it's it's a lot of pressure and a lot of work, but it's a passion and I love it, but it's is designing every season, each and every season, something new, a new way. That's amazing. Yeah.

Looking Ahead And Family Legacy

SPEAKER_01 22:00

So what about the next 10 years? So we're at the 20-year anniversary. I know I'm not asking for the business plan, but we're at the 20-year anniversary. What what is your vision for where the where the brand is going from here and where you want to take it?

SPEAKER_03 22:15

My vision is right now I am very focused on where I am and trying to service the customers that I have and keep the brand feeling the same while growing. Right. And I think when my girls, so Alice is 19, almost 20, and Kathleen's 23. Okay. It's hard to believe. Yeah. So my younger one is studying um fashion merchandising. I think it would be really cool to sit side by side with my girls. Yeah, wow. And come full circle. That just gave me they might not know that yet. Yeah. But Alice is definitely probably more interested in the back end, the business, which is unbelievable how it's worked out. And Kathleen, though she doesn't really know it, is she definitely has my talent behind the pen and paper. She's extremely creative. So I think it would be really special to grow the brand with them. And really, I mean, I I think just continuing to do what I'm doing, adding um pieces, collections each season to see see where we can go.

Slice Of Life: Tortilla And Culture

SPEAKER_00 23:23

Awesome. Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Catherine. We're gonna go into our slice of life.

SPEAKER_01 23:33

So before we dive into our slice of life, quick shout out to our amazing partner, Goco Energy. You have to try this.

SPEAKER_02 23:41

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SPEAKER_01 23:57

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SPEAKER_02 24:06

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SPEAKER_01 24:27

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SPEAKER_02 24:39

All right, so welcome to our slice of life. Uh, Catherine, this is the part of our podcast in which we, you know, we sort of share a little bit of our life here, our experience, sometimes some something funny that's happened. Um, we normally have a little treat. Today we are having my favorite, which is tortilla. And that is uh when you say tortilla to somebody from North America, they think of the or Latin America, they think of the flat flower tortilla. But tortilla here in Spain, it's usually a combination of eggs and potatoes and olive oil, olive oil, and the controversy to add onion or not add onion. No, it's a real thing.

SPEAKER_01 25:21

We went onion list, it's a real thing.

SPEAKER_02 25:23

Yeah, yeah. There will be fights over if you add onion or you don't put onion. But uh, Laura's aunt, Conchi, made this for us. It's honestly my favorite breakfast ever in the whole world.

SPEAKER_01 25:38

I love that Nalina is not a big eater, and whenever there's tortilla, like her appetite just expands, you know.

SPEAKER_02 25:44

This is my second slice, and we're having a cafe couple today.

SPEAKER_01 25:47

It's delicious. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 25:48

Thank your aunt.

Tennis, Padel, And Future Athleisure

SPEAKER_01 25:49

Oh, of course. Very good. Okay, so so really, really thank you for providing all the background during the episode. Um in the slice of life, we really wanted to get, you know, just pick your brain a little bit. You this is the first time you've come to Spain, and I know this is a short trip, and you're on your way to, you know, more of a business trip. If you were to come back, what would you be curious about seeing? Uh, and if you had a little bit of time, or sorry, let me rephrase that. When you come back, yes, what would you like to see that you're curious about here?

SPEAKER_03 26:26

Well, the reason I came for real is probably Juan Carlos Ferrero, the tennis academy. I have my family, and then AK is my world. We call it the world of AK often when referred to at home. But tennis is it, it is definitely woven into the whole big picture of my life. I love it. I'm passionate about it. That, and then also really probably I love, love, love to shop. Surprise, surprise. Yeah. So would really love to just kind of seek out what is special here in Alicante.

SPEAKER_02 27:01

Or well, yeah, there's just so many little cities and towns. The one thing that we found traveling, and this podcast has really allowed us to sort of travel around Spain is that every town or city has its own little flair.

SPEAKER_03 27:17

Yes. So here's the shoes. Yeah. Here it's really You're speaking my language. Yeah. I I feel like that. I mean, when I was studying where to have the Alice Kathleen, you know, pieces produced. I mean, it's just so interesting to me how the different regions in Spain have like espadrilles aren't made in Alicante. They're made else. Is it El Che? How do you El Che? Is that right? Is that I feel like they're maybe made there. So just trying to Mallorca. Yeah, in Mallorca. Yeah. To seek out um the best place possible. So I would love to find even women's fashion or vintage shops, just anything really local that you can take home that you cannot get any other way. I always, that's my first thing to do when traveling.

SPEAKER_02 28:01

Um, in your uh designs coming up, you're going to weave your love of tennis into that as well? Or a little bit?

SPEAKER_03 28:09

We've got a little surprise coming up for the 20th year, many of them actually in the pipeline. And there will be some AK athletic wear coming soon. Oh, that's exciting. Yes, I guess we're gonna jump on board the whole world.

