Women, Meet Head Designer Kai Harrison of J. Renee’…at boutiqueMMM Franklin, TN, Brentwood, TN, Nashville, TN

“ MIXING FUN INTO ORDINARY MATERIALS”

Where do you get your inspiration?

I get inspiration from numerous things.  A big one is travelling: getting to see different places and how the women thre are dressing.  I look at what they are wearing, and wonder what could make their style even better?

I also look at a lot of home decor for color inspiration.

Another big one is all of the crafting sites that have become so popular.  There are so many creative people making interesting things-they really are artists!  And they have helped ordinary people to look at things in an interesting,creative way.

What do you think makes for a good shoe style?

A shoe that is a forever style: something you can keep in your closet for a long time, season after season; a style that defines classic, elegant, and feminine.

How did the J.Renee Brand come about?

The brand was started by my parents.  When my brother and I were small, my mother, Renee, was staying at home with us, and my father, Micky, was selling shoes for different factories.  They were at dinner with a client one night, and they asked Micky if he would go overseas and see if the factory would consider making handbags to match their shoes.  Renee volunteered to go, and that was the start of J.Renee.  My mother is very creative, and spatially-oriented, and this made her a good designer.  The company evolved from there, and it really became about meeting people’s needs, whether it’s customers asking for specific pieces, or simply creating things that make women feel empowered through their personal style.

What can we expect for the future of the J.Renee brand?

Exciting color, Elegant silhouettes.  Lots of attention to detail: ornamentation and embroidery.  Mixing fun into ordinary materials.  The next collection will reflect this: it’s going to be fun, but sophisticated, too.