Sílvia Catarino was born in Aveiro into a family of goldsmiths and started out studying graphic design, but her artistic heritage spoke louder and in 2001 she decided to move to Italy to study designer jewelry. After Florence, she discovered Milan and it was there that she came into more direct contact with the world of fashion, exploring all its possibilities, launching a homonymous accessories brand, with clients spread throughout Italy, Tokyo or Paris.

“She had very artistic collections, like leather belts, oversized necklaces or scarves that were also jewelry. I am passionate about ancient arts and crafts. and my inspirations come mainly from the artistic environment and the natural world,” he tells the Observer.

In 2006, the designer decides to return to Portugal to delve into the universe of footwear, a ground that I had never stepped on. “Because it is a more complex and demanding industry, I felt the need to do specific training,” he recalls, adding that it was in São João da Madeira, at the Footwear Technological Center, where he learned everything he knows about molds, soles or sizes.

In the future, the designer will bet on men’s and unisex sandals to reach different audiences.

Already with a background of knowledge in different techniques and processes, he later opened a footwear production and design agency, collaborating with several French and Swedish brands in the development of their collections on national soil. After 10 years of working intensely with the industry, Sílvia felt it was time to slow down, deepen her creativity and gain “more freedom of expression”. With “a studio behind her”, the openly nomadic designer passed through Lisbon, she lived in Vila do Bispo and back in Porto, in 2022, she launched Cordoa, a brand whose name is inspired by the word “cordwainer”in reference to the ancient shoemakers and craftsmen.

Setting up a new firm in the market, the designer questions and adapts ideas and techniques, reinvents concepts and makes direct contact with clients. “I started with sandals because they are the simplest shoe model, I make them entirely by hand, with time and dedication.”

Biodegradable materials, unisex models and “out of the box” accessories

Environmental concern is reflected in the choice of materials, which is why all Cordoa sandals are made with vegetable tanned bovine leather, coming directly from Italy. In this case, the leather is treated only with natural tannins extracted from trees, without the addition of chrome or other toxic components, and the tanning process is based on an ancient technique that gives the raw material a natural appearance, even with small grain irregularities. .

With the exception of the leather, all the other materials are Portuguese, such as the buckles and studs, made of nickel-free metal that adjust easily to the foot, or the thick leather soles with various inserts in non-slip natural rubber, which guarantees greater adherence and resistance. Throughout the process, water-based glues, natural oils and beeswax are used, instead of products made with chemical components. “I choose living materials that age well”underlines the designer, highlighting the palette of equally natural tones of the seven available models: black, honey, brown or burgundy.

Classic, timeless, practical and comfortable., Cordoa’s flat sandals range from number 36 to 41, are produced in small quantities in Sílvia Catarino’s studio in Porto, and range between 170 and 235 euros. To ensure their longevity, they should not be wet or exposed to very high temperatures, the leather should be moisturized regularly with a specific product and a soft cloth and, if they get wet, they should only be dried in the open air.

In the future, the designer’s intention is to make male and unisex models and expand the range of products “In footwear I stick with molds and sizes, in accessories I have more creative freedom”, he confesses, and reveals that after the summer the goal is to sell more “out of the box” items, such as handbags and belts. , made with sustainable materials and friends of the environment.

For now, Cordoa shoes are for sale online, but soon there will be points of sale in physical spaces around the country, and Sílvia Catarino’s studio, in the center of Porto, can be visited by appointment. It is there where you will be able to see the entire cooking process up close and even customize some details.

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