I sort of love how nature tolls fashion through its extremes—the way snow justifies a fox coat, the sun’s created a multibillion-dollar industry with sunglasses, and our most precious resource, water—coastal cities united across the globe—from LA to Brazil—by flip-flops.

Though my family’s little slice of the earth is tucked in the northwestern corner of Alabama—more affectionately known as The Shoals—where my family’s some 200-acre farm rests, water goes by the name Cypress Creek.

Free-range and USDA organic was our upbringing, as the four of us kids were homeschooled for about five years out on that farm, with that creek. What’s a muggy Alabama summer day without a reprieve in the creek when the afternoon drags, or my brother telling me we’re going down the forest path? And I already know why, because I can smell the snake musk amid the humidity.

Where are my Chacos? Something I’ve asked countless times, slinging the front door open, bouncing out barefoot, eager to go where it’s cool.

Where? The dog carried them off, my brother left them muddy in the bed of his truck, or maybe my mom used one to throw at Robert for being an ass. Or, best-case scenario, they’re waiting at the top of the shoe rack—sun-dried from the day before—still soaked in warmth when I pull the nylon straps over my toes.

The creek breathed the need for a different kind of footwear—something durable, yet fluid, and comfortable enough to forget you’re wearing shoes. That’s what Chacos are to my family. I remember the excitement of a new pair from our local outdoor apparel store in the spring; the tan lines we’d all have by the curve to autumn. The way the creek bends, the way the straps fasten.

We learn from nature how to overcome—my foot bleeds from walking on rocks, lips dry from being out in the sun, the wind licks me raw in winter. But by being strong, such as nature, and doing it beautifully, just the same, we overcome.

That’s what Creek Rat is, being strong but doing it beautifully. From the thoughtful materials we use to the prints, patterns, and imperfections that are so dutifully researched through an earnest living. I'm someone who’s not scared to admit that I like pretty things, and I want them on my body.

Collaborating with Chaco is a continuation of our brand’s vibe, in tandem with a pursuit to make something people will be delighted to incorporate into their lives—and looking cool while doing it :)

Written by Adam Rausch