Page 43 - El Placer de Volar 3ra Edición

Flor de Chocolate
Mile Varela is an Architect, CEO & Creative Director of Flor
de Chocolate (@fchocolate), a brand that has been in
the market for 15 years creating wallets, purses, shoulder
bags, pencil cases, keychains and card holders. In
addition, in 2022 they started making sandals.
“Since I was little, I designed clothes for myself, I
embroidered, I made crafts and I also sold them, I always
wanted to design. While studying Architecture, I needed a
special bag. The theoretical bases of architecture can be
applied to objects such as a wallet and you can achieve
it in a short time. It is a great satisfaction to see a piece
made and that is tangible, it is very beautiful”, said Varela.
Flor de Chocolate was born in April 2009. Mile says that
she started with a sewing machine given to her by her
mother and in one room in the house of her aunt Idelia.
Its manufacturing is artisanal, with Venezuelan labor and
durable pieces.
“The mountains are our base, here in a room this dream
began and today we continue, from here, with each of our
pieces. Mérida and its artisans are our most important
base. Caracas always has our heart, it was where we
were able to make ourselves known and grow”, she says.

Cuore
Two women have been at the helm of this fi rm since 2011,
María Eugenia Joves, who is a Graphic Designer, and
Lisbeth Fernández, a Graduate in Hospitality and Tourism,
both Managers of Cuore (@cuoremodas).
“We started in Mérida because it is where we live and
the place where we wanted to undertake the shoe
manufacturing project to cover the needs of Mérida
women and reach every corner of Venezuela,” they say.
Cuore was born on August 20, 2011 in Mérida, surrounded
by its beautiful mountains, as a response to the need for
quality women’s footwear. Made with the best materials
available and with strict quality control.
“We strive to be very attentive to style, beauty and current
fashion, without having to sacrifi ce the comfort and
lightness of the garment,” they maintain.
María Eugenia and Lisbeth consider that “we took an
important leap in 2018 when we started manufacturing
An innovative fi rm moccasins, they had a signifi cant impact and have lasted
over time as they are a very comfortable and elegant
They currently work on four classic collections and
special editions each year. “We are focused on working shoe for today’s woman,” they say.
with vegan leather, we believe it is a step forward for the
The creative world of shoes
planet and we are clear that we do not want animal hides
and skins involved in the process to make our products,” There are more than 100 models that include different
Varela highlights. colors and textures. They work with genuine leather and
synthetic material, which some call leather or semi-
They make 80% of their pieces with a Colombian
leather, and excellent quality soles made of different
brand committed to sustainability and with a certifi ed
materials. The most special and requested models are
environmental management seal.
the moccasins, especially the Roma model.
“We always dreamed of making shoes, we love them. Ten
“The fact that we get involved in a very personal way in
years have passed since we made the fi rst attempt, which
all stages of the creation of our footwear makes it stand
failed due to factors that we could not control. In 2022 we
out for its elegance and comfort. Being pioneers in the
were able to start this new experiment and in 2023 we
launch of designs and seeing how other brands follow us
resume our personalized collection, The Maxi Tote and the
confi rms that, in some way, we are at the forefront and on
Messenger, each with a very differentiating size that are
the right track,” they express.
for everyday use,” he emphasizes.
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