Isabel Moralejo, the pharmacist behind the Adeba dancers: "Going straight to a party is leaving the stiletto herd"

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When

was asked as a child what she wanted to be when she grew up, the answer was always the same: "

", she tells us surrounded by boxes and next to the

that now serves as her inspiration.

"Since I was very little I've been crazy about shoes, it's an attraction that I don't know how to explain or where it comes from."

Her passion arose when she was eight years old in

, her city, when a friend of her mother's opened a shoe store.

"Going there and getting into the warehouse was entering

," she recalls.

But, things in life, she ended up studying

-a career for which she is also grateful because she has been "a great help for everything"- and drawing

in the

of books and class notes, "as well as in profile, with the bow, just like you see that pair over there," he says, pointing to one of the models in his collection.

Because those impromptu sketches have now become the beautiful

Adeba

which the

With her pharmacist degree in hand, Isabel decided that her thing was not magisterial formulas, but fashion

and to the surprise of few - "It was very clear", those who know her well tell her - she arrived in Madrid ready to earn a living. in a world completely unknown to her that soon ceased to be: her endless style raised her first as a stylist and later as a

from some of the most prestigious magazines in the sector, where he has developed his professional activity for almost two decades, until he decided to take the leap and create his own

brand .

" I had been

of a project like this for many years. 10 years ago I had another experience with footwear that I was forced to leave, and I always had the

of returning. So when the opportunity arose I did not think about it anymore. It was the ideal moment , both personally and professionally. And here I am."

Isabel Moralejo, designer of Adeba.Javier Martínez

As she explains, the first time Isabel put herself in

was with

(now an Inditex manager), whom she met at a shoe fair and with whom she would work as designer of the

firm that they both created more than 15 years old.

"It was a total crush between the two of us. The brand was very successful and we did 10 collections. Now I am aware of everything we achieved together," she recalls.

So she kept combining her work as a designer with that of

, which was also growing and becoming more demanding every day.

Until there came a time when she was hours away and she had to choose.

"I decided to dedicate myself to styling one hundred percent. It was in 2010 and I don't regret it, but all these years I've been thinking every day of my life about the possibility of returning."

javier martinez

Before embarking on the adventure, the call that changed everything.

To

the partner he became a friend and who knows the sector in depth.

"And if I tell you that I want to make

again ? I asked him. 'I would tell anyone that it's crazy, that the market doesn't allow for more, that I shouldn't even try. I can only tell you that

; that's your site', she replied. It was a huge compliment," she recalls excitedly.

Now, trips to

have become part of his routine - "it's a shame that

is so far away," he jokes, "a year ago talking to the workshops was horrible, because they didn't know me, now it's a pleasure "- and their dancers are among the top of the market.

What is the

that separates you from the other big brands?

"The

. At first glance you can see that my models are very different from what is expected in a ballerina, that they end up being classic, basic to combine with everything and sometimes even boring. I wanted to make a very different shoe, almost

a

jewel on your feet, that attracts attention as much as any

. Las de

They can elevate any simple outfit, you wear them with jeans and a white T-shirt and you don't need more, you have a

."

javier martinez

In this, her years as a

help greatly , giving her "the ability to synthesize a large number of

."

Its collections are striking, colorful, with a mix of unusual materials and prints, vinyl, nappa, extra-large

and

that attract a lot of attention and are made in a small workshop in Elche where its craftsman, Vicente, also works for

... "If you wear them, you won't go unnoticed even if they are

," says Isabel.

javier martinez

Isn't it scary to start making your own brand of shoes when the market seems to be taken over by Inditex and the rest of the big chains? Yes, of course, many doubts arise, you look very small compared to giants... I am lucky to meet Eugenio Feliu, the greatest expert in footwear in Spain in recent years and the person responsible for the success of Castañer, Lodi, Hispanitas and many of the great made in Spain firms.

Being with him is like doing the most expensive master's degree, not even the one at Parsons in New York would have been better.

He is a crack and for me he is a fundamental help.

Why have you chosen Adeba as the name for your brand? It has a history.

I wanted to find a name that meant something special, and it took me a long time to find it.

