Raffy Zyne babouche. Courtesy Zyne
Zineb Britel and Laura Pujol are two young women in their mid-twenties who set out to make a positive impact in fashion. Their line “Zyne,” (beautiful in Arabic) launched in 2016, and is fast becoming the go-to footwear for summer. Working with female co-operatives, the duo behind the Moroccan slippers supports fair trade and sustainable practices to preserve local artisanal traditions. Women are offered lessons in embroidery, beading, and ultimately, full-time jobs at Zyne.
“The women produce every pair of Zyne slippers by hand,” explains Pujol. “Along with celebrating their skill and heritage, it also gives them greater independence and equality amidst a climate of great social and economic change.”
The Zyne Raffy slipper takes shape. Image courtesy Zyne
Zyne Raffy slipper. Courtesy Zyne
Detailing the craftsmanship, the duo explains that the artisan first traces the design of the braids on the last. Next, she will place the principal lines in raffia and attach them to the last with small nails. Then, the artisan continues braiding loops in different sizes. To finish, the small loops are placed all along the sole and the shoe is removed from the last.
The brand was launched by the duo in 2016 and has since skyrocketed into stores around the world. From Bergdorf Goodman in New York to Level Shoes in Dubai and Lane Crawford in Shanghai, as of today, a selection of six slippers—including the Raffy—are now on sale on Net-a-Porter.com. Britel hails from Casablanca and is a graduate of Central Saint Martins, her designs are comfortable, precious, and handmade in Morocco making this a staple brand for conscious shopper of luxury goods.
Zyne duo Zineb Britel and Laura Pujol. Courtesy Zyne
