ShoeSense

El Naturalista

As a relentless pursuer of shoes that attain the Holy Grail of being both comfortable and stylish, I'm always on the prowl. It is as a result of such an ardent, passionate hunt that I came across this brand:
El Naturalista, a Spanish company (and I've always felt good about Spanish shoes--funky, unique style with a mind to comfort), offers such gems:
which I think are too adorable. And that's not all: they're also environmentally conscious. Quoth their Zappos page:

El Naturalista shoes are made with nature in mind using vegetable tanned leathers, recycled, and natural rubber outsoles that tell a story that has inspired our designers work from different parts of the world.

Not only that, but every shoe comes with a detailed description of the materials used and the manufacture process, plus--and that's even better!--with a whole story about the inspiration from the shoe, usually coming from a journey to some exotic country. The cute green-and-yellow Mary-Jane on top, for example? It's called Nokue and it's inspired by a trip to Benin. A whole narrative follow involving amulets, princesses of the tribe, a sailor uncle, and much more. Intriguing, n'est ce pas? I'm a sucker for good stories, as well as for comfort and uniqueness, so I know I have to try these shoes some time. Unfortunately, I'm also a sucker for sales, and it looks like I'm going to have to wait for that a little more...

posted by Cristina Hanganu-Bresch @ 5:30 PM