Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Loulou Byars first became intrigued by artisanship when presented a hand-embroidered blouse - “huipil” - by community elders during a trip to Chiapas, Mexico. Since then, she has pursued this interest through internships at various brands, in Nashville and abroad, at the intersection of sustainability and ethical production.

At Vanderbilt, she was an Ingram Scholar and majored in Human and organizational development with minors in history and Italian studies. She was on the Ingram Scholars leadership board, a panelist at Vanderbilt Fashion Week’s Sustainability + Fashion Panel discussion, and founded a small business to bring affordable, sustainable design to the “going out tops” worn by her peers.

In her free time, Loulou enjoys spending time in nature, gardening, and bringing the flavors she encountered around the world to her kitchen.