Uzurii, Brazilian-Dutch brand has achieved global success, thanks to its one-of-a-kind, exclusive creations, officially launched in 2011, the brand Uzurii Luxury Footwear represents the ultimate fulfillment of the dreams carried on over the years by its founder and lead designer, that is, Shieglee Ferreira dos Santos – dreams pursued throughout her childhood in the Amazon rain forest, and later in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, as well as after her move to the Netherlands when she was 13.
Shieglee Ferreira dos Santos, Uzurii’s founder
A stroll through to the Rio de Janeiro’s market, together with her husband, proved to be the perfect push to finally turn said wish into reality: “In the market, I came across a woman behind a stand selling flip flops that she decorated herself. I stood there glued to the ground and saw my entire childhood on that table.
It was as is I was seeing myself as a child, plucked from the jungle, sitting with a needle and thread making my worn-out flip-flops nicer,” explained Shieglee Ferreira dos Santos. That was the first step towards the establishment of a brand that has managed, in a short period of time, to win over the heart of fashion lovers worldwide, gaining a strong foothold in the high-fashion segment.
All the creations designed by Shieglee, with the support of a qualified team of dedicated professionals, draw inspiration from real-life experiences – her childhood, her motherhood, the curiosity towards different cultures, the neverending quest to find the finest materials -, that are later turned into exclusive, eye-catching models in the corporate atelier. Craftsmanship and quality have always been the core values pursued by Uzurii – a steady commitment resulting in the production of a wide range of top-quality, finely-crafted collections.
Bearing this in mind, special attention is paid to the implementation of smarter processing techniques, as in the case of the one used for ornaments application in the Precious, Amazon and Fabulous Collections, that allows to intertwine the materials with the fastening: it is possible to create eye-catching designs by using a special, highly flexible steel thread and by combining unusual beads and stones, most of which are especially developed by Uzurii. A labour-intensive technique that ensures top-notch results and that also provides an exclusive packaging solution, featuring bigger gift boxes with a special finish and an extra cushion, on which the final product is placed like a piece of jewellery. All the designs are handmade by skilled employees.
As a matter of fact, after the foundation of the brand, for more than a year, Shieglee flew all over the world to train more than 100 women, but she chose to pursue a different kind of strategy: as a matter of fact, they don’t work in a studio, but from home, in a comfortable environment where they can take care of their children and families as well. A truly successful decision, as confirmed by the designer herself: “This works flawlessly; we have never had any problems and each pair of Uzurii that we receive is pure craftsmanship.”
Currently, the brand’s creations are sold in more than 1,400 stores spread over 46 countries, including several well-known department stores such as Bijenkorf, Galeria Inno, Prange and Lane Crawford. Shieglee Ferreira dos Santos is truly grateful that she had been able to make her childhood dreams come true, but that does not stop her from aiming at other, more ambitious goals: “I want to expand even further worldwide and to see Uzurii back on the streets!” www.uzurii.com