This sneaker was from a contest that I participated in at the beginning of 2019. It was only now that I had the courage to post.

At that time I was looking for new challenges and started looking for something that would challenge me, so I found this footwear competition held in southern Brazil and I decided to take a chance.

The purpose was to develop an innovative shoe using techniques and exclusive materials from the company. The deadline to send the shoe sketch was until 03/03/2019, exactly the day I found out about this competition. I ran to design some sketches and sent it, thinking that it would come to nothing because I have never won any other competition in my life, not even a raffle at school! Days later, to my surprise, I received an email congratulating me as I was ONE OF THE FINALISTS! I was super excited! Soon afterwards I received a call from the company’s staff congratulating me once again and, at the end of the call, they said “we are very curious about your project. You are the first contestant from in Rio de Janeiro (a city in southeastern Brazil), an area with NO coverage of manufacture and shoes supplies” Only then the reality came to my thoughts, how am I going to create a shoe from scratch ???

I started to design something that looked like a Frankenstein from cutouts, handmade molds, seams on my homemade machine and cuts made with pocket knives, always making sure that I was using the company’s products, In the end I reached a result of 100% handmade shoe.

All done, It was time to sent. All my efforts went together; dedication and nights without relaxing.

Of course, I didn’t win, there’s no way to compete with the people from the South of Brazil. They have all the footwear supplies and support there. Even so I felt so proud of myself for creating something that I had never worked with before, completely from scratch, without proper resources, it was a HUGE learning process to me! Designing shoes is really intensive process! I can only thank all the love and support of my incredible husband who trusted me from beginning to end. Always on my side watching over me and guarding me so I don’t let myself give up.

Only now I had the courage to post it, a part of me was still kind of ashamed to show something that had not given me a victory. I forgot the biggest victory of all, my power to adapt to every challenge in life! And may more victories come like this 💕