Poppy Barley

Sisters Justine and Kendall Barber, Edmonton-based owners and creators of Poppy Barley, the label they started together, very much stand by their creed: 'Custom Footwear. Ethically Made.' Neither sibling had a background in footwear, but when Justine returned from a trip to Bali in 2012 with a made-to-measure pair of boots she adored, all that changed. She told Kendall that “this is how we should be buying footwear,” whereby a perfect fit was possible when multiple measurements were taken.

“From there, we set out to find partners to start up our own business,” says Kendall. “We found partners in Leon, Mexico, who have the expertise and have been in custom footwear for 12 years.” Needless to say, that’s where Poppy Barley’s factory is located, and the company believes in transparency and responsibility when it comes to how, where and who is making the products. “We share a lot of behind-the-scenes information on our website, regarding the collaboration side of things with our team and our customers,” says Kendall. “We believe you should not have to settle to get footwear to fit right."