By Far

By Far is a fledgling shoe brand that melds affordable luxury with effortless style. Started in 2016 by Bulgarian twin sisters Valentina Bezuhanova and Sabina Gyosheva with lifelong friend Denitsa Bumbarova, the brand has taken the fashion world by storm. The trio set out to design the one item on virtually every woman’s shopping list (including their own) — the perfect shoe. Each pair of By Far shoes is handmade in a family-owned factory in Italy using sustainable materials wherever possible. For Fall 2017, they are introducing a range of new styles in buttery pastel-hued suedes and gilded leathers, including the square-toed pump and metallic gold slip-on featured here, both of which can happily live in your closet year-round.

SIENNA IN GOLD available at byfarshoes.com

To learn more, visit byfarshoes.com

Written & Photographed by Alison Engstrom

Designer Details with Laurence Dacade

Paris-based shoe designer Laurence Dacade has a palpable passion for shoes; to her, they are so much more than just something you slip nonchalantly on your feet or pair with an outfit. She believes that shoes should spark an emotional reaction in the women who wear them. We caught up with Laurence in her airy Paris atelier, where we talked about her design process, the importance of opening the mind through travel and how the beauty of Paris inspires her creations.

On Design

Q: What was your background before starting your brand?

Before I launched my line, I designed clothing for women, men and children. I also designed bags and other accessories, but never shoes. One day, someone asked me to design shoes and I didn’t want to, because shoes were my passion and this was my work — I didn’t want to mix the two together. I first started designing shoes when I was 12 years old, along with clothes that my mom would then sew for me. She was very creative and still is, but she doesn’t make my clothes anymore (laughs). It was always my dream to be a journalist, but growing up I had two passions, shoes and traveling. When you are a student, you don’t have a lot of money, so I was doing jobs that were very different than most of my friends. I would sell anything that I could make with my hands, and then I would travel with the money that I earned. After high school, I studied at AFPIC School of Design in Paris and received a degree in design. My first job out of school was designing fabrics, but I did it because I didn’t like it. I was shy and didn’t have any real work experience, but I wanted to learn how people worked. I also knew that if I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t have to get too involved with it and it could just be my job. One of the reasons that I am so passionate about shoes is because they are three-dimensional and prints are flat; in order to add volume you have to play with color. It was great training, and I learned that doing this sort of work was very special; it helped me on color development in my future projects.

PADDLE SUEDE KHAKI BOOT, available at Neiman Marcus

Q: Your pieces have a wonderful feminine edge to them. Where do you look to draw inspiration for upcoming collections?

For fall, I started with a darker mood that included velvets and rich shades of bordeaux and dark green. Each of my collections must have a link. For my Cruise 2018 collection, the inspiration comes from the freshness of nature. There is bucolic embroidery paired with faded pinks and greens, and you also have the spirit of wood. I wanted something sensual but balanced with softness; if I design a bigger shoe, like a platform or boot with suede, I pair it with minimal hardware, because I really like adding contrast. I also combine rock ‘n’ roll with femininity, elegance and a bit of lightness. I add doses of sensuality in my design through colors like pale pinks and nudes. Each of my collections must give me a vibration.

Q: What is your design process?

I am driven by emotion. My inspiration usually comes from my reaction of watching a girl walk down the street. I pay attention to the way she walks. I also love people-watching in the airport. I need to take in all of this information to see the way that different women live. I love thinking about what someone will do with my shoes; I am curious how they will fit into her life. I want the wearer to have a sensation and to be as passionate about them as I am. If I were to ‘wish upon a star,’ I really want my shoes to make their day. When it comes to the physical design aspect, all of the details that you don’t see are just as important as the ones that you do see. My challenge is always the same — whatever the height of the heel, you need to feel the same.

HELISSA VELVET PLATFORM, available at laurence-dacade.com

Q: You are very busy. In addition to your own brand, you design for other well-known designers. Who has been the most influential to work with?

Each project is separate, and I have been so lucky that I get to work with such fantastic people. When I work for another designer, I get to put myself into another idea and story. I try to give what might be expected, but not what is expected from me. Each story gets to be different and it taps into a different creative mindset.

On Travel

Q: You are an avid traveler. Why is it so important to you and your creativity? Do you travel more for pleasure or for business?

Both, but it is mixed, because my work is my passion. So when I am traveling for me and not for business, I am always obliged to find a way to make it a little bit about my business too. My job never leaves me; my head is always full of designs and ideas. When I travel, my eyes absorb so much information that I will later analyze to inspire my creations. I need emotion when I go to a place, whether it is in a color or a sensation of being in a different culture. I think it is so fantastic to open your mind to everything you see while traveling and to understand that there isn’t just one way of life.

Q: Where is the one destination that you return to time and time again?

Italy, because it is where I manufacture my shoes. I love Italy and I love Italian people. The first time I went there was when I was studying in school and I fell in love with it; I really feel at home there. I usually go to Milan, Florence and Venice.

Q: Is there one place that you’d like to visit that you have yet to travel?

Yes, there are a lot of places. I’d love to travel to Kyoto. I love Japan and have been to Tokyo. I love the mystical world that you can discover there and how they conserve the past.

On Life

Q: What is your greatest accomplishment?

My greatest accomplishment is my family — my two kids and my husband.

Q: What is your life motto?

I recently found something that I love. I follow The Good Quote on Instagram and there are always beautiful phrases. I came across this one by an unknown author: “A good life is where you smile often, dream big, love a lot and realize how blessed you are.” Someone also once told me that “Your dreams are not big enough if you are not scared”. I love that.

Q: Where might we find you on a Saturday afternoon?

I try to disconnect by spending time with my friends. I am quite busy and my job is my hobby. I also love doing yoga as much as I can.

On Paris & Beauty

You live on a houseboat on the Seine, which some say is the liquid heart of the city. How does living and working in such a beautiful city inspire you?

I love Paris! The city is so many things. It is romantic, culturally rich and beautiful. What I also love about Paris, and is very important to me, is there are plenty of different countries within the city, too. You have people coming from everywhere.

Q: At ROSE & IVY, seeking beauty in all its different forms is part of our ethos. How do you define beauty?

Beauty is really what you have inside; it is your personality. It is has an element of surprise when you mix things together that are unexpected. Beauty is being real — it is something emotional.

Favorite Five

Favorite Fashion Decade: I don’t have one, because I have many favorites; every period has something to offer.

Favorite Time of Day: At night when everyone is sleeping.

Favorite Restaurant in Paris: Toraya (10, rue Saint-Florentin, 75001), a Japanese tea room that serves very simple dishes near the office. I could go there every day.

Favorite Book: My guide books. I have so many, some to countries I have never even visited. I like to staple business cards to them and make them my own.

Favorite Brand Moments: When I am starting a new collection and when I receive the showroom samples months later. It is a very special moment when you see everything coming together from start to finish.