Shoe Salon

DESIGNER CHAT AMADA

ILAN OSZEROWICZ

CEO of Amada, maker exclusively of ballet flats, is a third-generation shoemaker and retailer. He began making his industry bones working in his family’s shoe shops in Cali, Colombia, at the tender age of 9. In fact, his first shoe-related memory is of that age and Ilan Oszerowicz and partner Ana Ormsby manage Amada. running to the local bank to deposit Christmas sales. For Oszerowicz, this isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life.

“We are the most comfortable ballet flat ever built, and this is because of our posture-support insole and full leather lining— something that’s very unusual in these kinds of shoes,” Oszerowicz says. “We get lots of comments like, ‘Finally, I can wear flats’ or ‘Oh my God, I didn’t have to break them in at all.’”

What’s the secret? For starters, Amada flats (SRP: $167-$189) are technically not flat. Oszerowicz notes that they are almost an inch high, which he adds is great for posture support. In addition, he says the full leather lining keeps feet dry and comfortable, and the rubber soles are 100-percent anti-slip. An added perk: every handmade pair comes packaged in a leather Amada GoBag that even includes a pouch for cell phones.

Indeed, Amada flats are designed for women on the go—to and from the office, the gym, running errands, traveling, etc. “Women can’t wait to take their boots off after a day at the office, or their heels after a night on the town, and switch into our ballet flats,” Oszerowicz explains. “It’s all about comfort and style. It’s finally a flat that gets lots of compliments—it’s not just a boring shoe.” It helps, he says, to have a women’s perspective on such matters, and Ana Ormsby, serves as his business partner.

Oszerowicz believes Amada’s consistently strong sales proves that the company has hit on the right formula. “We have a very high reorder ratio—customers can’t wait to buy the latest colors and patterns each season,” he says, noting that the key objective now is alerting Americans about Amada. “Our main goal is to partner with quality shoe stores and boutiques in America to show the Amada range to their customers, because once these shoes are worn, people fall in love with them.” Oszerowicz adds, “Anyone can have pretty pictures, but these are the most comfortable ballet flats in the world—and wearing them affirms that.” —Greg Dutter

PULP FASHION

Slices of lemon and lime add freshness to sweet kicks.

Lamo

Victoria

Jambu OTBT

Who is the Amada woman and what is she looking for in her shoe purchases?

The Amada women is looking for comfort and style. She appreciates high-quality craftsmanship over lower-priced items. She can be over 50 years old and as young as around 30.

What is the overall theme of your

Spring/Summer ’23 collection? We’re featuring lots of animal prints and small pattern designs on classic spring colors, such as red and blue, as well as mustard and nude.

Where do you look for design inspira-

tion? We look to Italy as our main source of inspiration. We import some of the finest Italian leathers, and the rest we make at our own tannery in Colombia.

What is the best piece of design advice

you’ve ever received? When one design works well, don’t stop selling it! My parents also taught me that quality and attention to detail must always be top priorities. We never take shortcuts or try to save money when sourcing our materials.

Where do you envision Amada in three

years? As an admired brand around the world that has made possible for all woman to wear a type of shoe that hasn’t been made properly before.

Might Amada introduce another sil-

houette to the collection? We’ve tried several other silhouettes, but have decided to focus on our ballet flats for now. Why mess with success? It’s been perfected for almost every foot shape, which is one of our major design secrets.

What do you love most about design-

ing shoes? I love seeing the new leathers from our suppliers and our tannery. The colors, the feel, the smell…I can’t wait to see them all on our finished flats! I also love that our success enables us to support the Corporación Educativa Popular Liceo de la Amistad, located in one of Cali’s slums. For more than five years now, our orders have helped us fund education and provide food for impoverished kids.