Aki Choklat and Pingree Detroit

Good shoes take you good places — at least according to renowned shoe designer Aki Choklat. In this episode, Danialle learns about Aki's experience in the fashion industry as well as his involvement in the Detroit community. Plus: She gets to know the inspiring men behind Pingree Detroit, a manufacturing company that employs U.S. veterans to create upcycled leather goods from auto materials.
Aki Choklat
Today world-renowned shoe designer Aki Choklat tells Danialle about his experience in the fashion industry, his work at the College for Creative Studies and shares what surprised him the most about Detroit, the city he calls home. (Spoiler: He wasn't planning on staying long.) For more about Aki, visit akichoklat.com.

Follow Aki Choklat on Instagram and Facebook.
Jarret Schlaff and Nathaniel Crawford II of Pingree Detroit
Next, meet Jarret Schlaff and Nathaniel Crawford II, two of the inspiring men behind Pingree Detroit, where U.S. veterans are paid a living wage to craft bags, urban utility footwear, and accessories using luxury-grade car seat leather upcycled from the American auto industry. The worker-owned, community based manufacturing company, which operates out of its workshop on Woodward and Milwaukee, was co-founded in January 2015. Hear how Jarret's public policy and non-profit background meshed with Nate's military service to form Pingree, which strives to improve the lives of people in our community. For more information visit, pingreedetroit.com.

Follow Pingree Detroit on Instagram and Facebook.

Read more about Pingree Detroit on SEEN.