Fashion Mannuscript published a feature on shoe makers, Clover & Cobbler, in their May 2019 issue titled “From Ideation to Reality”. The article includes an interview with Clover & Cobbler founder, Jaclyn Jones, in which she details the production challenges she faced when searching for a U.S. based shoe factory. She explains her motivation behind creating a full-service, development and production shoe factory in Los Angeles, CA.

Read the full feature here.

From Ideation to Reality: Clover & Cobbler | Los Angeles Footwear Factory

When Jaclyn Jones designed her name-sake shoe collection, she said, “the core struggle was finding a U.S.-based footwear manufacturer. I searched for six months to find a local factory, as most migrated overseas.” She eventually broke into what felt like an underground industry.

In January 2018, Jones was approached to take ownership of the manufacturer making her brand. Her initial reaction of “no-way” shifted to a monumental “yes” when she realized others were facing the same struggle to find U.S. footwear manufacturers.

In October 2018, Jones made the leap from shoe designer to factory owner and CEO of Clover & Cobbler. She shared, “we’re shaking up the industry, providing a new and unique service to emerging designers and existing brands,” in its new facility in Van Nuys, CA.

Clover & Cobbler launched with a fresh website and impressive social media presence, with the deliberate intent of gaining exposure as a Southern California shoemaker. The LA-based factory offers a collaborative approach to manufacturing, working closely with local vendors to enable a simplified one-stop shoe development-to-production resource. “We aim to keep the integrity and artistry of shoe design while advancing brands to the modern age,” Jones said.

What do brands need when they come to Clover & Cobbler? “Designers can bring us anything from a creative vision to a detailed tech pack,” said Jones. “We work with new designers to build their brand from the ground up, as well as help established brands shift to U.S. production, which many felt wasn’t previously an option.”