30. How a mom built a 20-Year children’s brand rooted in Spain cover art

30. How a mom built a 20-Year children’s brand rooted in Spain

30. How a mom built a 20-Year children’s brand rooted in Spain

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

Send a text

A love letter to Spanish craft and the power of intention. We sit down with Kathryn Thomas, founder of Alice Kathleen & Company, to trace a 20-year journey from a mother’s search for thoughtful clothing to a slow fashion brand defined by timeless design, beautiful fabrics, and shoes built start to finish in Spain. Kathryn opens her sketchbook and her process, sharing how Valencian textiles shaped the brand’s signature and how multi-atelier shoemaking—soles, dyes, and hand-lasted uppers—preserves generational skill you can feel in every step.

We talk about what makes children’s clothing truly enduring: fabric you trust against a child’s skin, fit that moves from playground to party, and finishing details that reward care. She explains how she balances tradition with modern taste by evolving color palettes and subtle fits while guarding the core silhouette. She also reveals why the brand moved from trunk shows to tightly curated collections to protect intellectual property and keep a distinct voice in a crowded market.

Beyond design, we explore culture and memory. From Sunday dressing in Spain to everyday elegance in the American Southeast, these pieces mark births, holidays, and family strolls—and end up in “forever boxes” to be passed down. Kathryn shares the thrill of finally visiting her Spanish partners, previews athletic-inspired capsules influenced by a family passion for tennis, and speaks directly to loyal and new customers with a simple pledge: no shortcuts, ever. If you care about slow fashion, Spanish craftsmanship, children's wear quality, or building a brand with heart, you’ll feel right at home here.

If this story resonates, follow the show, share with a friend who loves craft, and leave us a review—what heirloom piece would you save for the next generation?

No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.