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* About Nomadic State of Mind: Picture yourself… anywhere. We at Nomadic State of Mind believe that while it may not always be possible to take your physical body to new and exciting destinations, you certainly can find small doses of time to let your mind wander into un- known territories. Whether you fancy physical travel (time travel or within this dimension), sense expansion (ever tried an unfamiliar cuisine?) or going for a ride with google earth into the depths of the globe to discover a small town in the other hemisphere– you have tapped into your Nomadic State of Mind… Now, take a peek into ours. Nomadic State of Mind, a grassroots-style handmade sandal company founded by Chris Anderson, began its voyage in the late 90’s. In the early years we ran the business out of a 1969 VW bus, which also served as Chris’ summer home (what nature loving, outdoor sports enthusiast, raft guide with a music guided-soul didn’t spend some time in a VW bus?). While we have come a long way since the days of Chris in his van, our philosophy has stayed consistent– If it is done right in the beginning, it will last a long time. Today “We” are: Chris, Entropy Engineer; Dave (Chris’ Dad), Shipping Guru and Disciple of the NY Garment Industry; Lara, corporate america dropout–oh yeah; Lori (commander of the mothership) and Kelly, Jeff, Ryan (your packing masters) a team of rope artisans, and distributors around the globe, and don’t forget our summer festival staff- touching dirty grimy feet one festival at at time! At the turn of the century (the last one), Chris was introduced to a small community in Nicaragua that had been through some tough times and was in need of reliable income. He taught a small group how to make sandals, believing in fair trade and ethical practices, and sticking to our philosophy– Do it right. In the beginning, the road navigating the Wild West of Nicaragua was long and bumpy with scattered thunderstorms and occasional rainbows. But with perseverance and inspiration from lots of happy feet wandering the planet, we have found a home there for over a decade. So from a van by the river, to international availability and distribution (we even opened a Nomadic State of Mind store in the country of Cyprus) we have continued to grow and “do it right”. Occasionally we let our imaginations take over, which has helped lead to an increased product line with the addition of various forms of rope art (using sandal scraps!), from handbags to water bottle carriers, to rugs and more.
* Sanayi313’s collections are inspired by traditional Ottoman weaving – part of Turkish designer and co-founder Serena Uziyel’s heritage. Her exquisitely handcrafted slippers and clutches are beautifully embroidered and embellished with feathers. We particularly love the bee-motif styles.
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