Meet Rose Jones from Leicester who moved to LA five years ago to pursue a Footwear Design Director role at TOMS
Was there a particular reason you chose LA?
I moved from London to Santa Barbara in 2001 and then to New York in 2005 for the next seven years. I missed California so much, so I returned to Santa Barbara until I was offered a top job at Clarks shoes in Somerset. I knew I would always come back to Cali so I approached Toms and told them they needed a proper shoe designer. My cheek paid off because they immediately offered me a job! I was the first shoe designer they ever hired and it’s been an amazing experience.
What do you miss most from home?
I miss pub gardens in the summer, Linda McCartney sausage rolls, John Lewis haberdashery, the greenness of Leicestershire and Somerset and hearing English garden birds. In 2016, Leicester City won the Premiership and I have never felt so homesick in my life! That was a tough day.
What was your first impression of LA and has it changed since?
LA was never my first choice for all sorts of the usual misconceptions most people have but it has grown on me and since finding my tribe (other Brits) during last year’s World Cup I feel I belong. When I used to get the Santa Barbara Airbus from LAX it would go down Lincoln and I thought “what a dump!”. Now I live in Venice, my life revolves around Lincoln and I am very fond of it. Well, some of it! I noticed LA women looked incredibly groomed and shiny and now I know how much they spend on maintenance, I get it! I live off Abbot Kinney and watched it change from a hippie/stoner/scruffy beach area to a fashion runway in just five years. It’s sad to see some old Venice haunts go and even sadder to hear my neighbors who have been here for years go on and on about it!
What do you find the biggest difference is living here versus Leicester?
So many things but I find the office politics here a struggle sometimes. I miss that sarcastic, hilarious banter I have with my Leicester or London friends. I probably risk being sued every day here with my big mouth. Leicester is about the furthest from the beach you can get in England so to live right by it now and with this glorious weather is a dream. Grateful every day.
Do you have a hidden gem in LA that you want to share with us?
It’s not so hidden but I feel neglected; The Warehouse on Admiralty has a great Happy Hour, stunning sunset views and is such a peculiar place with fantastic celeb history. Camp and fun. Rooftop bars and sunset views are the best thing about drinking in LA.
And Joxer Dalys to watch English soccer on the West Side. This Leicester City fan and has only met two others in LA so if there are more, I hope they show up at the next match at Joxers.
What would you suggest to others who are thinking about making the move here?
It’s pretty overwhelming to decide where to live. The first impression is that it is a huge sprawling metropolis and you couldn’t possibly know where to start. I asked a like-minded co worker on my first day where he lived and I have been in Venice ever since. Everything you need is probably within a three-mile radius. I would also advise anyone to try their best to get a rent-controlled place because it’s pretty shocking how much rent escalates here. One last thing, very few advertise pet friendly but I asked 10 different landlords and showed them a pic of my small dog and seven of them answered a dog would be OK. Much like how I got the job at Toms, I live by “Don’t ask=don’t get”.
Lots of our members join our group Brits in LA seeking out words of wisdom – what is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Read the street parking signs carefully.
Lastly, how can we find out more about you? Are you working on anything at the moment?
You can see what I do at the two TOMS stores in LA or online. I have been at TOMS for 5 years and am currently Head of Design. Right now we are designing the Fall/Holiday 2020 collection. Or Autumn/ Winter 2020 if you prefer. www.toms.com
