I'll be in Kenya working on new designs and production from Apr 3-23. Shipping of orders will resume upon my return. My emails replies may be delayed. Let me know if you need anything from here!
Our Story
Global Girl's owner and designer profile: Linda Hackett
Owner and designer, Linda Hackett has spent many years living, working and traveling abroad. During these travels, Linda’s love of the unique and hand-made has frequently led her off the beaten-track to discover the talents of craftspeople working in small communities.
On a trip to Kenya in 2008, Linda was impressed by the talented artisans who excelled at the traditional craft of beadwork, many of them disenfranchised women. She also witnessed the great need for jobs and realized the incredibly important role of women in African life. What's more, she was inspired by African design and was excited about the possibility of connecting the underemployed, skilled artisans with a market for their handmade sandals in the U.S. And, perhaps most importantly, Linda was at a place in her life where she yearned to do something that would help the world in some small way and was confident that she could create an opportunity that would have a positive impact on the artisans' lives.
Living in Los Angeles (as Linda calls, "the sandal capital of the world"), Linda felt sure that she could develop a market for the handmade sandals from Africa. What's more, she was confident she could design sandals that American women would enjoy by combining her design skills and her knowledge of American tastes with the talent of the African artisans.
And so in May, 2008 Global Girls was born. The company has grown from working with five artisans at the beginnng to currently providing steady work for about 70 skilled craftspeople. The handmade sandals, belts and collars are now sold world-wide in some of the finest shops along side many exclusive brands.
Linda has spent much of the past fifteen years in Kenya having made nearly thirty trips there. She now spends about two months a year in Kenya working with the artisans to produce new styles and to develop new products. Linda is still inspired by African design and regularly seeks to incorporate the bold, colorful designs she admires in traditional tribal beadwork in Global Girls' accessories. She hopes to add special items from talented artisans from different countries to the Global Girls collection in the near future.
