How Our Slippers Are Made
Our Family Story
Shoes run deep in our family blood. In 1953, my grandfather set the grounds of the footwear industry in El Salvador, giving life to his dream of “fitting Salvadorans with shoes”. He wanted to offer strong and durable footwear for field work because El Salvador is a third world country with its biggest resource being labor; people needed reliable footwear. He started a manufacturing plant, which took off. My father followed in his footsteps by working in the family business and then, in 1970, started his own factory which was focused on manufacturing moccasins hand sewn on to the last. My aunts, brother, and several cousins also developed their careers by working in the family business.
I grew up in the factories, running through the production lines, playing in the sample rooms, dreaming of starting my own collection one day. The smell of leather is nostalgic to me. I was my father's shadow following him everywhere from meetings to checking in on production and when I was a bit older I would accompany him on international trips to shoe shows. He always made me believe I could do anything I wanted and never pressured me into choosing a path but rather encouraged me to find my own passion. In 2011, together with Megan, I launched FREDA SALVADOR. Our first season was produced in our family factory. We quickly outgrew their facilities by focusing on a different, more complicated construction that was best suited being produced in Spain. I always had the dream of going back to my country, my roots, and bringing part of the manufacturing back to our family factory. Today that dream became a reality. Our new collection of slippers was made in the same factory as I grew up in. The same factory that employs people from when I was a young girl. I am so PROUD of this collection. It is made with love and holds so much of my family’s history in each pair.
From left to right: Miriam Campos, Customer Service Coordinator. She is a runner and loves to design her own party dresses. Jaime Campos, General Manager. His favorite hobby is riding a motorcycle. Federico Apostolo, Commercial Manager. He is afraid of heights but loves traveling on an airplane. Karen Avilés, Order Entry Analyst. She is a big fan of succulent plants and gardening. Janeth Interiano, Product Development Analyst. Janeth loves swimming with her baby boy on weekends.
Marta Martínez, Stitching Supervisor and proud grandmother of a 7-year-old ballet dancer.
Cristina's dad, Jaime Roberto with Jose Maria Mejia, Finishing Specialist. His favorite food is pupusas (El Salvador’s national dish).
Jaime and Wilfredo Barahona, Sole Presser and a soccer referee on weekends.
Isabel Díaz, Upper assembler. Isabel loves to eat ice cream with her two children.
Shop the slipper
The James in Black + White Haircalf and Camel Cheetah Haircalf
¡Supérate! History
¡Supérate! is a non-profit foundation, founded in 2000 by my uncle and his family, focused on benefiting economically underprivileged but talented and committed teenagers; the program provides a full scholarship to 70 students per year for three years. The program’s mission is to develop young people with potential and desire for self-improvement so that through an integral formation, they can obtain a better education and job opportunities in order to improve their quality of life as well as their environment.
Programa ¡Supérate! was established to anticipate and meet the demands of a globalized economy in which not only English and computer science are essential skill sets, but also fundamental values that guide our youth’s lives and behavior. The program offers three years of high quality education in English, computer science, and values to teenagers with limited economic resources who have superior academic achievements. The students spend three hours per day in complimentary classes at the program in addition to their studies at the public school system. At the end of the Program, the students obtain international certifications guaranteeing advanced proficiency in English and an efficient use of Microsoft Office tools.
Students also receive a strong formation in values and are committed to contributing to the socio-economic development of their country. This integral approach empowers youth to successfully continue their higher learning and also successfully enter the job market, thus transforming their lives, their families and their communities.
We are so proud to be bringing some of our production back to our home and with every sale of the slipper, FRĒDA will be donating $10 per pair towards the Continuing Education Fund of ¡Superate! ADOC.
