Radical News
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Yes! Journal
Radical Yes...Help Me Find My Best Sandal Fit!
An exploration into the magical, metaphysical world of shoe fitting In today's post, we share two ideas to consider in finding your perfect summer sandal. The first speaks to the barebones practical idea of ‘which fit is best for my foot?’ - based on a physically deductive method. The more easy to capture ‘wide feet’, ‘long feet’, ‘been-dancing-too-long- bumpy feet’ gives us an easy check box list of things to consider with our key ‘365’ styles. But then there is the (perhaps) bigger consideration of which sandal ‘fits’ the privilege of making it into your life as a long wearing, multi-purpose, conversation-starting statement sandal. A design idea we cycle through every season in the (re)creation of our ‘always on’ 365 styles. With this in mind, let’s talk first about the all important practicalities. Wide Feet If your feet are wide - The best styles in our ‘365’ sandal collection for wide feet include our highly reviewed and much adored Arkestra fisherman sandal, as well as the (also highly reviewed and loved) Visby Sandal. Both offer good foot coverage, and the all important arch support in the midsole that speaks to the practical imperatives of ‘all day on your feet’ wear. Long & Narrow Feet If your feet are Narrow or long - It’s all about the Neptune sandal. With adjustable velcro straps covering both the arch and ankle, the midsole on this style runs slightly longer than other sandals in our 365 collection making them a favorite for customers with dancer length toes. Watch the video below to see our Retail Team Leader Sumedha sharing all her tips from The Fitting Salon on how to choose your size for these ‘365’ styles. Now. Let’s talk about the radical imperative of ‘365’ styling Styles that we consider ‘365’ talk to our ideas of both ‘all year round styling’ (you know we love a sandal and sock combo) as well as ‘easily deserving of more than a year’ in your wardrobe status. Case in point - our classic T-Bar Declaration sandal, which we have now been making for an amazing 7 years (!) basically unchanged. See the sandals. visby-t-bar-sandal-washed-ink-leather-with-fiery-manderin-topstitch, arkestra-2-0-fisherman-leather-sandal-midnight-plum, declaration-nylon-t-bar-sandal-bronze, radical-yes-declaration-t-bar-wedge-2-0-black-leather, neptune-sandal-mango-and-cherry, neptune-sandal-bronze
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Who are the people behind Radical Yes?
In conversation with Elfy Scott. We invited journalist, writer and podcaster Elfy Scott to help us answer some of the questions we get asked most frequently about our brand. At Radical Yes, we’re not shy about our dedication to creating flat shoes for women. We’re a brand that expresses the values of contemporary women so they can navigate ‘in real life’ (I.R.L) situations with both style and functionality. This female-first focus has a lot to do with our founder Kerryn Moscicki. In fact, more than a lot. In this interview with journalist, presenter, and producer, Elfy Scott, Kerryn answers one of Elfy’s burning questions: who are the people behind Radical Yes bringing us the best sustainably minded flat shoes? Spoiler alert - you might be pleasantly surprised by her answers! Watch the interview... < “We're 90% women and that definitely drives the brand along.” Kerryn Moscicki Founder, Radical Yes See new arrivals here.
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Where are Radical Yes shoes made?
In conversation with Elfy Scott. We invited journalist, writer and podcaster Elfy Scott to help us answer some of the questions we get asked most frequently about our brand. It's the question everyone wants the answer to and we’re super proud of our flat shoe origins. We’ll admit, we’ve got pretty high standards - not just when it comes to shoes. That’s why we chose the award-winning journalist, presenter and producer, Elfy Scott, to talk all things, well Radical Yes, with our founder Kerryn Moscicki. In this video, the duo hone in on where exactly our shoes are made, why we produce there and what we look out for when choosing our makers. Since our flat shoes are made in small quantities with a focus on quality, it’s so important that we find makers with the same values. That’s not so easy today with the focus geared towards large-scale production, but we stay committed to our vision. Watch the interview... “All of our factories are small family-owned businesses.” Kerryn Moscicki Founder, Radical Yes See new arrivals here.
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Why do we make shoes in small batches?
