Katie McClure
As part of our brand, we like to recognize a wide range of influential and inspiring female entrepreneurs, designers and creators. For this profile, we interviewed Katie McClure.
Katie co-founded MIRTH with her sister in 2016. MIRTH is a line of easy and comfortable women's resortwear created with artisan-made fabrics in India. The two produce ethically and thoughtfully with a socially conscious sprit.
Who in your industry do you admire- who has influenced you?
I first heard Lauren Bush speak at SXSW when MIRTH was just a far flung idea. She is a pioneer on conscious consumerism and her talk about how and why she started FEED gave me the push I needed to start on this entrepreneurial adventure.
Where do you go/what do you do in order to do your most creative work?
Travel, and the accompanying mindset, is at the heart of MIRTH. My best ideas, inspiration and, most crucially, motivation to keep going come when I'm traveling alone. Having a small business doesn't allow for as much travel as I'd like, but I find recreating some of it locally helps: staying away from routine, turning off my phone, having nothing on my calendar for a few days-- it all helps with the mindful (or mindless?) state that helps fuel creativity.
If you could recommend one book or documentary, what would it be?
I'm in the middle of reading Shantaram , a vivid read set in Bombay, one of my favorite cities, and I'm loving it.
What trends in your industry excite you the most?
The effort to slow down the fashion cycle and be more mindful with what we are creating and how, and the appreciation for handmade.
What are your essentials for a productive day?
Cold brew coffee , an early morning spin or trampoline class , and a free calendar.
What was the best piece of advice you have been given?
Keep going. (It's so simple yet incredibly motivating. It's my compass.)
What is one product or service under $200 that you’ve found in the past year that has changed your life?
Trello - the project management software. It's FREE and I could not run my business without it.