If you are seeking proof that we are the architects of our own life’s path, look to Beatriz de los Mozos for inspiration. This young Spanish fashion designer had a completely different and successful career before the pandemic. Armed with an honors law degree from the University of Valladolid, she embarked on a path far removed from her legal peers and joined the world of fashion.
Beatriz was a pivotal member of a pioneering AI company for legal professionals, driving international growth. This role took her around the world, as she opened 27 new markets, including Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, Chile, Panama, Salvador, Thailand, the Philippines, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Greece, and Spain, and worked directly with clients in more than 45 markets. Clearly, Beatriz was excelling in the realm of AI law.
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However, Beatriz’s journey took an unforeseen turn in 2020. Instead of succumbing to the frustration stemming from the challenges and work slowdowns caused by the pandemic, she recognized an opportunity to pursue her love for fashion. While still managing her existing job, she diligently worked to found Flabelus, her very own fashion brand. This side project not only ignited a passion for design, but also transformed her dreams into reality.
HOLA! had a unique opportunity to learn more about this designer. We asked her about how it all started, from the inspiration behind its name, how she raised capital through a GoFundMe, to its impressive growth in revenue, to how the brand’s signture footwear has recently gained popularity and even royalty have taken notice. Scroll below and read our interview with Beatriz.
Hola Beatriz! We’re thrilled to introduce you to our readers. Could you share the inspiration behind Flabelus, initially centered on Venetian Friulanes? Tell us about your vision and passion that led to this exciting journey.
Flabelus comes from the dreams of three good friends, Flaminia, Lucrecia, and myself Beatriz hence the name (Fla-Be-Lus). I came up with the idea of initially importing Italian furlanes into Spain and shared my plans with my two best friends, a very good lawyer and a very good saleswoman. Finally, they decided not to engage in the project, and I started asking different providers for support in Italy.
However; I wanted to change the design a bit in order to make them a bit more seasonless, so I could wear them all year long. The Italian factories were not able to perform these changes, so I turned to the espadrilles makers in my native country of Spain. I found an atelier that was in the midst of changing leadership from father to son, and the son was very open to testing the new ideas. We chose the materials together, and the rest is history. One day I received a pair of espadrilles with a Venetian friulane slipper aesthetic. I loved the result! The structure, sole, and inner sole were based on the espadrille whereas the outer shape was that of a friulane. The first Flabelus was born.
The fact that you started your brand during the pandemic and raised funds through Kickstarter is truly daring! Could you share the driving force behind this decision and how it came about?
I actually decided to do the Kickstarter campaign before the pandemic. I thought that as the shoes were going to arrive in April, I could use the Kickstarter campaign for three important steps: first, obviously to raise funds, as I was the one financing the adventure with my own savings. Secondly, I wanted to test all the logistics I was putting in place and gather some feedback on the look and feel of the final product by early adopters. Thirdly, I thought it was a great way to promote the brand.
When Covid started, the Kickstarter campaign became of even more importance: the shoes would arrive by the end of June, which meant that my first clients might be my only clients. Therefore, I really had to put a huge effort into it!
Flabelus’s remarkable growth with 2M euros in revenue last year is really inspiring. As a new business owner, you must have encountered some significant hurdles along the way. We’d love to hear about the key challenges you faced on your entrepreneurial journey?
This is a good question, as every day is a challenge in this company (or any new company I guess). The most difficult challenge is to understand how much to order from each collection, to coordinate with the factory to deliver on time, and to have enough financing to reach the end of the month and pay all the bills. Building a team, and not any team, the right team for your business is also a challenge. Creating the processes and changing them according to the growth of the business is also challenging. I could keep going, but I guess these are the basics for any business.
Was there a moment or particular feeling that made you take the leap from only selling Venetian Friulanes to expanding to sell other types of shoes like sandals and espadrilles and clothes?
From the beginning, we realized Flabelus was a new category -- something between Espadrilles and Friulanes, the espadrille-furlane. So, we decided to take the successful structure we had built and create other shapes coming from the same structure. It worked well! We then jumped into clothes because we had so many people asking for the looks we shared in our stories on Instagram or on the website. So we thought, why not create our own clothes so Flabelus can be worn as a full look? So, the clothes collection came to life.
Design philosophy plays a crucial role in setting brands apart and creating magical and luxury products. What’s the essence of Flabelus’s designs that makes it stand out from the rest of the brands?
The essence of Flabelus, and sorry to come back to the espadrille topic, but this is the key: the espadrille. Our unique espadrille-furlane, with the Spanish espadrille as a base, means a new shoe category, which is little by little finding its own space within the shoe world.
The espadrille means many things: it means made in Spain, it means tradition, it means a centenary technique only shared and known by a handful group of artisans from generation to generation, it means a special way of sewing, it means sustainability, it means history, it means high quality, silent luxury, and it means made with love. It is so rich that I could keep digging deeper into the meaning and speak for days.
Of course, we have a team of designers that transforms different creative ideas into reality, but I want to highlight the espadrille as the base because all of our strength comes from both the espadrille and the values that it entails.
Today, sustainability is a vital aspect of the fashion industry. How does Flabelus incorporate sustainable practices and initiatives into its operations?
Sustainability is core at Flabelus as you may now know, taking into account that we work with espadrille artisans that still work with their hands in Spain. This is why, since the very beginning, the project could not be conceived without a strong sense of sustainability. It is showcased in three ways: towards our providers, towards the product itself, and towards our clients. The shoes are made by them, the real artisans, in Alicante. All of our providers are European, mid or small artisan enterprises. We know our providers and we guarantee fair prices.
Our materials are carefully chosen amongst the best quality 100% cotton materials (which are washable). For some shoes, we even use 100% recycled materials. The soles are recycled from rubber, the inner sole is bamboo with recycled polyester. They are made by hand. We love our customers, so we want to keep Flabelus aspirational, but affordable.
This is what we understand as silent luxury, which is of course sustainable: quality is high, our shoes are versatile, they can be used several times a week, long lasting, and if replaced, they are affordable. Luxury is decided not by price, but by high quality and the sustainability of the process.
In Europe, especially Spain, Flabelus is gaining recognition in fashion circles. Featured in Vogue, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, and worn by models, socialites, and royalty - a testament to its craftsmanship. How did you feel when you found out that Princess Alexandra of Hanover of Monaco (Grace Kelly’s granddaughter) and Italian model Beatrice Borromeo were wearing Flabelus?
It was a very nice surprise! We did not know that they both had Flabelus until we saw them at the Grand Prix of Monaco this year, and of course, we were very proud to see our shoes chosen for such an important event! Now we are waiting to see them more in the US!
Lastly, on your site, in a section you call Woman Flabhub, you dedicate that space to friendship and other women who like you, at one point felt frustrated with their line of work. Any words of inspiration for our readers seeking words of wisdom to take that leap into a passion project?
Everyone can do anything if they work hard enough and believe it will happen. It seems easy to say, but any project is a matter of a products that work, a lot of work, and some faith. I think it is important for everyone to know that a successful project always implies hundreds of hours of sleepless nights and no weekends. But also, important to note, it is doable and here we are as an example!
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© Courtesy: Flabelus
© Courtesy: Flabelus
© Courtesy: Flabelus
© Courtesy: Flabelus
© Courtesy: Flabelus
© Courtesy: Flabelus
© Courtesy: Flabelus
