Get to know Blowfish Malibu’s Kids Footwear Designer, RJ Santiago! 

MEET RJ!

Tell us about your position at Blowfish Malibu.

I am the new Kids Footwear designer at Blowfish Malibu. I was brought in to help build with sneaker design for Women’s and Kids.

When did you first become interested in footwear design?

I’ve been fascinated with sneakers since I was 9 years old. After I saw a pair of Jordan 11’s in store. It totally blew my mind!

What did you do previously before joining the Blowfish Malibu team?

Before joining the Blowfish Malibu team, I was an assistant designer for a luxury footwear brand that opened my career as a footwear designer. I met and worked with stylists and collaborated with different brands and celebrities.

How did you get started with Blowfish Malibu?

Well… It started when Marcy (one of our lead designers) replied on my application through a job search site. I had a phone interview and did 2 presentations for the team. After waiting for a month, I got an offer to be part of the Fish Family and without hesitation I took it. I’m blessed and so happy to be here!

What do you like most about working in the fashion industry?

Fashion/Footwear is one of the fastest moving industries. I love the trends and the technology behind it. I just love that the evolution of this industry is constant and now its gearing towards to becoming more eco-conscious.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

My favorite is to share my love for sneakers through my designs, I can reach out to millions of people. It blows my mind every time I think about it.

The Blowfish Malibu offices are in LA. What’s your favorite thing about the city?

The diversity in style, weather, people, and food.

Which is your favorite pair of Blowfish Malibu shoes?

Paige is my favorite so far, aside from it being my first design that would be included in the 4Earth line, I just love the details on the embroidery and panels. FYI my answer will change every season/collection, so I suggest you to follow me, lol.

If you weren’t a footwear designer, what would you be?

Aside from being an NBA player maybe Firefighter / Singer

JUST FOR FUN

What was the last thing you were obsessed with?

LA DODGERS! GOOOO DODGERS!

Where are you from and how has that shaped you?

I’m born and raised in the Philippines, growing up in a third world country molded my foundation. Having strong faith and a hard work ethic made a big difference. I have deeper appreciation of everything that I had.

What’s your dream travel destination?

Japan food tour with my family.

If you could have lunch with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

Tinker Hatfield

When do you feel best about yourself?

When I see people’s faces light up when they see my designs

What’s your personal motto?

Nothing is impossible with God – Matthew 19:26

What’s a fun fact about you most people don’t know?

I have my own karaoke mic and song list because I am a frustrated singer.

FILL IN THE BLANK!

I learn the most from EXPERIENCE
I can’t live without MY FAMILY
You can find me shopping at Amazon
My astrological sign is PISCES
I’m scared of goodbyes
The last book I read was …I’ll get back to you on this one lol
Most people would say I SMILE A LOT
I’m currently listening to Harry Styles – Harry’s house album
My style mantra is like if 90’s streetwear, Hipster and athleisure had a baby
I feel most comfortable in hoodies and SNEAKERS!
When I woke up today I felt grateful and blessed.
I feel the best when I leave from Sunday service.

Thank you RJ for answering our questions! We can’t wait to see all of your designs come to life.

—

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Get to know Blowfish Malibu’s Director of Information Technology, Maha Kolacek! 

MEET MAHA!

Tell us about your position at Blowfish Malibu.

I am Director of IT.  I oversee all things IT, so anything system related.  My goal is to implement changes/updates in processes and systems, where needed, to make everyone’s job a little easier!

When did you first become interested in tech?

Honestly, I fell into it by accident, but has been an adventurous lifelong career.  Technology was “the thing” to do during my college years.

What did you do previously before joining the Blowfish Malibu team?

I have a lengthy IT background.  Before Blowfish, I was at The Honest Company.

How did you get started with Blowfish Malibu?

I originally replied to a post on LinkedIn and interviewed with Greg Kearns.  Our conversation impressed me; I became curious about BF.  Although that position was not the right fit, I am happy to say that Greg reached out a few months later to discuss the position I now hold!

What creative projects have you been working on that you’re excited about? Can you tell us about them? 

I am currently working on the implementation of a 360 Photo Studio.  This will greatly improve the quality of images of our products, as well as provide a 360-spin feature for our website/line sheets.  In addition, this will eliminate the need to send images out to be retouched which will mean Marketing will have access to the images much sooner.  And it will greatly reduce the need for human intervention, which means images will be more consistent.

What do you like most about working in the fashion industry?

I love fashion, but it’s hard to keep up.  This can help me stay in touch with what’s trending!

What’s your favorite part of your job?

The people! Blowfish has amazing people 😊 And, I love seeing our shoes at the stores and pointing them out.

The Blowfish Malibu offices are in LA. What’s your favorite thing about the city?

The weather.  The diversity.  The endless things to do, and places to discover. And all the different food!