In conversation with Elfy Scott. We invited journalist, writer and podcaster Elfy Scott to help us answer some of the questions we get asked most frequently about our brand. There are so many reasons why we choose to make our flat shoes in small quantities. It’s not just about sustainability, our community is also at the heart of this decision. But that’s not all. When Elfy Scott (journalist, producer and host of ‘Left Right Out’ and ‘The Green Canary’ podcasts) posed the question to our founder Kerryn Moscicki, there were several factors behind the decision. In this video, Kerryn talks about the significance of making women’s sandals and sneakers in small batches, why it’s important to Radical Yes and the “secret club” that exists. Are you in it? Watch the interview... “I love the idea of little and often both in my life and also in manufacturing.” Kerryn Moscicki Founder, Radical Yes See new arrivals here.
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Why flat shoes?
In conversation with Elfy Scott. We invited journalist, writer and podcaster Elfy Scott to help us answer some of the questions we get asked most frequently about our brand. Flat shoe liberation is what Radical Yes is all about. Ever wondered why? It piqued the interest of the wonderful Elfy Scott, one of our favourite journalists, producers and hosts on this side of the world. So, when she caught up with our founder Kerryn Moscicki, it was one of the first questions on her lips. In this video Kerryn reveals what the deal is with flat shoes. While the origins may be that bit alternative, you’ll thank us in the end - really. And no, it’s got nothing to do with age. Here’s what Kerryn and Elfy had to say on the matter… Watch the interview... “Literally, like who wants to wear heels - you’ve got to get your sh*t done!” Kerryn Moscicki Founder, Radical Yes See new arrivals here.
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Radical Yes: the meaning behind ‘radical’
In conversation with Elfy Scott. We invited journalist, writer and podcaster Elfy Scott to help us answer some of the questions we get asked most frequently about our brand. Radical Yes is a female-founded brand that celebrates women and creativity. In fact, we created flat shoe liberation especially for women (thank us later). So when we had the opportunity to catch up with Elfy Scott, the incredible (award-winning, might we add) journalist, we couldn’t contain our excitement. In this video, the woman behind it all, Kerryn Moscicki, spills the tea on what the ‘radical’ in Radical Yes really means. It’s one of the most frequently asked questions about our shoes and the answer is really, quite radical, so we’re delighted to finally share it with you. To find out more, check out the video. Watch the interview... "Producing things much slower, working with less urgency, working in a more considered way." Kerryn Moscicki Founder, Radical Yes See new arrivals here.
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5 Minutes with the Radical Yes Eyewear Designer
Meet Our Eyewear Designer, Alana Van Ewyk. A long time friend of our brand, Alana has worked in eyewear for over 20 years, including more than 10 spent as the head designer for Karen Walker Eyewear after starting her early career honing her skills on Disney branded product. A long time friend of our brand, Alana has worked in eyewear for over 20 years, including more than 10 spent as the head designer for Karen Walker Eyewear after starting her early career honing her skills on Disney branded product. “It was very intense for a junior designer. I recall possibly shedding some tears when the angle of Winnie’s honey pot was off. Everything after Disney felt much easier, but it really instilled in me that the devil is in the detail, and I love that comes so naturally to me today but may annoy others!” Many of our long time customers will remember we released a small range of eyewear back in 2016. But with only a limited product development budget we decided to take a break from this category to fully focus our efforts into our footwear R&D. Then Alana became available to help us create an entirely new level and direction for our eyewear. A collaboration which would mean we could execute our eyewear with the same approach and quality level as the shoes - working with best-practice manufacturers and exploring new and innovative materials. We spent some time chatting to Alana about her thinking behind her first collection for Radical Yes. Alana, We asked you to respond to Radical Yes 'the brand' in an eyewear capsule - what were some of the immediate considerations / values that came to mind when thinking about how to translate the brand into this category? The best part of working with brands is when they have a very precise customer, focus, and brand DNA. For me, Radical Yes already had all the parts ready to make the machine. Your philosophies around the end use, how the customer is going to wear it, its practicality, comfortability all these things really help any designer think about how best we can wear this, even down to how useful we can make the sunglass case, all these questions had to be answered in the product. The existing branding