After the turbulence of The Bachelor-induced fame, Cassie Randolph has forged a path illuminated by clarity, grace and drive. The Southern California native is a speech-language pathologist while also balancing her role as Landon Denim co-founder with sister Michelle Randolph. With 2023 in full swing, Randolph opened up about how she balances it all, what she learned from being on The Bachelor, her beauty secrets and must-have products and more.
Landon Denim was three years in the making. How has it felt to have the brand out in the world?
It feels amazing to finally be able to share LNDN with everyone. Creating this brand with Michelle was a lot of work, but so much fun. It did take about three years to finally get everything right, and I still sometimes forget that it’s finally out there and real. I love having something to call my own, and having something like LNDN to channel my creativity into. I think my favorite part of this entire process has been the designing aspect and being able to make all my denim dreams a reality, as well as the challenge of creating a perfect fit and shape in the pieces. I really believe in our brand and love hearing feedback that we can take and make improvements with. The fun thing about fashion is that it’s ever-evolving. There are no rules, and the sky's the limit when it comes to creating. I’m so excited to continue to develop LNDN and get even more pieces out there!
Landon Denim is a sustainable line. Why is sustainability in denim important?
Denim as a material is very challenging to make sustainable and also affordable, which is also what took us so long to develop this brand. Finding factories and locations to make our denim as sustainable as possible was very important for us, as denim can be very harmful and can be one of the least sustainable materials to work with. We made sure that the factories we chose use a process that conserves as much water as possible and gives low-gas emission, clean dyes, sustainably sourced cotton, uses as many recycled materials in our pieces as possible and more. We are always looking for more ways to be even more sustainable as a brand, and make it a point to have sustainability at the forefront of our brand ethics and ideals.
Although it was a challenge and took more time and effort, the fact that it is possible to create a sustainable denim brand, why wouldn’t we? We want LNDN to be a reflection of what we personally stand for and want to put out in the world.
You’re a California girl through and through! Have you found inspiration from SoCal in your fashion endeavors?
Yes, definitely! Michelle and I have always loved simplicity in our wardrobes, as we spent so much of our childhood in denim shorts and flip flops being in California. The great thing about denim is that no matter the current trends, it is always out there in some sort of fashion. I would say our style changes over time, but one key thing I try to always stick to is making sure any outfit I wear or piece that we create with LNDN can remain classic over time. And I think that is a big part of why we chose denim— because of its simplicity and timeless quality.
What are you most proud of about Landon Denim?
I am so proud of this brand and what Michelle and I were able to create together. It feels good to be able to put your name on something that you genuinely worked hard at doing. It would have been easier and quicker to use other people’s ideas or designs, and slap a tag on pieces in order to just sell something. Michelle and I made it a point to be as heavily involved as possible, and we were very particular about all things LNDN. It paid off because I can confidently and genuinely say how much I believe in the product and the brand as a whole. That’s what makes me the most proud of LNDN and mine and Michelle’s partnership.
Has your background as a speech pathologist benefited your journey as an entrepreneur in fashion?
Speech therapy and fashion are such different industries, which definitely keeps me busy. I think what is most fun about it is that every day my routine/schedule is different and changing. Sometimes it drives me crazy because I feel like I have two such separate and different lives/careers, but it also keeps things interesting. I haven’t yet found a way to merge the two goals of mine, but am always thinking of ways to do that down the road! My plan for speech therapy is to start my own private practice, which I am finally going to be able to do in 2023 once I get my “C’s” (essentially as an SLP (speech-language pathologist), in order to work for yourself or supervise anyone, you have to work under another SLP for a certain amount of hours, and then you are granted your “C’s”). Ever since starting on my SLP track when I was 18 years old, this was always the game plan. I do think that this mindset helped me to see any industry that I have a passion for as an opportunity to continue to grow. The thing that’s wonderful (and also scary at times) about trying to be an entrepreneur in your career field is that the sky's the limit with your creativity and growth.
We’d love to hear more about your everyday glam. What is your day-to-day beauty routine like?
I am always trying out different brands and products, since there is so much out there as far as skincare and makeup. I have a big passion for skincare more-so than makeup, as I like to try to keep things pretty natural. I’ll list some of my favorite everyday products/routines!
Skincare: Vitamin C, Tretinoin, Sunscreen, BHA/AHA, a good moisturizer
Some of my favorite skincare brands: SkinCeuticals, Standard Skincare, Image Skincare, Biossance, Ilia, Paula's Choice,
Some other fun products/beauty routines I do on a consistent basis: Red light LED therapy (currently body mask is my favorite) for antiaging; NuFace microcurrent device for a nice subtle “face lift”
Makeup: Always a good tinted sunscreen. I’ve also been very into finding new clean beauty/makeup products, such as Ilia, Biossance, Dime. And I have dark brown, pretty natural looking lash extensions, which I love because it makes doing makeup so simple and quick. Cream blushes and bronzers (which is great for me since I am pretty prone to dry skin). I use these on my cheeks and also on my eyelids as a natural eyeshadow.
Powder eyeshadow as eyeliner because I think it’s easier to blend it versus using a pencil or liquid.
A fun lip color. My favorites right now are Tower 28’s Oneliner Multiliner in the shade Draw Me and also you can’t go wrong with Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk.
How do you maintain balance in your life between your duties with LNDN, being a speech pathologist and maintaining self care?
As far as how I’m maintaining balance right now in my life, I do try to stick to routines as much as possible (which is hard at times). I am a huge list maker. I have a list for literally everything, which helps me be more efficient and productive when I tackle them. I try to prioritize my sleep and get at least 8 hours each night, which makes all the difference for me in my productivity, mood, skin, etc. I try to eat clean most of the time, but let myself have the cheat meal if I really want it. Definitely learn to say no to things. I struggle with FOMO so this is one I’m still working on. And I try to surround myself with friends and my family who inspire me and push me to do better.
I always am working at finding more and more balance, and trying to be better in that way. Sometimes seasons are busier than others, and at times I definitely struggle to find a balance between all the things going on, as I’m sure so many others do today as well. I try to make sure I get moving each day, even if that means I go on a quick walk on my lunch break or in the evening after work. That always seems to do the trick when I’m feeling overwhelmed or stressed. I also often have to remind myself that it is okay and normal to have a bad day, and that sometimes it’s okay to feel stressed about what to tackle next, or unproductive. Mental health is such a huge thing these days, and I feel like a huge reason for that is because so many people are so busy or stressed all the time with work and their careers. Of course it’s important to work hard and do your best, but it’s just as imperative to mentally and physically take care of yourself and know your limits.
Your time on The Bachelor catapulted you into the spotlight. Did you take any lessons away from being on television that you now put to use with Landon or making a social impact?
It was quite the adjustment being “catapulted into the spotlight” that came with ups and downs, but I’m so thankful for the opportunities that it provided. I truthfully went in so naive, not knowing at all how The Bachelor would affect my life. I think the biggest ways that it grew me as a person were in that I learned how to have a tougher backbone, and I became more confident in being pushed out of my comfort zone. Being on a show in which people are so critical of you made me feel even more sympathetic for those who are judged on any scale, but publicly, more specifically. You never know what truly happened or what someone is dealing with privately. I think both of these lessons have shaped who I am today, and also what I want to stand for as a person and in my careers. It’s fun to be bold with your choices and go for big things, but do it with grace and humility.
See also: Inside Lexi Hensler's Endless Quest For Adventure
Photography by: August Reinhardt
