I never expected to work in shoes. The story began in Tunisia, where I spent ten years learning the craft in the factory my mother built from the ground up. Between university classes, I worked alongside skilled artisans who cut leather by hand, traced every pattern with focus, and stitched each pair with precision. It was not glamorous, but it was honest work, and it continues to this day. That experience shaped the way I see things and continues to guide how we create today.

When I returned home to Romania, I brought those lessons with me. That experience became the foundation for what would become FARFA. Built between two countries and two generations, our Romanian footwear brand reflects a slower, more intentional way of making shoes for women who value where things come from and how they are made. What started in my mother’s factory is now carried forward in every pair we make together as a family-owned business.