Introducing our homegirl, sales rep extraordinaire and overall very stylish person, Katie Zeppenfeld. We were lucky to grab a few moments of this busy ladies schedule so we could pick her brain about all things fashion. When Katie is not busy hustling gear for Volcom, Sun Bum and Kangol – she’s out enjoying city life and looking great while doing so. Here are some tips from Katie herself…
You have an awesome job, how did you get into the world of sales reppin’?
When I was 15 I started working at a shop in Grand Haven, MI. I worked there through high school and part of college and had always seen reps in and out of the shop. I knew that the shop owner was homies with a lot of the reps, so when it came time for me to find a proper internship I asked her if any of her sales people needed an intern. Fortunately there was a fit with Volcom and I’ve been there since!
We think you have great personal style! Where do you get your inspiration from on the daily?
I get inspiration from a lot of places.. I read a few blogs every day, Bleach Black for all sorts of edgy randomness, The Sartorialist for street style shots, and Lookbook.nu for times when I really need some motivation to put together a good outfit. I’m also a huge people watcher, street style always inspires me. The other day my mailman was wearing safari-esque helmet which totally gave me some ideas. Old movies always help too.
Any up and coming trends that you see growing?
90’s is huge right now. Anything grunge or with 90210 vibes is on trend, I lived in my Doc Martens all summer. I’ve also been seeing a lot of ultra retro-femme looks lately, you know, pleated skirts, collared tops, oxfords with rolled socks.
You recently relocated to Chicago – what are some of your favorite shops you’ve found so far?
I’ve been on the road a ton since I moved here, so my shopping time has been dismal, but so far I’m really loving Una Maes in Wicker Park. Their staff is super friendly and they have a great mix of new and vintage clothes. I bought a rad pair of brown ankle boots there. I’m also a fan of Sofia in the Gold Coast. They’re closed for a minute due to a remodel, but they carry a lot of Australian and Southern California brands that I really like. In our neighborhood I love the main floor of Belmont Army Surplus, and obviously Windward is my go to for anything action sports related.
One of the brands that you rep (that we love) is Volcom – do they have anything new and exciting on the horizon? Maybe a new collaboration you are excited about?
Yes! This Fall we launched our Volcomunity Collective Series. Each season, the series will showcase designs cultivated by 3 different girls with the help of our awesome in-house designers. The VCS pieces are exclusive, so you won’t find them at national chains which is rad. The Volcom girls who have pieces in the VCS are girls who embody the Volcom lifestyle, they’re artists, musicians, athletes, fashionistas, and are just flat out cool. For Fall we used designs from blogger/model Natalie Saurez, Volcom snowboarder Elena Hight, and rocker Jennifer Herrema. Our surfer Quincy Davis has some really rad VCS pieces coming up for Spring and Summer 13 along with Aussie model Stephanie Cherry and French illustrator Malika Favre. You can check out the Volcomunity ambassadors at www.volcomunity.com
A big thanks to Katie for taking the time to chat with us!