Beatriz de los Mozos is the Founder of Flabelus, a handmade luxury shoe brand inspired by literature and dedicated to the centenarian art of Spanish espadrilles updated with the modern aesthetic of Venetian slippers.

Where are you from and where do you live now?  I am from Valladolid (Spain) the wine region of Ribera de Duero. I currently live between Madrid, London, and Mexico City, where my husband works. I would love to move back to London one day.

Did you always know you wanted to be a fashion designer?  No, I did not. It all came very naturally, at the right time for it to happen. I guess all my life has been a little training for what I am experiencing right now. 

Who or what inspires you?  I mainly find my inspiration in books. Literary characters that represent strong women that dream and fight for what they believe in, and that are set free.

How does Spanish design differ from other countries/cultures?   It is very colorful, with a lot of shape in the shoulders. It is also sexy, but simple.  

Tell us about your life as a lawyer before transitioning to a fashion designer.  There was an in-between, which was key to a successful transition. I stepped down from law and took a role in sales. The opportunity was even more special because I was the fourth employee of a business that had just started and when I left had already 100 workers. I saw in three years how a business is built, and I learned all I needed to then start my own. 

Why combine Spanish Espadrilles and Venetian Slippers?  It was just by chance. I love Venetian slippers so I wanted to rethink the design for myself. Then, as I did not find a factory that wanted to work towards my vision, I contacted the espadrille makers in Alicante, and from my insight and theirs, Flabelus, the espadrille-furlane, was born.

Who are some of your favorite designers?  Erdem, Zimmerman, Isabel Marant.

Who would you love to dress? Dream client?  Rosalia would be a dream. Also Hailey Bieber.

What is your earliest fashion memory?  Me selecting handcrafted jewelry at a market in Italy when I was little

Best fashion advice?  Everything starts with yourself. You are the image of the brand. What you wear, who you see, etc, this is the beginning of everything.

What are your favorite places in Madrid and Mexico City? In Mexico City, I would recommend of course Rosetta or Café Nin for bakeries, and Rosetta, Contramar, Hugo Wine Place, or Maximot Bistro for restaurants. In Madrid, I would recommend Cristina Oria or Balbisiana for bakeries, and Sala de Despiece, Barrutia y el Nueve, and Charrua for restaurants. In Madrid, I have a favorite: Only You Hotel in Calle Barquillo. In Mexico City, I still have not had the opportunity to stay at any of the amazing hotels of the city. I would love to try Brick Hotel. In Madrid, I love Es Fascinante store and also all the independent brand boutiques you can find in Calle Barquillo. In Mexico, of course, Aurelia store, everything you need is there. In Madrid, I love Museo Sorolla, I prefer private smaller collections than the huge museums, such as El Prado, which is amazing and super enriching, but so big that you feel a bit lost. In Mexico, there are so many museums, but favorites are Museo Jumex and Museo de Arte Moderno.

What is your typical day like? It depends on where I am based. In Madrid, I would get up at around 9am, work from home most days until lunchtime, and then jump to meetings at the office where I would stay until nearly midnight. In Mexico city, I try to have a bit more of a social life, and stop working at around 8pm my time, but still I get up at 7am to reach the team before they leave the office. A bit of a nightmare!

Daily uniform?  Nice long colorful dress with flowers and obviously Flabelus!

Favorite city to shop in and why?  Mexico City, there are so many independent boutiques with garments that do not exist elsewhere. Their designs and creativity are beyond imagination.

What future plans do you have for the brand?  The sky's the limit. I would love to have at least 10 boutiques opened in five years time and to organize a huge event in Paris Fashion week. That would be the dream. I can confirm that creativity never stops at Flabelus and we are always developing new capsule collections and testing new types of shoes. Each garment and new design takes us quite a while. This is because we experience materials, shapes, and colors that also have to fit with our values of versatility and comfort, we try everything several times before we consider each garment perfect. This is what we are doing with both jewelry and clothes. Also, we are working on further accessories. Surprise!

