Lauren Bucquet is the founder and creative director at the footwear company Labucq. After spending years working in the fashion industry under names like Rag & Bone and Gap Inc., she decided to start her own direct-to-consumer brand of Italian-made luxury footwear. As a mom to nine-month-old George, she knows the importance of functional baby gear with a fashion twist! Italian-made

• Can you give us a brief description of what Labucq is? 

Labucq is a contemporary footwear brand that I founded with my husband in October of 2018. We make all of our shoes in Italy and sell them online on labucq.com.

• What inspired you to launch Labucq? 

I’ve been a shoe designer for about 15 years and had always wanted to do something on my own. After working for another brand for 10 years that was very engrained in the NY fashion industry, I was ready to do things a little differently. 

When we launched Labucq wanted to start a direct-to-consumer brand that didn’t fall into the “Millennial Blands” category. I really felt there was a missing identity in the DTC footwear space, namely a luxury brand with a designer at the helm. I didn’t want to make familiar shoes that were just cheaper because they were being sold DTC. I wanted to make unique, well-designed, high-end products that also happened to be priced better because of how we were selling them. 

In some ways, we are still operating with this same mentality, though now we think a lot less about other brands in the landscape, and a lot more about our own path forward. 

• What makes Labucq unique?

Our shoes! I obsess over every millimeter on every shoe before it goes to market. Comfort and fit are top priorities, along with great materials and of course style.

• Colugo’s goal is to help parents feel confident taking on the adventure of parenthood. When do you feel most confident as a parent? Any advice to share?

I feel most confident as a parent when I see my little ones find excitement in learning something new. It’s super gratifying watching them express joy, especially when they come into it by do something on their own. 

• We heard you’re a big fan of our Carrier. What features do you like best? 

Yes, I love the Carrier! I use it almost every day lol. George (my 9-month-old) is also a huge fan—he now gets excited when he sees me putting it on. I love the magnetic buckles - they make it so easy to secure the baby and get moving quickly. Also, this may sound a bit geriatric, but it feels way better on my back and shoulders than another less supportive carrier that I have (will leave this one un-named!). 

We take lots of morning walks with it, and I often use it while I’m cooking dinner -  George very content watching along as I chop and prepare.  

I also brought the Compact with me on my recent trip to Italy and it was so easy to use, that I almost couldn’t believe it. The one-handed fold is everything and is totally doable while holding a baby. I used it through 5 airports and all over Tuscany and loved how light and maneuverable it was. 

• Lastly, do you have any travel tips for traveling with your little ones? 

Travel light when you can, and only bring the absolute essentials. It’s tempting to bring every creature comfort along in a giant suitcase when you’ve got a baby, but you might be surprised by what you can acquire while traveling when needed, and at how adaptable your little one can be if you give them a chance. 

Also for some more specific advice - a friend of mine actually asked me this same question recently because she was embarking on her first flight with her baby. The first thing I said was, “Bring a carrier!”. It’s my go-to for getting in a nap on the flight. I love that the Colugo one has the fabric headcover for when they’re facing in to block out any distractions while pacing up and down the aisles.