In Conversation with Karen Ruenitz

Tell us about your background: 
I am currently Creative Director of Footwear at Soludos. I studied Apparel Design at Cornell University and upon graduation I took the initiative to "drop by" the office of my favorite designer at the time, Helmut Lang. The company had just moved to NYC from Austria and I assumed they were looking to hire people for the new office. I was lucky that they were in a Soho loft that was under construction which allowed me to walk over to the executive assistant's desk and give my pitch as to why I would be an amazing hire. The CEO overheard my story and hired me on the spot for the receptionist position. Three months later I was promoted to design assistant in cashmere and shirting. And after about a year in the design studio Helmut offered me the position of Accessories and Footwear Designer. It was a pivotal moment in my career as I had never thought of footwear and accessories as a design possibility. Thanks to Helmut seeing my potential and valuing my aesthetic sensibility I have had an inspired career in footwear design. From Helmut Lang I went on to design and launch footwear category for 3.1 Phillip Lim. Then I moved to design runway and commercial footwear collections at Tory Burch. It was insightful to see the difference between working at a smaller brand where everyone is a key stake holder versus a larger brand, like Tory Burch, where there are more layers to navigate creatively and in developing product. After Tory Burch I was excited to return to my designer roots and create more elevated product at Loeffler Randall. I loved having time to experiment with artisanal details and material treatments to create beautiful footwear. And lastly, about 6 years ago I joined the team at Soludos as creative director of footwear, driving aesthetic direction and product strategy. I am proud that through my creative leadership Soludos has successfully transformed from a summertime espadrille brand to a year-round lifestyle footwear brand offering a range of silhouettes like sneakers that now drive revenue. And personally I am proud that at Soludos I have been able to actualize my environmental beliefs moving all our product to be made with environmentally preferred materials per FDRA industry guide so that now over 70% of footwear is made sustainably. And through my work sourcing better materials Soludos published a set of Sustainability Commitments that are posted on our website and joined the UN Global Compact - a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles.

What do you wish you’d known when you started out?

The first companies you work for will define your career. Those first jobs set up your expertise, expectations, and your level of excellence. If you want to work in luxury designer space then make sure the first companies you work for are in that industry and have great mentorship opportunities or people above you that are leaders in their field that you can learn from.

Best career advice you've ever received?

Speak up - share your insights and perspective.

What leadership qualities are important to you?

Clear Brand Direction and Strategy that is communicated to the entire team so that everyone knows what they are working toward aesthetically and strategically. No gatekeepers to brand ethos ~ everyone can contribute creatively and strategically. Collaboration is the key to success and the strongest results.

What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far? 

When I was a less experienced designer I struggled to come up with design solutions quickly especially in a meeting. To get myself more used to working quicker during flights to factories I would sketch and resketch ideas and options for each style - and practice presenting the ideas to the team.

And for fun, what is your favorite wardrobe staple?

Cell Phone Bag in pop color or artisanal technique ~ Each season I purchase a cross body cellphone bag that is fun and inspiring ~ something like woven leather for summer or fluo green for winter ~ it really helps an outfit pop (especially in dark days of winter) and is super easy. I put everything I need in it - keys, wallet, phone - perfect for running around the city.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-santoyo-ruenitz-63495a37/

Website: www.karenruenitz.com

Instagram: @karen_ruenitz