Dream or upcoming travel destinations?  Australia is top of the list!

How important is sustainability/recycling in your brand?  It is not only important, but crucial for us. Everything we do has a purpose behind it related to sustainability and overall, responsibility with the world we live in. I believe being sustainable is being responsible. I could speak about sustainability for ages, but our most important milestones are the link with the Spanish women artisans, who make all of our shoes, the very controlled chain of production (we have direct contact with all our providers who are Spanish or Italian), the fair prices rule, the selection of recycled or sustainable materials for all our garments and shoes, the women empowerment rule (we work with many women on the chain), etc.

You mostly work with women artisans, tell us about that.  For me, women's empowerment is at the core of our business. I knew since the beginning of the project I really wanted to do something relating to this topic and that women should be prioritized and positioned as the center of everything we did. Therefore, our shoes are made by Spanish artisan women that have known and practiced how to sew shoes all their lives. They work using the technique of the espadrille; therefore, all our shoes are sewn and constructed by them as in the old days. We give them a new means of living and also a new meaning to their work. It is very beautiful to see how we grow together and how we enhance one another's activities. We would not be the magic world of Flabelus without them. 

How did you come up with the name Flabelus?  I have to give all the credit to my best friend Flami. At the beginning, I started dreaming about Flabelus with my two best friends, Flaminia and Lucrecia. Flami one day came to our reunion with the idea: why not mix our three names and make the name for the brand Fla (Flaminia) Be (Beatriz) Lu (Lucrecia). And here it is. It reminds me of them and of friendship. 

PROUST QUESTIONNAIRE

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Small details: the perfect view, the perfect lunch, the perfect company, a hug, being near the ones I love, feeling at peace with myself.

What is your greatest fear? To have an empty life with no meaning. Not to be able to comply with what I am here for.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? Speaking too much - being too direct - releasing so much information.

What is the trait you most deplore in others? I do not like mean people. People who harm others on purpose.

Which living person do you most admire? My father.

What is your greatest extravagance? I love exploring luxury boutique hotels.

What is your current state of mind? Very happy, a bit overwhelmed, but powerful.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Physical beauty - It is overrated, but it works, which is very sad.

On what occasion do you lie? Small lies, to make it up when I arrive late or I take so much on my plate that then I end up making excuses to everyone. I commit too easily to many people at the same time.

What do you most dislike about your appearance? I become a bit chubby when I do not exercise enough!

Which living person do you most despise? Putin.

What is the quality you most like in a man? Their judgment, they are very good at taking decisions and solving problems efficiently (not necessarily in the right way).

What is the quality you most like in a woman? The capability to put herself in the shoes of others.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? The word “tia.”

What or who is the greatest love of your life? My parents and my sister Ana

When and where were you happiest? Right now, I can say I am the happiest.

Which talent would you most like to have? I would love to be able to take good pictures, to see the picture that shall be taken in the scene, to have the eye to create the aesthetics. I know what a nice aesthetic should look like, but I cannot reproduce them myself.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would love to be a better listener.

What do you consider your greatest achievement? Flabelus.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be? Me again haha.

Where would you most like to live? London, my favorite city ever.

What is your most treasured possession? My family.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? An empty soul.

What is your favorite occupation? To travel.

What is your most marked characteristic? I am always late.

What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty.

Who are your favorite writers? The Brontë sisters.

Who is your hero of fiction? Jo from Little Women.

Which historical figure do you most identify with? Isabel, the Catholic Queen of Spain, but in the XVI Century.

Who are your heroes in real life? My parents.

What are your favorite names? Martina and Clara.

What is it that you most dislike? Superficiality.

What is your greatest regret? Not spending more time with the ones I love.

How would you like to die? At age 90, surrounded by a grounded family that respects and cherishes my values. I would love to have Flabelus as a legacy and that Flabelus can make a change somehow in other people's lives for the better.

What is your motto? Do not think twice and try, and if you fail, try harder.