An Inspired Chat with Averie Floyd

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Averie Floyd. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning Averie, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I really only get out of bed looking forward to one thing – my cup of coffee. I am not a spiritual person, but the one ritual I practice is drinking my coffee in the morning on my garden patio. The immediate connection to a green space helps me to stay calm and wake up slowly to start my day. I like to take 30 minutes to read my fantasy book. Then I walk the dog with my partner. We are fortunate to start our day this way, and I work hard to preserve this part of my day just for myself and the slow process to wake up.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Averie Floyd, founder of Casa Flor Designs. We help conscious fashion and home brands develop artisan-made collections in Guatemala. Through transparent communication, curated services, and on-the-ground partnership, we ensure that both brands and artisans thrive in ethical, sustainable collaboration.

I came to Guatemala for the first time in 2014 for my University internship to study fair trade practices and the art of backstrap weaving. I also came to learn about where my birth father is from because I didn’t grow up connected to the Guatemalan culture. I fell in love quickly with the country, culture, and people here and have been here ever since. I founded Casa Flor Designs in 2016 and there has been a lot of evolution over the years.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
What a great question. Although I don’t run anymore (because I wrecked my knees playing roller derby for 4 years – totally worth it), I often think about the feeling of running a 400 meter race. In high school, I loved running the the 400 meter relay which was the last event of every track meet. If you’ve never been to a track meet, they last 6-8 hours to go through all of the events. It’s a long day, so by the end of the meet, everyone is ready to go with their bags packed. It also means that they all watch the last event, the 400 meter relay. I loved to be a part of a 4 person team, being cheered on by the rest of our team. I remember running the last curve of the 400 meters, my coach yelling “Come on Floyd!” and the amazing feeling of finishing that race – no matter what place we came in.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Probably a lot of only children can relate to this – I would tell myself “no one else is as worried about this as much as you are.” I remember being really down on myself when I made mistakes as a younger person. And as an adult, you look back and think how silly that was because they were small things that I would harp on. I still tell myself these comforting words today. It’s easy to get in your head and let anxiety set in when you think you’ve made a mistake or offended someone. Sometimes I still feel this way with client emails. But usually, a delayed response from a client is just because they’re busy and everything ends up being fine. Perspective growing up really helps, you just realize you are one person in a very large world!

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The fashion industry tells itself that we have to produce more new things all the time, as fast as possible. It’s something I constantly challenge as a company that creates new products in partnership with artisans in Latin America. I believe that fashion is a form of self expression and an art form. I believe strongly that what makes us human is to create. So I don’t see anything wrong with creating new products, but we are extremely intentional about how we go about it at my company.

Fast Fashion has changed the industry to be a horrible monster to people and nature. It has also turned fashion into a machine, instead of something that is handmade and cherished.

How do we combat this? By creating a connection between the products we make the people who use them. We take time to make high quality products that will last a long time and only make a product that has a compelling story behind it that will resonate with our clients on a deeper level. We tell our clients the story behind every artisan or small workshop owner we partner with. We use their names in updates about their order being worked on. We encourage our clients to share these stories with their customers. What makes us human is also about the connections we make between each other, so we are tapping into that inherent part of ourselves to try to turn the tide against the narrative of fast fashion.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What light inside you have you been dimming?
My personal creative expression. It has been on my list to start creating art again, for no one else but myself. But, I think there is something within me that would want the art to be good enough to share with others. As they always say, you are usually your harshest critic. It’s been such a long time since I made art, I feel overwhelmed by the idea of getting back into it, but maybe this interview will push me to begin!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://casaflordesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/casaflordesigns
• Linkedin: Casa Flor Designs
• Facebook: Casa Flor Designs
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@casaflordesigns