29 Aug EOM sits downs with Emily Landsman, founder of Della Terra Shoes
Elite Only Magazine: Tell us more about you and how you started della terra shoes.
Emily Landsman: I grew up in New York and now live between Boston and Cape Cod. I’ve been a shoe designer for about 18 years. della terra was started as an answer to a problem. Where were the shoes we actually needed? A fashion shoe that actually was easy to wear. I was tired of compromising comfort for style or fashion for sustainable and ethical values. I just wanted to feel great and look great at the same time, without having to make complicated choices involving my footwear.
I began designing della terra while recovering from Covid-19 during quarantine. It was the first time I had complete clarity that the shoes I actually wanted to create were the exact thing missing from my closet, and also from the fashion landscape.
Elite Only Magazine: What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Emily Landsman: We’re brand new and we are building something that doesn’t already exist. A big part of that is pioneering new paths in unchartered territory. The factories and sustainable materials were not obvious or easy to find, we had to do a lot of work to connect with the right partners and a lot of pushing to make sustainability happen within the brand.
Elite Only Magazine: What was the path you took to get to where you are today?
Emily Landsman: I worked for many years for other brands, with other people and learned as much as I possibly could about many different companies and many different types of footwear. I absolutely loved the high fashion impact of designing for Vera Wang and the quirky and fun fashion of Alice + Olivia, but how could we combine a more practical, commercial offerings like some of what I did at Via Spiga and other brands with that same excitement. The goal has always been to accompany our customer on their journey without slowing them down. They are busy and important people and we just want to empower them every step of the way.
I had a lot of self-doubt about starting my own line. I had to make sure it was the right time and the right product. I have tried very hard to stay humble throughout my journey and learn as much as I can from every person I meet and every experience I have had.
Elite Only Magazine: What differentiates you from other shoe brands?
Emily Landsman: Our fundamental goal is to provide exactly what you need and what makes you feel great. This is true of the comfort built into our shoes, the styling that is easy to pair with what you already own as well as new fresh pieces, but also about how the product is made. We only work with fair-wage factories, we plant a tree for every pair of shoes sold and we are on a continuous mission to be more sustainable every season. We pledge to be entirely transparent about where the shoes are made, what is in them and how we design them.
Elite Only Magazine: What do you feel is the biggest strength of your company right now?
Emily Landsman: We were born at exactly the right moment. The product we are offering as well as the philosophy of our brand is exactly what the customer needs. della terra means “of the land” in Italian, this is because we are constantly inspired by everything that our planet offers, and in turn, we could not possibly have entered the world in a way that was irresponsible to it.
Elite Only Magazine: What goal/s do you have for the company?
Emily Landsman: We are on a continuous mission towards sustainability and are very excited to see how sustainable we can be. We are trialing cactus leather, mushroom leather and grape waste leather measuring the impact of each, as well as ensuring the durability matches our sustainable promise. We are also implementing a circular program where we will have rubber sandals that are recycled back into themselves. This is a groundbreaking concept that we will be ready to release in 2022.
Elite Only Magazine: What are your outside interests?
Emily Landsman: Health, wellness and my family (including my dogs) are incredibly important to me. I am extremely passionate about my brand and my company, but I have found it is extremely important to make time outside of work. This balance makes me a better designer and CEO.
Elite Only Magazine: What is your daily routine?
Emily Landsman: I do Pilates every single day. When I’m not on the reformer in a local studio, I use Kara Duval’s Range platform (https://range.karaduvalpilates.com) which basically is a one stop workout shop. Kara has been hugely important in me finding this balance and understanding more about the workouts that I’m doing as well as the power that I have in my tiny 4’11 body!
Elite Only Magazine: What’s your favorite restaurant in New York?
Emily Landsman: This is too hard of a question. As a native New Yorker, the food is something that I always miss wherever I am. Every time I go back to NYC I have to eat at my favorite Indian restaurant Darbar Grill across the street from my old apartment on 55th and Lexington.