MEET THE DESIGNER

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                                                                                        Valeria is out to prove that style and sustainability can happily co-exist.

                                                                                        She is a true believer that designers should aim to make the world a

                                                                                        better place and has put that philosophy into everything she does.

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                                                                                        Valeria is not a new comer to the world of fashion.

                                                                                        Her first wave of success happened in the 90’s under her label    

                                                                                        Valeria Lacerda when she captured the hearts of some of the     

​                                                                                        biggest stars and shops with her beautiful hand crafted, hand painted

                                                                                        wooden shoes. “ The success was overwhelming, it was my 15 minutes

                                                                                        of fame"

                                                                                        Her innovative designs were welcome in the best shops and red

                                                                                        carpets with open arms.

                                                                                       

But as time went moved forward, many established fashion houses were copying her concept and making their own versions. Ultimately the fashions changed “the aims and concerns of that time were different than they are now” explains Valeria.

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Fast forward to 2014. The concerns of Valeria and the whole world have changed.“The first thing I think about when making something is how its going to effect the planet. Are the materials toxic? hurting anyone or anything? and what will happen to them when they are worn out or ready to be replaced? I did not want to add one more thing to the trash heap that would last longer than our lifetimes.

 

I had an idea to make being stylish a guiltless low impact pleasure.

The new goal was reducing her carbon footprint. By using locally sourced materials, making an effort to reduce waste (and excess water) practice sustainable sound manufacturing processes, including upcycling (shoe soles made from recycled car tires, uppers from water hyacinths a plant that is a weed)

 

By dedicating herself to eco-friendly designs, created with the goal of sustainability in mind, MantiShoes is helping the local economy through sourcing & production,

 

Valeria is committed to building opportunities for ecological-minded practices, And making a simple beautiful product that reflects her love and respect of nature.

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