was so easy for me to pull from and create concepts for hardware, it has an element of fun and joy but must be sharp and considered. I loved those important key points about the brand, it helped really nail down on a concise collection. And the last part of the magic is colour, RY is known for its incredible use of clashing colour. Pallets that aren’t necessarily the ‘norm’ but RY has a way of pulling them together and making them a must. This was fun, working with some colours and finishes I’d personally not worked with in eyewear in the past like a solid lavender and a milky lime, this feels totally on brand but so fresh to the sunglass world. A selection of coloured frame samples from our factory. Let's talk about the collection itself. Tell us about the shapes you have picked for the launch range and how they relate to our customers IRL end use? We never really started this collection with a final range plan in terms of size. We just designed and created and then worked out who and how each shape would be worn. Radical Yes has an incredible customer mix so we were able to be really specific with our shapes and sizes, and even our branding detail. For example, we have a spinning disc we created for the temple, we were torn on colour and how it would be worn. Do we go black and keep tonal to the frame, so it’s very classic or do we have fun and go for our brand colour yellow? We decided we could do both, let the customer choose how they want to wear it, feeling classic keep it on the black side, want to stand out and have some contrast, just spin to the yellow side. All very fun, but still from an end use POV had to be smooth and really clean. "We also had the opportunity to do gender neutral styles, we have some beautiful cat-eye shapes, but then some classic rounds that are so perfect for so many faces" A universal range, with each pair feeling (hopefully) like it’s made specifically for you. Fits, materials, componentry are all very important to the durability and comfortability on your face when wearing for long periods of time, so we made sure to focus on those points in design. We do hope that our customers find the perfect fitting frame for their face and their personality. Like the shoes, we have approached the new collection with lots of colour pops. What advice would you give to our customers about picking the best palette for their face? Any advice on how to wear a statement shade? Eyewear is so great to completely change your mood and your outfit. Just like shoes and bags, so approaching this collection with the Radical Yes colour DNA was fun and easy. I’m totally of the mindset that you can really pull off any shape and colour. There are a few rules for me I believe should never be broken, one of those is fit. It must fit, your nose bridge, cheekbones, and temple lengths. If it isn’t comfortable, it doesn’t fit and you’ll never love wearing them. That’s my first, and my second when it comes to colour always wear something that makes your skin tone pop. Ensure you’re not being washed out, that usually means wearing a frame colour that is too close to your natural skin colour. And have fun! Eyewear can make an outfit and is always front and centre when you’re taking photos! As a brand obsessed with function as much as form - can you share with us which frames are the best choice for our customers who want high level sun glare protection. And what about the old favourite 'are these polarised?' myth. Ahhhhh yes form and function, one of the reasons I initially choose eyewear to work on was because of this crossover. All our frames pass the mandatory and strict Australian/NZ standards. So, feel secure that whenever you purchase a pair of Radical Yes frames, they will never harm your eyes. Our lenses do have different categories that relate to how much glare reduction and protection they provide you with. Category 3 which offers the highest, is used in 95% of the range. We do have a CAT 2 lens as well; this just offers a lower form of sun glare reduction but still completely protective for your eyes. In the future we may try some lighter tinted lenses, but they too will always cover mandatory standards and reduce overall sun glare. “And polarised is kind of a buzz word. Super helpful if your sailing, fishing or always near or on the water but not so great for everyday IRL use.” We recognised that our customer didn’t want a performance lens, but they still require the maximum amount of protection so CAT 3 lenses meant our customers could wear near the water and while driving, so provided that multi use option opposed to changing glasses depending on what you were doing. Polarised lenses are not suitable for driving or looking at specific colours, so we decided to stay away from that as an option. “Polarised lenses are not suitable for driving or looking at specific colours, so we decided to stay away from that as an option.” One of the key driving forces on our decision to move back into eyewear category was the improved traceability we could have on the supply chain. Can you tell us more about the materials that have been used in the new collection and share more on the make process itself. How long does it take to