Meet Ce Ce Chin of Vision Quest Shoes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ce Ce Chin.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up in Michigan with 3 older sisters, I was constantly trying on their clothes and shoes. I absolutely loved getting the feel of the latest teenage designs and styles. I’m pretty sure, however, that my sisters didn’t appreciate this passion of mine. Nevertheless, years later, when I graduated from college, I moved to New York City determined to recreate this feeling and pursue a career in fashion.

In the early 2000’s, I was lucky enough to work at Michael Kors and Calvin Klein. After paying my dues for those mega-brands, I launched my own shoe line 8020 Footwear in 2005. Our mission at 8020 was to design shoes for the independent, ambitious, “I am in New York – hear me roar” woman. And we did just that, really striking a chord with the fashionable, indie rock, Urban Outfitters crowd.

Ultimately, 8020 was best known for kickstarting the hidden wedge shoe trend in 2006. In fact, that design idea remains popular and has been incorporated into shoe lines by major brands across the globe. Having moved to Los Angeles four years ago to work for a Mass Market handbag company, I found the urge to design shoes was too strong to ignore.

After all, it’s always been my true passion. Not just the design but the production process – seeing the shoe go from a vision to a product – has always fascinated me. Which is why this summer I launched Vision Quest Shoes. Right now, we’re a baby just starting to walk, but so far it feels like a perfect fit.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My first few years in California I enjoyed the comfort of a well-paying job where my primary responsibility was managing people. This was all well and good, and I worked with a magnificent team, however, my core creativity was being under-utilized.

I felt under-stimulated and wanted to tap into my ongoing desire to design shoes. As a result, I struggled with the idea of whether financial security was more important or designing footwear that actually improved people’s lives was.

After some internal back and forth, I ultimately decided the creative path offered its own kind of riches. The entrepreneurial spirit, the community of other makers, the shoe lovers out there, and of course the new challenges are all invaluable to me.

Please tell us about Vision Quest Shoes.
The journey of Vision Quest shoes started with my first spiritual experience with a Ouija board at a slumber party when I was eight years old. No joke, the seeds were planted right there like me, and five other girls tried to summon the spirit guides.

The shoe is inspired by the Ouija board reader, known as a planchette. The design is also an evolution of the traditional Moroccan babouche slipper, which looks fabulous, but offers no support and isn’t really wearable.

My version, however, is designed with a molded rubber sneaker bottom with tread. This makes it both comfortable and durable for walking. Better yet, all of the shoes are made of up-cycled and repurposed leather.

I’ve practiced yoga for over 15 years, and now that I live on the west coast I’ve been inspired to explore even more wellness practices. For example, walking meditation and labyrinth walking. These have been an eye-opener as we all generally treat walking as simply a physical act, pure locomotion, getting from point A to point B.

Vision Quest shoes are meant to remind us that we can be more intentional in our choices and our movement. The shoe is called a “Yes or No” shoe. Like the Ouija board planchette, the shoes can help us be open, ask questions and move confidently forward.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I know that most successful fashion businesses have the two heads, one for creative and another for business.

I wish I had a business partner with complementary strengths so that we could navigate this retail world that is changing so quickly from wholesale to direct to consumer. And technology is so important now, with algorithms and data, so it would be great to work with someone with a mind for that.

I’m learning, however, that I can take action on my own, without waiting for that perfect partnership. And perhaps the journey with Vision Quest shoes will lead me to that partner!

Pricing:

• $149 per pair

Contact Info:

• Website: www.visionquestshoes.com
• Email: cece@visionquestshoes.com
• Instagram: @visionquestshoes
• Facebook: @visionquestshoes

Image Credit:
Lindsey Kusterman, Dana Luong

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