Hello to all of our wonderful followers, customers, and cheerleaders! We appreciate you so much. We are sending this 2020 update straight from the heart of Gracious May. You’ve heard the term “Go big or go home, right?” Well, if you read on I am going to give you a personal look at some behind the scenes decisions here at Gracious May… and how we’ve decided to go big… in a small way :).
2020 has been a turning point for many businesses. It’s been no different here at Gracious May. We’ve spent a lot of time combing through the ways we should change, and the ways we should stay the same.
A lot of retail brands are running flash sales, liquidating inventory, running more sales. The goal is to sell more for less to stay afloat. Cutting corners and cutting costs is the current survival plan for many businesses in the retail industry. I talked about this in my made in the USA wardrobe series, but this is not sustainable and not the direction Gracious May wants to go as a brand.
Here at Gracious May we have doubled down on our decision to be different. This post is to let you know that we have had to raise prices on our women’s shoes, but more than that it is to let you know that we have doubled down on our commitment to artisanal quality and ethical US manufacturing.
I believe that more than ever, consumers are craving products with value. They want a true and genuine connection with the culture and creators behind the products they purchase. At Gracious May, we have decided to build more into our products. We have decided to increase the quality, and continue investing in our US Manufacturing infrastructure.
Our made in the USA women’s shoes are crafted one at a time using hand dying techniques and materials from the finest Leather tanneries in the USA. Wickett and Craig is one of these tanneries. Wickett and Craig was founded in 1867 and their vegetable tanned leather is some of the best in the world. We already have products at Gracious May that feature this amazing leather. A plan going forward is to increase our usage of made in the USA leather hides and phase out our usage of imported leather where possible.
There are a lot of shoes in the world, but at Gracious May, we want to press into the effort to make the best shoes in the world.
Maybe this decision means Gracious May will forever remain a small artisanal company. Maybe it means that we will never join the big players in the business realm, maybe we’ll never have a warehouse with robots, or lease a multi-story office building uptown. But, I don’t mind one bit. It hasn’t always been this way, but I’d rather stay small doing things right than grow big the wrong way.
We have raised our Ladies Shoe prices for 2020, but here are some of the things we are building into our made in USA shoe collection:
- Sourcing artisanal leather hides that are made in the USA.
- Phasing out our usage of imported leathers where we can.
- Expanding our size range to include women’s shoes in sizes 12, 13, 14, 15 and WIDE options.
- Maintaining a 3 year limited warranty for all of our women’s shoes.
- Increasing the intricacy of our designs.
For Gracious May, “going big” means we are willing to stay small. We will continue to put our hands on each pair of shoes before they ship. We will strive to invest in the little things that connect us to our customers. We will aim to continue manufacturing in a way that honors God: the Creator of all men.
If you have read to this point: Thank you!! We realize that some of you have had our shoes on your wishlists for a while. You may not have expected the price increase and we want to be fair with this transition. We have a limited special for you! For the next 7 days, use the code “LOYALTY” to order your Gracious May Ladies Shoes at pre-increase prices.
Much love and appreciation to you all,
Grace // Founder and Co-owner at Gracious May
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1