make a pair of handmade frames? Yes! Sustainability and traceability is finally happening in eyewear. It’s not as progressive as some of the other categories in fashion but it’s happening, which is super exciting for the industry. In the Radical Yes range we use acetate, which is a handmade material, meaning each pair is cut, filed, and fit to a template design. Each part of the frame is filed down, tumbled, and polished with each of the artisans in eyewear working on one part of the frame. This means over 100 pairs of hands touch each frame, while they all work to the same design template, they are handmade so sometimes there will be some slight differences. The timeline for production is around 6 months, sampling 3-4 months so we take around 12 months to complete one range. We use acetate because of some of its special properties that include being hypoallergenic, malleable, and lightweight. This makes it comfortable and wearable for all day use. We now also have a bio-acetate that we’re using in the range which is essentially plant based, compared to the petroleum-based option, much better for the environment. Our cases are made from recycled nylon and our plastic pouches that protect our cases and eyewear are all 100% recycled materials. It was important to us that we keep this as a focus in the range, limiting our single use plastics where we can and hopefully improving on each range. See the entire eyewear collection here. “Each part of the frame is filed down, tumbled, and polished with each of the artisans in eyewear working on one part of the frame. This means over 100 pairs of hands touch each frame.” See more eyewear... sun-hero-sunglasses-in-tangerine, sun-hero-sunglasses-in-ice-blue, sun-hero-sunglasses-in-black, solar-queen-sunglasses-in-vanilla-bone, solar-queen-sunglasses-in-milky-emerald, light-lover-sunglasses-in-crystal-olive, light-lover-sunglasses-in-black, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-black, illuminate-sunglasses-in-black, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-milky-lime, illuminate-sunglasses-in-solid-lavender, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-milky-ocean,
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Getting Better, Not Bigger. Introducing Radical Yes Eyewear.
Our pursuit has always been about creating products that are everyday ‘I.R.L’ useful. That serve a function as much as they deliver an aesthetic punch. In Australia, sunglasses could be considered essential virtually 300 days of the year - our customers ‘end use’ needs felt clear in our minds. If you have been following our brand for a while you will know it was a vision we’ve had before. Previous iterations were produced using a different manufacturing process - known in the industry as ‘injected’ make. Whilst beautiful, the make and material we previously had access to were polycarbonate styles that naturally sit in a lower end of the quality spectrum. "We knew we could do better and we were determined to do so." Five years later, long-time friend of our brand, Eyewear Designer Alana Van Ewyk became available to help us create an entirely new level and direction with our eyewear pursuits. A collaboration which would mean we could execute our eyewear working with best-practice manufacturers and materials to produce beautiful handmade eyewear. Alana has worked in eyewear for almost 20 years, including more than 10 spent as the head designer for Karen Walker Eyewear. Aside from an esteemed background in eyewear, Alana and I also began our Design journeys working together many years ago. We have an understanding and aesthetic shorthand that I think has come through in our first collection. We hope you love our Radical Vision. Kerryn xx Sun Hero in black BIO-ACETATE WITH SMOKE GREEN LENS "Our Radical Vision to create beautiful, functional eyewear for your I.R.L. use has come true. Hand crafted from highest quality acetates and bio-acetates in colours and shapes to bring you joy." SOLAR QUEEN IN VANILLA BONE (LEFT) SOLAR QUEEN IN MILKY EMERALD (RIGHT) See The Full Radical Yes Eyewear Collection Here. Related Products light-lover-sunglasses-in-black, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-milky-lime, illuminate-sunglasses-in-solid-lavender, light-lover-sunglasses-in-crystal-olive, solar-queen-sunglasses-in-milky-emerald, sun-worship-sunglasses-in-milky-ocean,
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Why Is The Sunny Boot Our Most Reviewed Shoe?
Today we are celebrating the return of the much loved Sunny Neoprene Pull On Boot - which is back in stock after selling out - and ask ourselves why we have never made a video about them when...they are our most reviewed shoe on our website!!?? We’ll explore the three reasons why we think this is by reading through some of your reviews! If you own Sunny boots - tell us what you love about them in the comments section of the YouTube video below👇 Watch the video here... See More Sunny Boots Here... radical-yes-sunny-boots-black-neoprene, radical-yes-sunny-boots-2-0-bronze-neoprene, radical-yes-sunny-boots-2-0-ultraviolet-plum-neoprene, radical-yes-sunny-boots-teal-neoprene,
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