It is a play on words between two places that are very dear to me: Deva, with v, a river in Orense where my father used to fish, and Deba, with b,

a town in the Basque Country where he spent his holidays.

It's a route that I've done countless times since I was little, which I'm fond of and which inspires me in many things, because it reminds me of my childhood. Does making a shoe completely in Spain make a difference? Always.

It is something that was very clear to me.

As for footwear, we have the best industry in the world, and it would be stupid to go to another place to manufacture.

It is true that the prices are different, and that sometimes makes you wonder if it is worth it, but when you see the results, you have no doubt.

When you have a well-made shoe in your hand, with the highest quality materials, it shows.

And the prices are reasonable.

The only problem is that we are used to what the low cost chains mark, and that makes you think that it can be expensive.

But with all the manpower,

the hours and production behind it, the value of that shoe is infinite for the price it has. What is the hardest thing for an entrepreneur who wants to make a living in this world? First, the minimum.

Anything you want to do involves ordering huge quantities in the workshops, for example 35,000 units of studs... When you're a small brand that wants to make exclusive, limited-production shoes, it's difficult.

My ballerinas are complicated to make, they have many details, they are made by hand and they even have different soles for each model, so it is not easy for the workshops either: when you see the process involved in producing a model in situ, the concept changes and you never you think again that a shoe is expensive. Let's talk about style: can you go to a party or a gala event without a heel? Of course.

I am a total defender of flat shoes and I have always thought that an impossible heel that makes us have a hard time is not necessary at a party, on the contrary, it ruins your night.

You can go just as elegant, sometimes even more so, while being comfortable.

In fact, with a flat shoe you leave the herd 'everyone is the same with the megatacón'.

And I don't like the espadrille moment to change, because they are not at all flattering.

That's why I really wanted the entire collection to be flat;

My ballerinas are perfect for going to any party and night event without having to suffer in the slightest.

What inspires you? Ugh!

How difficult... in so many things... Flowers, Liberty fabrics and above all the world of children, fantasy, colour, old trading cards, Micky Mouse, Hello Kitty...;

Lots of things from when I was little.

My inspiration is a kitsch universe also formed by the retro fashion of the 60s, Twiggy, the classicism of the 50s... I love mixing that feminine part with more extravagant things.

That mix is ​​my essence, but without losing a classic and elegant base, in the end, behind everything there is always a lady.

I have a bit of bipolarity (laughs), I am very neutral when it comes to dressing, but then I see the color, the ruffles, the shiny fabrics... and I get palpitations.

It's like the B-side, a way out of my creativity.

How many pairs of shoes does a passionate about the subject keep in her closet?

Are you like Imelda Marcos? Not at all.

I have some jewelery from my time as a stylist, some Roger Vivier and some Valentino, but I don't keep a large collection.

Also in this I am bipolar (laughs). When choosing accessories in a look,

Is the shoe the new bag? It always has been.

The shoe completely changes your look, a good design dresses you whatever you wear.

Although it is easier to sell a bag than a shoe. Do women take risks when buying shoes? It depends.

For a special occasion, yes, but the models that sell the most are always the most combinable.

In the end, I was the first, you buy what you wear.

Can you live on ballerinas alone? I love them and they will continue to be Adeba's hallmark, but I am also designing moccasins and, as a novelty, sandals for the month of May.

And I want to create a bridal capsule collection of flat ballerinas, thinking about the second look and for the party.

I have already started it:

I have exclusively made the white shoe that Cristina Reyes (Tamara Falcó's stylist and many other celebrities) wore on her wedding day. Are you ever going to give in to heels? In fact, I already have a model with the kitten in my portfolio, about three centimeters, because many people who cannot go completely flat ask me to.

It is a novelty for the next collection, a height that I also like very much and that allows the shoe to continue being a ballerina and just as comfortable.

javier martinez

The last question is a must for someone like me, who keeps band-aids among the essential basics in the toiletry bag: what do we have to pay attention to to buy a good

?

"Above all that it's

, and behind that condition is

. It should be that way from the moment you try it on in the store. And it's better if it's a little

; you never have to buy it small or just thinking about it's going to stretch. That will never happen."

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