Israel seems to be a never-ending source of talent. Design must be part of the DNA of the country and almost every day we are surprised with new talent and new fashion labels.

Today at So Catchy! we’re bring you Una Una Shoes, an artisan leather footwear label whose motto might as well be, less is more; Una Una Shoes exudes sophistication, originality and comfort.

For now they’re only available on Etsy and they ship all over the world. Soon enough, though, their online shop will be up and running so keep your eyes peeled.

SO CATCHY!: What’s the story behind Una Una Shoes?

UNA UNA SHOES: Una Una brand belongs to 2 designers, Almog Weiss & Mira Gafni.

Almog, age 40, studied theater and visual arts, and Mira, 51, studied biology and then started to design clothes. The two designers met in 2006 at a workshop for shoe making, and initially both launched separate mini collections, but they collaborated on several aspects of production, a collaboration that soon became a partnership.

SC!: Why that name: Una Una?

UU: Una Una (in Hebrew: Ahat Ahat), which in many Latin languages means “One One”, to mark the fact that the shoes are designed by one and one designers, that they are hand made one by one, and in Hebrew slang the expression “one one” is also used to indicate uniqueness.

SC!: Define your style (UnaUna) in a few words.

UU: Una Una shoes are mostly made of leather, in geometrical and minimalistic style, and a monochromatic palate, mainly blacks and greys.

SC!: Tell us about your inspiration and materials.

UU: The inspiration comes from work with the material and manipulating it to interesting shapes. Also very important is the interface between the shoe as an autonomous object and the foot.

SC!: Apart from Etsy, do you sell online somewhere else? Do you plan to create an e-shop anytime soon?

UU: Currently the shoes are sold online only on Etsy, but the brands own online shop is being built, and hopefully will open this April.

SC!: What countries your orders come from?

UU: Orders are received from all over the world (from Martinique to Japan) but the vast majority comes from the US.

Images courtesy of Una Una Shoes

Translation and layout by Michael Padilla