Which is your favorite pair of Blowfish Malibu shoes?

I’m still new, so I have yet to figure that out.  But I can tell you that I’ve randomly picked up BF shoes on many occasions when shopping.  They seem to catch my eye!

What advice would you have for someone who’s trying to pursue the same career as you?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Don’t feel like you should just know.  Every industry, every company, has its own jargon, its own acronyms.  And take notes!  You will be glad you did.

JUST FOR FUN

What was the last thing you were obsessed with?

My granddaughters…the 2 cutest babies ever!

Where are you from and how has that shaped you?

Originally, I’m from Egypt!  Moving to the MidWest as an 8-year-old was quite the adventure, snow was a fun feature!  Till I grew up and came to my senses…lol!  But honestly, I loved growing up there and raising my kids there.  I moved to LA about 5 years ago.  Ironically, we were supposed to move from Egypt to LA, but my dad stopped in Wisconsin to visit his brother and decided to stay in the Chicago area.

What’s your dream travel destination?

I’d love to travel the world!

If you could have lunch with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

My dad.  And the cast of Friends 😉

When do you feel best about yourself?

When I get a lot done, check things off my to do list!  When I have things organized so I don’t feel frazzled.

What’s your personal motto?

Be present and enjoy. It really does go by fast!

What’s a fun fact about you most people don’t know?

Most people are surprised that I’m a grandma!

FILL IN THE BLANK!

I learn the most from experiencing/actually doing/participating.
I can’t live without My family
You can find me shopping at Marshalls…I love finding deals!
My astrological sign is Aries.
I’m scared of hmmmm?
The last book I read was: A play “Time Stands Still”
Most people would say I’m: easy to talk to.
Most people don’t know: I’m from Egypt.
My style mantra is look good, but be comfortable 😉.
I feel most comfortable in in my stretchy pants and cute top.
When I woke up today I felt tired.
I feel the best when I don’t have to be anywhere or do anything, and can just spend time with my family.

Thank you Maha for answering our questions!

—

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We’re vegan shoe obsessed! 

We know how hard it can be to find vegan shoe options that are still affordable and stylish. Our Vegan collection has been extended to a large number of our products and features components free of any animal products or by-products, including the glue and outsole. We use man made materials and treatments to ensure that all components are animal free, while still maintaining the quality, look and feel of the product so that no detail is spared. Every shoe is this collection is officially registered with the Vegan Society.

As we work towards ensuring all of our products are vegan and registered, scroll through for some of our favorites from the current collection.

MIRI

@mrobbin_

HARPER

HARPER | @lanestyled

FLUFF

@danijwolfe

BETHY

@shopfunkyshoes

HANA

@gabbyy_moraes

ROSEY-B

@mydistressedmess

BOLLEY

@missalissa

Let us know which style you would wear!

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We’re seeing stars!

Looking to feel patriotic yet cute this 4th of July? We’ve got you covered with these top picks that are sure to be the STAR of your outfit. Scroll through for our favorite picks for this upcoming holiday weekend.

PLAY

@lifestylewithgina

@carolineandmain

@love.lilah.emory

CLAY

MARLEY & PLAY

@love.lilah.emory

Let us know which style you’re rocking this 4th of July! We hope you have a safe and happy holiday weekend!

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Is there any other way to celebrate the start of summer than with a brunch party?

Here at Blowfish Malibu we love to throw events! For our Europe division, we thought it would be fun to kick off the summer with a private influencer brunch at Farmacy London. This intimate brunch was a great chance to finally meet and connect in person with influencers we have worked with on social campaigns. It was great to meet everyone over yummy drinks and amazing food! Scroll through to see more BTS from this event and don’t forget to follow @BlowfishMalibu_EU for more of what we’re doing in Europe!

@itsstephanieemma

@yasminee_amore

@yasminee_amore

@hayleyheartsxo

@yasminee_amore

@hayleyheartsxo

@hayleyheartsxo

@hayleyheartsxo

We can’t wait to host our next event!

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It’s time for Dodger Baseball!

This month our Culture Club team organized a Blowfish Malibu Dodger Night for employees and their families. Everyone who came out go to enjoy the game plus a credit for food and / or merch. Although the Dodger’s lost, the outing was still super fun and it was the perfect ending to a busy week. We love getting to do fun activities through our Culture Club and we can’t wait for the next one!

Scroll through for some BTS of our night at Dodger Stadium

Follow Blowfish Malibu on Instagram and check out more stories on the Journal. 

Is it hot outside or is it just these shoes? 

Summer is basically here! Turn up the heat with our hottest picks for the season. Scroll through for a roundup of our favorite styles for Summer and see how influencers are styling them this season as well!

Click on any image to shop.

FOXTAIL

FOXTAIL | @annabiss08

FOXTAIL | @jessyh.dasilva

LEIGH ROPE

LEIGH ROPE | @solsisterblog

LEIGH ROPE | @nicole_jordy

Let us know which style you’re rocking this summer!

