Ep. 37 From J.Crew to Greta Gerwig, an Exploration of Culture, Heritage, and Nail Care with Audrey Siu of VEQUE
Happy #SeekTheJoy Tuesday!
On the podcast this week is Audrey Siu, Founder & CEO of VEQUE.
VEQUE proudly makes cleaner nail care products that marry quality and accessibility to provide women a medium for self-expression through nail colors that are inspired by life, culture, and history.
Inspired by her family's nail care heritage and industry expertise, Audrey curates and creates beauty products in a way that is more akin to a historian than a beauty brand founder.
At VEQUE, they are not just serious about nail care, they are the keepers of the artisans’ legacy that came before them. Every facet of the VEQUE brand and product serves as a palette to express this rich heritage. Their color collection and product feature are carefully curated to tell a story of places, cultures, and histories that inspire.
I first connected with Audrey earlier this spring and she is by far one of the kindest and most dedicated women I've had the pleasure to meet since starting Seek The Joy. Her commitment to changing the conversation in nail care, while remaining connected to her culture and honoring her heritage is inspiring.
I'm so excited for you to listen to today's episode! I also tried my very first VEQUE polish a few months back - I went with this really pretty pink called Princesse (check it out here) and I can't wait to expand my VEQUE collection!
On today's episode we chat all about how Audrey's exploration of her culture and heritage led her to creating VEQUE, the impact growing up in the nail care industry has had on her, and how an appreciation of her family's rich heritage has impacted and molded her perspective and worldview from joy and family, and everything in between. We also chat about the incredible inspiration behind the name of her brand, how she's named each of her colors, her favorite polish right now, AND we also chat about the incredible collaborations she's been part of this year - from J.Crew to Greta Gerwig - Audrey and VEQUE are just getting started.
A Seattle based startup specializing in artisan nail care, VEQUE is founded by a family of nail artists who have been sharing and teaching their craft to newer generations for decades.
Audrey was tired of seeing toxic culprits in nail care, so she set forth on a mission to find cleaner, vegan products to accommodate women and professionals of all lifestyles. They're truly setting a new standard in nail care with a longer lasting gel-like formula that's 9-free, vegan, cruelty-free, and handcrafted in the USA.
Audrey is the daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, and her mother has been an owner of a nail salon for as long as she can remember. The name VEQUE, pronounced vey-quay, is derived from Vietnamese words that mean to return home.
VEQUE is a cultural identity in the making that begins during the era of a French-Indochine Vietnam, reaches its climactic tragedy with the Fall of Saigon, and finds rebirth in the open ocean with Vietnamese refugees who will go on to change the landscape of American nail care.
“VEQUE, the meaning of the word is the journey home. I felt coming back into this industry is coming home to my heritage. ”
Shortly before Thanksgiving last year, Audrey received an email from J.Crew. They wanted to bring on her nail polish and offer it online and in store (like what?!!) Audrey offered to create polish that matched their spring colors and J.Crew loved the idea. Fast forward to a few months later, Audrey and J.Crew have partnered to create five vegan and non-toxic custom nail polish colors that match their brand-new intimates collection.
The colors offered for J.Crew include mint ice, citrus lime, sun drenched peony, mauve blush, faded wisteria, and dusty turnip.
Then . . . VEQUE's mauve blush from their J.Crew Collection was worn by Greta Gerwig at the Oscars this year! Ah! I could not wait to ask Audrey about that moment in this week's new episode. Days before the Oscars, Audrey didn't have any intention of participating in it, but one thing led to another and she was discussing the potential of VEQUE sponsoring a manicurist during the weekend. Before she knew it, Greta Gerwig was walking down the red carpet with VEQUE on her nails . . . aka AMAZING!
Audrey and VEQUE are just getting started and I cannot wait to see what Audrey does next!
GUYS, GET EXCITED!!
In celebration of this week's episode Audrey has been so generous to offer Seek The Joy Podcast listeners with 15% off your purchase!. Just visit veque.com and enter the code "SEEKTHEJOY" at checkout!
To learn more about Audrey and VEQUE check out their website www.veque.com
You can find VEQUE on Instagram @vequeveauty and Facebook @vequebeauty
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