SPEAKER_02 28:24

Yeah, that's very exciting. And tennis is, I mean, tennis is huge here in Spain. So there are many tennis academies, the tennis players on tour, they're known as the grinders. How come? You're thinking of a grinder. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01 28:39

I'm like, no, but grinder is in like you put in the grind, the more the more grinding.

SPEAKER_03 28:44

I feel like that's that's me. I'm grinding.

SPEAKER_02 28:47

Yeah, because it's a clay. They learn here, it's clay court.

SPEAKER_03 28:50

So when you play a play harder, rather than work and determination level, just yeah, you just have to have it.

SPEAKER_02 28:56

It the points go a lot longer on clay, the bounce is different. It's yeah, it's very different.

SPEAKER_03 29:02

It takes a lot of problem solving. Yes. It's like my business, I feel like. It's like there's not one way to problem solve. You kind of have to figure that out sometimes.

SPEAKER_02 29:10

Can I ask this? This is a totally random question, but is uh pickleball big?

SPEAKER_03 29:16

Pickleball is big for some people. Because it has a man. It's more than an instrument. Yes, I'm I'm it's not here yet. Pickleball is very paddle. Paddle is huge. Okay, here's the controversy. Is it paddle or pedal?

SPEAKER_01 29:34

Here.

SPEAKER_03 29:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:36

Pavil.

SPEAKER_03 29:37

I will never be able to say that. So we I I do play that. I love the challenge of off the wall, but there again, it's the problem solving. I think pickleball to me is just I can't take it. Oh yeah, it's it hasn't ever made its way.

SPEAKER_02 29:52

It does look funny from the outside. We we haven't. We did paddle in the summer. Yes. And we did you like it? No, no, we got roped into it.

Gratitude, Quality Promise, And Where To Find AK

SPEAKER_01 30:01

We did I've played paddle a couple of times. It's too aggressive for me. I actually got hit almost in the face with a ball, and I was like, not for me. I like tennis. I have played tennis in the past. I would love to actually pick it up again, but I like that tennis, there's a lot more physical, you know, movement, you could say, where paddle is like, yes, you're moving a lot and you're sweating a lot, but you're in a smaller space where tennis is a lot more running around, etc.

SPEAKER_02 30:28

So sorry, it was just a random pickleball question because it's so huge in the States. Pickleball is huge there. Yes, it's just taken over.

SPEAKER_03 30:36

Yeah, but yeah, not for me.

SPEAKER_01 30:38

Yeah, okay, good.

SPEAKER_03 30:40

It's good to know. Tennis all the way.

SPEAKER_01 30:42

So awesome and great to find out a little bit more about your hobbies and that part of it. Uh so, Catherine, before we move to kind of close our episode, which we do with a sentence of the day, we'd love to ask you what would you like to say to either the people who are finding out about your brand for the first time, but also for your long-term customers that have been on this 20-year journey with you, what would you like to leave them with?

SPEAKER_03 31:10

To the customers, thank you. It's dear to my heart. Um, I think one cool thing is some of these customers will be it'll be generational and that they may have worn the pieces. We have been around, I guess, almost that long. So that's very special. And I think I also have to just state that this has been woven into my DNA. My mom, my grandma, my sister, we are all obsessed with fashion. I obsess over the fabrics, I obsess over the quality, I obsess over what hands are touching the pieces, who is involved in the company, the intentionality, every word around Alice Kathleen, everything that we're doing, we're we're giving it everything we have. I'm giving it everything I have from start to finish. And I think that to the customers that know me know that. And I think to future customers know that you are going to get the best that we have to give from start to finish. Each piece has my hand signature hidden, it's hand stitched in it, and that's a fun thing with an extra button. So my point is we do not cut corners and we never will.

SPEAKER_00 32:25

Amazing.

SPEAKER_02 32:25

All right. And if just finally where people want to, they can find you, they can follow you, your website.

Spanish Phrase: The Best Is Yet To Come

SPEAKER_03 32:32

Yes, Alice Kathleen Co. and Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, all the social media. And then um, we are direct to customer right now. We um do have an exciting announcement. We will be selling on Masonet in a few weeks. That's e-commerce. So we're excited about that. And um, you can find us there or Alicecathleenco.com.

SPEAKER_01 32:56

Amazing. Thank you. Thank you so much, Catherine. Thank you. And for the sentence of the day, I'm ready. Okay, and this one is for Nalini, but it was also our intention to share this with Catherine in terms of the meaning of it. So the sentence is lo mejor está por venir. Okay, so the best lo mejor está is coming. So the best is good.

SPEAKER_02 33:25

Did I get it right?

SPEAKER_01 33:26

Yes, the best is yet to come. So is lo mejor está por venir, is something that you know we say quite a bit here. You know, I think generally Spanish people tend to have a positive outlook on life. And it's like, okay, you know, the best is yet to come. Like lo mejor está por venir.

SPEAKER_02 33:43

Nice. All right.

SPEAKER_01 33:44

Thank you, everyone. Thank you for having me. It was our pleasure. Thank you. Bye for now.

SPEAKER_02 33:53

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