Today we’d like to introduce you to Isa Zapata.
Isa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
After graduating college in Colombia, I spent two years as a marketing manager in a multinational electronic company. The job paid very well, but I always had this feeling in the back of my mind that something was missing. When I moved to the U.S almost 20 years ago., the first thing I did was make a promise to never settle for a job just because the pay was good.
What I really wanted to do was get back to my love of art. So my first business was making personalized papier-mâché photo albums that I would make in my living room during the week and sell at church markets on the weekends. Realizing that others were willing to buy my work to add to their collections and to use in their daily lives gave me the confidence I needed to realize that one day I could make it in this new country by just using my artistic talents. Of course, all of this didn’t happen overnight.
As I was finding my footing as an artist in the U.S., I also took work to “pay the bills.” I was a nanny, model, office manager, sales agent, art teacher and director of development for a film company, children’s book illustrator, muralist and designer. I learned so much from all these ventures, which has helped me become the person I am today. But ten years ago, I said no more “Plan B’s” — and I’ve been an artist ever since. My career path is filled with trials and errors.
Throughout the years, there have been a lot of failed attempts that I now realize were just perfect pieces of my puzzle. Becoming an artist has been a long process. Each part of my journey has played an important role in the whole spectrum. I’ve always seen life like a Van Gogh painting; if you see it up close, it’s filled with messy strokes, most of them far from perfect… but when you see the complete picture, all of those messy strokes create a magnificent and perfect painting.
That’s how life is for me. In fact, every time I feel I’m living one of those “messy stroke” moments, I take a deep breath, step back and remember that everything is part of a magnificent masterpiece and I try not to take things too seriously and try to enjoy the process.
Two years ago, I started Soulmates Collection. Soulmate is a concept that was born when I was making a pair of espadrilles for myself. I wanted to create something that was not only fashionable but also dear to my heart. So one day I decided to use my image on the left shoe and the love of my life on the right shoe, with both faces facing each other.
When I put the finished espadrilles on for the first time, I felt a rush of energy throughout my entire body, and I said: “This is a shoe line, a shoe line that reminds you of what’s most important in life and that’s a person’s soulmate!” Our left and right feet balance each other. Even though they’re both different, they’re always going in the same direction, and that’s what a soulmate is all about.
We all have a soulmate in our life; it could be a husband, wife, partner, best friend, sibling, child, dog, cat, etc. The idea behind Soulmates Collection is to create a lasting memory of the bond we have with that special person or animal in our life. Our shoes are handcrafted by artisans in Colombia and are 100% cruelty-free. We donate a percentage of the revenue to help homeless senior dogs, we do this directly through rescue organizations.
As the dog mommy of two amazing furballs, it’s always been a top priority to create a brand that will make a difference. Soulmates are fun and unique pieces of art that create visual images of what’s in your heart… for your feet!
I feel my mission in life is to inspire others, not only through my art but also through my words and actions. Art is a platform, and I feel I need to use it to not only inspire and make people happy but to awaken their inner child and spark magic in their lives.
Has it been a smooth road?
It’s been far from easy! I’m pretty sure it’s mostly because of my extremely creative mind that can sometimes be a burden on normal brainstorming. I get new ideas for projects, products, and brands every other day. So yeah, my biggest challenge by far has been keeping myself focused on one project at a time.
To manage this, I’ve created an ‘idea folder,’ which is where I instantly jot down and new ideas I may have. My main goal, for now, is to focus entirely on Soulmates and take it to the place I’ve always dreamed of! Once I settle that, I can open my idea folder back up. 🙂
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m the artist behind Soulmates Collection. We bring happiness to the world one pair of shoes at a time. Every pair sold helps homeless senior dogs. The art on the shoes is created by me and handcrafted by artisans in Cali, Colombia. As a brand, we’re proud to offer one-of-a-kind shoes that create an everlasting memory.
We’ve gotten plenty of emails from our clients thanking us for the special surprise we’ve made for them. It’s crazy, but it seems like there are always tears of joy when one of our clients surprises that special someone with our shoes. We put in a lot of detail into the customization process, I always make sure to ask my clients to give me details of the person(s) I’m painting so I can include them in the design.
Our signature shoes are a marriage between the Argentinian espadrille (Toms) and the Spanish espadrille. It’s the best of both worlds, and we also add three insoles and a removable insole so the shoe can easily and comfortably adjust to half sizes. The craftsmanship involved in the making of our Soulmates is the best. Our head artisan, Dairo, has over thirty years of experience in making shoes and he’s the best in the business! He started as a little boy, simply helping out his father with their shoemaking shop.
Our clients are not only getting a unique design that’s going to be noticed on the streets — and cherished forever — but also comfort as well as durability. Our Soulmates are made with a printing technique that won’t fade so the shoes can be washed when needed. When I started Soulmates, I knew I not only wanted to create a unique brand but also make a change in the world. That’s why working with artisans, being environmentally friendly and helping causes dear to my heart (like dogs) are so important to me.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There are many people that in one way or another have been a crucial part in building our business. For example, my friend Nadia created the first prototype. Our production team, I always oversee the design process but our production team in Cali are the ones to make it happen, so they too are an essential part of my business.
Our Soulmates Development Director Jero Mezzadra is my right hand in many ways: he handles communication, social media and all the little things that help me to stay on track with the creative part. Another vital part of the Soulmates team is our clients. We’re super lucky to have clients that support us all the way through, either by spreading the word, sharing amazing pics with their Soulmates, reviews, etc.
Last month we were incredibly blessed to meet Raffaella Modugno, Marc Anthony’s one and only life partner… both Raffaella and Marc are huge supporters of Soulmates. So much in fact that they ordered custom shoes to surprise some of their closest friends. Since the day we’ve embarked on this journey we’ve had some pretty unusual clients… like Anna Farris.
It was incredibly exciting! 3PAS Studios, producers of the hit Overboard, asked us to create a custom pair of shoes for Anna, which was super exciting! Oh, and I can’t forget Sharon Stone, one of her best friends ordered a custom pair for her and her sister Kelly. We’ve also created custom shoes for Karen Martinez (Juanes’ wife) and Colombian actress/model Catalina Maya & her husband, Felipe.
Pricing:
- Our custom shoes start at $150 up to $250
- Our Soulmates accessories, artwork, t-shirt and bags start at $35 to $150
Contact Info:
- Website: soulmatescollection.com
- Phone: 786-443-7003
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: instagram.com/soulmatescollection
- Facebook: Facebook.com/soulmatescollection
- Twitter: Twitter.com/soulmatesshoes
- Other: Instagram.com/isazapata
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