Pivot! A Vegan Business Interview Series
From Vegan Shoe Brand to Slow Stitches: Alicia Lai's Return to Her Values
Alicia Lai spent over 20 years in sustainable fashion–including founding Bourgeois Bohème, a vegan shoe brand built on innovative materials. She was deeply committed to ethical production, personally vetting factories in Portugal and sourcing materials that minimized environmental impact. But after 15+ years of running the brand, the constant pressure to compromise on sustainability standards pushed her to make a difficult decision: close the business she had built and start over. What came next wasn’t a retreat–it was a return to her values. Now, she runs hands-on sewing, mending, and Sashiko-inspired stitching workshops. Her work now focuses on behaviour change, inclusion, and showing that sustainable living happens one small, practical action at a time. In this episode, Alicia shared what it really means to pivot–not as starting over, but as going deeper into what matters most. You’ll learn about How to know when a business that looks successful on the outside no longer aligns with your values Why making compromises in production can erode the mission you started with What a real pivot looks like, and why it's often about returning to your values, not abandoning them Why behaviour change matters as much as product innovation in the sustainability movement Guest Links https://www.bboheme.com Social Media https://www.instagram.com/boboheme/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/aliciatclai/ https://www.facebook.com/bboheme/ https://x.com/home Memorable Quote "Fashion is a statement. When you choose to stitch and mend what you already own, you're making a stand against what's happening in the fashion industry today." Show Notes [02:23] From vegan shoe brand to slow fashion advocate: Alicia's 20-year journey. [07:10] What is Sashiko? The Japanese art of stitching and mending explained. ⏸️ [10:12] Why giving yourself permission to pause is the first step toward sustainable living. ⟲ [15:33] The reset we all need — and why we reach for our phones instead. [17:18] Visible mending as a form of self-expression and resistance. [20:23] How slow craft creates space for creativity and mindfulness. [25:29] Behaviour change over product change: why loving what you do matters. [29:18] Building community through craft — and what comes next.
