From Brazil to New York: Marcio Porcher on Building a Footwear Brand That Stays True Across Cultures

Meet Marcio Andre Porcher — product builder, strategist, and founder of I Love Flats, a brand built on a radical idea: stylish shoes should be comfortable. Marcio started his career in Brazil, navigated the complexities of manufacturing in Asia, and eventually made his way to New York, where he’s helped global brands like Coach and Vionic stay competitive in an ever-changing market.In this episode, Marcio and Elena talk about what it takes to grow a brand without losing your identity — even as you adapt to vastly different cultural and production norms. From Italian aesthetics to Chinese manufacturing shortcuts, Marcio shares how he’s defended his commitment to natural materials, comfort-first design, and sustainability. The brand began with leftover leather — a sustainability-first foundation that evolved into bold, colorful, comfort-driven design. One standout: a pointy-toe Oxford silhouette in multicolor, both classy and rebellious.They also explore how politics and inflation shape pricing strategies in Brazil, the difference between selling through retailers and going direct, and why staying true to your product values can be a global growth strategy.TagTalks is a podcast about the people behind retail — the category leaders, store managers, pricing directors, and frontline operators who make commerce happen every day. Hosted by Elena, Chief Marketing Officer at Data Operations, each episode dives into a real-world retail career and unpacks the decisions, projects, and pivots that define success in today’s fast-moving retail landscape. The show is produced by Data Operations, a retail technology company focused on intelligent dynamic pricing and assortment optimization in the U.S. market.Find out more about Data Operations: https://dataoperations.orgConnect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dataoperationsTeam:Host: Elena, Chief Marketing Officer with Data OperationsGuest: Marcio Andre PorcherProduction: Hatch Up