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The weather is warming up and the spring styles are coming out!

We’ve been loving all of the spring weather outfits across our feed so we rounded out our favorite OOTD’s from month. Check out how the fashion girlies are styling our favorite shoes of the season.

Which is your fave?

@gabschavs in Vex

@biancadaliana in Rori

@kaydee.oldham in Tia

@marissad606 in Mamba

@alliwears in Play

Which pair would be your pick to rock this month? How would you wear it?

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Get to know Blowfish Malibu Marketing Assistant, Ashley Rodriguez!

MEET ASHLEY!

Tell us about your position at Blowfish Malibu.

I am the new Marketing Assistant at Blowfish Malibu. I was brought on to help the marketing team with various projects, but my favorites include any in-person events and creating behind the scenes content for TikTok! Recently I have taken over Influencer Marketing for Blowfish Malibu and Blowfish Malibu Kids.

When did you first become interested in marketing?

I first became interested in social media marketing after landing my first internship at 17 as a part of my senior project on social media marketing in the fashion industry. I’ve loved it ever since.

What did you do previously before joining the Blowfish Malibu team?

Before joining the Blowfish Malibu team I was running my own business as an independent lash artist and educator. I started just wanting to do lashes on my friends and family but it quickly turned into more than just a side hustle! I realized I love creating and building a brand so I changed my major from nursing to business administration with a concentration in marketing management.

What creative projects have you been working on that you’re excited about? Can you tell us about them? 

We have a really special launch coming up that I can’t give toooo many details on, but it’s my first big project at Blowfish and I’m super excited to lead the campaign push.

How did you get started with Blowfish Malibu?

One of my goals for 2022 was to join a company that prioritized a healthy work-life balance but that also allowed me to be creative and learn from others on the team. They say when you know, you know! After my first interview with Blowfish I knew I wanted to join the team and luckily I got the offer.

What do you like most about working in the fashion industry?

I love seeing trends come and go. It’s always fun to see the shifts happen in real time.

What’s your favorite part of your job?

Content creation! I love TikTok so now that I get to create them as apart of my job is amazing for me.

The Blowfish Malibu offices are in LA. What’s your favorite thing about the city?

I love LA and this will always be home! My favorite thing about LA is that there’s always something to do or a new restaurant to go and try.

Which is your favorite pair of Blowfish Malibu shoes?

The Zelie sandal is such a staple for me! You can never go wrong with square toed sandal.

If you weren’t a marketer, what would you be?

Probably a real estate agent.

JUST FOR FUN

What was the last thing you were obsessed with?

Bridgerton on Netflix. (Thanks, Allie.)

Where are you from and how has that shaped you?

I am originally from LA and often find myself feeling so lucky that I was born somewhere that so many people want to live. Just seeing how many opportunities there are in LA from a young age inspired me to explore different paths and always have a strong work ethic in whatever I do so that no matter where I end up, its something I genuinely love.

What’s your dream travel destination?

The Maldives or Singapore.

If you could have lunch with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?

Bad Bunny!

When do you feel best about yourself?

When I wake up early enough to do my entire morning routine without rushing.

What’s your personal motto?

“ What’s meant for you will never miss you.”

What’s a fun fact about you most people don’t know?

I was actually named after a power-ranger by my brother! My name was supposed to be Cindy.

FILL IN THE BLANK!

I learn the most from others.
I can’t live without my dog.
You can find me shopping at Amazon, always!
My astrological sign is Taurus.
I’m scared of snakes.
The last book I read was Dark Places.
Most people would say I’m a go-getter.
I’m currently listening to Bad Bunny’s new album.
My style mantra is comfy cozy or super extra, there is no in-between.
I feel most comfortable in a cute matching set.
When I woke up today I felt excited about the sunrise!
I feel the best when I can light a candle after deep cleaning my apartment.

—

Follow Blowfish Malibu on Instagram and check out more stories on the Journal.

Spring is here, but more importantly, sandal season is here!

This season we’re loving sandal booties and so are influencers! The tie dye prints are perfect for the Spring and Summer and the best part of these sandals is the zipper along the side making them easy for your little one to put on by themselves. Check out the adorable pictures featuring our Bluemoon-K and Defsie-T sandal booties.

Defsie-T

@Cuteclothesandcaffeine

@a_girl_named_duck

@claricemaiacalazans

Blumoon-K

We are loving the Tie Dye trend for Spring and Summer.

@gabriella.joieeee

@aubree_gymnast

@gabriella.joieeee

—

As always, let us know which style is your favorite (if you can pick between the two) and tag us on Instagram if your little one rocks a pair of Blowfish Malibu sandal booties this season.

Follow Blowfish Malibu on Instagram and check out more stories on the Journal.