Last night, Rena Krasnow, COO and Fashion Director of women’s fashion footwear collection, Aquatalia, shared her journey of success and empowerment at the Dress for Success “Stepping Up” Ceremony at York College/CUNY in Jamaica, Queens.
Krasnow shared her story with 17 women who were attending the “Stepping Up” ceremony to celebrate their membership in the Professional Women’s Group. Last night marked a successful year of employment and the completion of a mentorship program for the young women.
As Krasnow spoke of her journey, she announced her company’s plan to donate 80 pairs of footwear from its collection to the Manhattan branch next month. The donation will aid women in need of work appropriate footwear.
Click to see Aquatalia’s current footwear collection>
Aquatalia is a partner of Dress for Success and will be donating pumps, penny loafer pumps, driving loafers and shoe-booties worth $25,000. The luxury brand is known to retail at high-end stores like Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman with prices ranging from $250 to $595 a pair. Not only are the donations expensive and stylish, they are also 100% weatherproof- perfect for ever-changing, unpredictable New York weather.
Krasnow, who oversees operations for the family-owned brand, dedicated her night to share the story of her career, one of which started in law. The attorney-turned-fashion director spoke about her work in Aquatalia, which her father first started in 1989. Krasnow’s father, Marvin Krasnow, the company with the vision of giving the world a footwear collection that mixes style and quality. It is a collection that uses the finest Italian leathers and suede’s yet withstands the harshest elements, something most footwear companies don’t provide.
Today, through hard work, Rena and her father maintain the brand and keep the company on top and in top stores. They travel to Milan to work with Italian craftsmen to ensure the highest quality materials and latest designs. And while Rena maintains her mighty position as Aquatalia’s Chief Operating Officer and Fashion Director for the multi-national brand offices, she says she still maintains a great family life, making sure to drop her daughters off at school each day.