As a child, Maura Vento always demonstrated a certain inclination to working with leather. She would create gifts in leather for her middle school friends such as bracelets, pen and pencil holders, and all in different textures and colours.

She created her first shoe collection at 16 and hasn’t looked back since.

After finishing her studies in philosophy in 2002, she studied shoe making in an intensive 13 month programme and followed that up with an internship with Stéphane Kelian. She later perfected her skills in semi-custom shoe making by working in an atelier for 13 months and worked as an assistant to another shoe designer, working on two French brands. .

Doing two collections per year, Ms. Vento launched her own line in January 2004. The fourth collection, to be better known as her Spring/Summer 2006 collection, is already underway.

For her quality is non negotiable. She works with the same leather suppliers as far more famous brands such Prada and Paul Smith. Although the soles of her shoes are leather, she is looking towards the future and is already exploring the idea of incorporating and using high-tech material in her shoe soles.

Already, Ms. Vento’s collections can be found in 2 boutiques in Barcelona, two in Madrid and two in Paris with one being in the Marais and the other in the 18 district of Paris.

www.mauravento.com