HOW WAS HUMAYA BORN?
Pauline: I lived in Mexico for two years a few years ago. At a market, I saw a shoe I adored. It was a market with only very colorful, two-tone, and three-tone shoes. I told myself that this was exactly what I wanted to introduce in France, in Europe. That's where Humaya was born. The shoe I spotted was the "huarache" model (not the Nike sneaker). It's a blend of moccasin, braided leather (moccasin/sandal), and the essence of Mexican civilization. That's why our models are so colorful, and why we give our shoes exotic names like Fernando, Pablo, Cristobal… to maintain Humaya's unique identity.
Alisson: Humaya's concept has evolved significantly. Now, we are no longer exclusively limited to Mexican shoes, the huarache. Even though our products have evolved, Humaya's spirit, the brand's essence, and the image we want to project have always retained this warm, sunny, and colorful side.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIECE?
A: The Cristobal boots: Love at first sight! It was the only shoe we didn't need to modify too much. There was really only one version of the prototype.
A small personal favorite for the silver ones. We only released 20 units because there wasn't much leather. It's a leather that is classy, elegant, and surprising all at once!
P: The Pablo Loafers: This is my timeless piece that I wear all year round, both in summer and winter. I love combining them with dresses, tights, and lots of patterns. In summer, I wear them with frilly lace socks, which I adore! Especially for me, I feel a bit like Cinderella: I slip my foot in and it fits perfectly. They're my sneakers, but with a little heel, which allows me to run around all day while remaining comfortable and elegant.
HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED ANY OBSTACLES IN CREATING HUMAYA?
A + P: The biggest obstacle Pauline and I encountered during the creation of Humaya was that, initially, we wanted to create the Huarache, this Mexican moccasin, in a "Made in France" style. But we realized that some production steps were not necessarily feasible in France. In any case, production would have had to go through Italy, Spain, or Portugal. Then, we considered creating it in Portugal, but we realized that it was a handcrafted shoe, and the factories, in addition to the cost, were not necessarily interested in producing this type of shoe. So, we had to completely change our concept very quickly. We had to pivot to a model and even a brand completely different from what we had in mind when launching Humaya.
ANY ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO GET STARTED?
P: We've wanted to create our brand and get into fashion for years. The advice is really to give it your all, go for it, close your eyes, jump in, and if it works, great. If it doesn't work, too bad. Because in any case, you will have learned something. I don't want to have regrets.
A: A motivating quote from Thomas Lélu who said "Start Now". There's no point in waiting, because in any case, you'll learn everything by getting started. Don't even wait. By the way, he's a great Instagram account to follow: @thomaslelu
P: There's never a good time, there will always be an excuse.
HOW DO YOU BUILD A NEW COLLECTION?
P: The idea of Humaya is based on the fact that years ago, Alisson and I lived in the south of France, and we often went to Paris. We love going to lots of small thrift stores and hunting for treasures. That's really where we get our inspiration, and we're also big fans of all the old series like Sex and the City, Friends... We've watched them thousands of times. So, we draw a lot of inspiration from everything related to the looks of those years.
A: Without meaning to, it added a retro touch to our shoes. We didn't have that in mind at first. Soon, everyone was telling us: "Oh, but you always have a little retro touch," whether in the shape of the shoes or in the selected leather. I think it's that inspiration from thrift stores and 80s-90s series. Even the looks inspire us for photoshoots. It also has to appeal to us; we don't necessarily follow trends.
P: With Alisson, we've always relied on instinct, on what we like. We also don't want to look at what other brands are doing. We really want to have our own style.
AND TOMORROW?
In the short term, it would be to have our showroom, so that we can continuously display our pieces. Then, what we'd like is to open a first store in Paris, and in the coming years, open several small stores.
AN INSPIRING BOOK? A FAVORITE PARISIAN SPOT?
A: The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho, a book given to me by a friend and recommended by her. It's a very inspiring book and a beautiful life lesson.
P: A favorite bar called "Hoba", located in the Batignolles district in the 17th arrondissement. It has great significance for us because that's where Alisson and I used to go all the time when we were roommates. It's notably where the idea germinated and where we started working on Humaya.
P + A: There's also the Bar à Bulle, a hidden bar at the Moulin Rouge in Pigalle, which is very nice.
Find the HUMAYA brand on their e-shop https://www.humayaparis.com/