BLOW OUT YOUR CANDLES
Dear IB fans and friends!
May marks our 6th year as a brand! I cannot believe that six years have flown by in the chaotic blink of an eye! There have been really rough times, and insanely fun times, and experiences i never would have imagined surviving! At the end, here I am, getting the chance to create a brand, a vision and a direction that I remain 100% passionate about. I feel insanely humbled to be doing, what I feel like I am meant to do!
I thought I would drop you guys a little thank you note as we go into this new phase of the brand, and tell you a bit about our history. Thanks for coming on this ride with us!
- 2014 I was working for Solestruck.com in Portland, commuting in once a month from my home in Brooklyn. I was the creative director, and brand manager! In that same year, I fell in love with a shoe designer from Mexico, moved to LA and rented a house in Highland Park.
- MARCH 2014. After my first week long trip to Portland for a check in with my team and check in on projects I returned to LA feeling it had been my last trip. 48 hours later, I was terminated from my position with Solestruck.
- APRIL 2014. What had before been a bunch of random google docs came together, I reached out to my entire network for feedback, and "INTENTIONALLY __________." was born at my kitchen table.
- AUGUST 2014. I launched my first tradeshow collection, showing in Paris, NY, LA and Las Vegas. A small collection, a bit wonky, not completely executed to it's full potential--but I made it. In August of 2014 I received my first wholesale order from a store.....you guessed it...solestruck.com. Retailers like Free People, Nasty Gal (RIP) and LF stores also placed orders on my first collection.
- 2015 we slowly start to introduce IB apparel to our site focusing on one size, non-gender pieces...in well, black.
- 2016. In 2016 I fell in love with a cavelike space underneath a bar in Chinatown Los Angeles and opened a part time store, and studio there. Parties were hosted, shoes were sold, and insanity was had in that amazing little space. (It also smelled funny and was potentially going to cave in on us!)
- 2016 we launch IB archive, our hand selected vintage dept. The response is insane.
- 2016, the shoes are showing up on Needsupply.com, OAK NYC (RIP), ASSEMBLY, Lisa Says Gah, Anthropologie, American Rag and in 5 countries outside the USA. Meanwhile myself and a tiny team are still shipping all e-com, and running the brand as best is possible.
- 2017 We open our second retail store, on Valencia Street of San Fran!
- Early 2018, We move the Los Angeles store to a beautiful space on Virgil. We are ABOVE GROUND, we hire a lovely staff, and enjoy being next to SQIRL and Ricks Produce, our two favorite LA spots for treats.
- OCTOBER 2018, we host our first month long pop up shop in NYC!
- 2018 I meet a new partner through a friend and he comes on board to help grow, scale, and evolve the brand. This chance meeting changed my life in many ways, and I am grateful for the opportunities this new partnership took me! Thank you Armen!
- 2019. Much to my surprise, we launch the collection with Nordstrom, a full table at the New York flagship store.
- 2019 Close the SF store to work on new projects, we say good by to the best fans in the Bay Area!
- 2020 Start plans and build out of new store in Hudson NY.
- May 2020, all of our stores remain shuttered, but we are alive and well online, continuing as best we can to bring you the shoes you have been waiting for!
We are sad to not be celebrating in store with all of you like we usually do, but we are excited to be hosting a big sale online. We will launch our Anniversary sale May 22, in tandem with launching our freshly revamped web site! We invite you to shop, save, scoop up some deals and support us in celebrating.
I want to personally thank the many wholesale clients, fans, retail partners, friends and my family for supporting me on this journey. I knew we had great fans and community, but it was truly these past 60 days where I have 100% been made aware of the true power of our fans....I cannot thank you enough, for literally keeping us alive.
Best
Ty McBride
Founder and Creative Director
