In Spring 2021, we knew the idea of House Flats, a stylish, ergonomic slipper was something novel - a product that women all over needed at home.
We sought to create a brand that lived and breathed the vision we had: for all women to live boldly and build a legacy. Before deciding on our brand name, we got very clear on our company core values - you can read more about our story here.
We landed on community, confidence, luxury, health & wellness - and most importantly, legacy.
Dani and I went back and forth on many company names, as it's kind of like a tattoo - once you choose your company name, it’s pretty painful to change it down the road (but not impossible)! We wanted the brand name to mean something to both of us, and we kept coming back to our main core value: Legacy. The world is connected by stories, traditions, memories, and hopes, and we are all connected by the legacies passed down from those who came before us.
Meet Mavis aka “Mave”
"She gave so much love to everyone around her and was always happy even in the hardest of times."
We wanted to pay homage to our ancestors - so I chose to honour my late grandmother Mavis. It’s my second middle name and Mavis was my father’s mother. Although I never met her, my aunts and uncles have shared countless memories about the incredible woman she was. Born and raised in England, she moved to Canada shortly after World War II and married my grandfather Woody Marshman. Together, they had 6 children (oh how times have changed).
What I’ve learnt most about my grandmother’s spirit, is that she gave so much love to everyone around her, and was always happy even in the hardest of times. My dad was the youngest of six, and lost both of his parents quite young - the legacy she left shines through my father's kindness, humour and caring nature.
Not to mention my grandmother Mavis aka “Mave” had impeccable style - hence inspiring the design of our backless mule, made for women on the go, who prefer something easy to slip into and want to look stylish while finishing all of their errands. I like to think Grandma Mavis would have loved the design of the backless mule.
The Maya
“Courage is the most important of all virtues, because, without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently”. - Maya Angelou
Now when it came to choosing a name for “The Maya”, our backless mule, we again came back to our core values, and wanted to choose a theme that aligned with our brand story in selecting names for each style of slipper we created. You can see a pattern in our decision-making, everything goes back to our company's core values. They are the essential elements in making Mave & Chez.
As lifelong entrepreneurs and learners, Dani and I are constantly in awe and motivated by powerful female trailblazers. We put together a list of women who inspired us and made a bold impact in the world.
When it came down to it, the classic & cheeky style of the backless mule matched perfectly with one of the most inspiring women in the world - Maya Angelou, Memoirist, poet, storyteller and civil rights activist.
I had always been inspired by Maya Angelou’s famous quotes, monologues, and poems. But it was after reading her novel “Letters for my Daughters”, that I realized how courageous and bold this woman was… and how much she had overcome. She truly was a force of good, and did so much to fight for civil rights and equality around the world. Her legacy truly lives on.
When a woman slips “The Maya” on, she’ll feel confident, bold, powerful, and ready to take her day by storm. As our muse once said, “Courage is the most important of all virtues, because, without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently”. - Maya Angelou
Curious to learn more about our brand story and the other half aka Chez? Check out our other blogs to learn more.
