Kinamania is a brand of storytelling shoes with a balanced mix of humility, sobriety and dare that pays tribute to makers.

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The brand was founded in 2015 by self taught designer Kristina Zouein following countless hours spent observing and assisting local artisans in her hometown, Beirut. 

The Kinamania design studio is based in Brussels, and the shoe lines are crafted between Portugal and Lebanon by soulfulartisans that combine traditional handmade craft methods with innovative shoemaking techniques. 

Leather Stories

“ Textured or smooth, vibrant or serious, glossy or matt, with this unique smoky scent … this strong, flexible and durable material definitely bewitches me and I very much enjoy combining leather characters and colors to create unexpected yet elegant blends. ” 

Kristina has made leather her material of choice and her vehicle of expression for almost 15 years. For her shoe lines, she works with farm animal leather hides treated in tanneries that are certified for their environmentally friendly working methods.

Heritage stories

“ I find my inspiration in basic footwear styles that have stood the test of time to which I add fashion-forward details. This is my way of reinventing heritage, with a focus on quality, comfort and elegance. ”

Kinamania turns timeless footwear into iconic pieces with a pure and contemporary feel. The brand name actually has its roots in menorquina, the alternative name for the abarca Spanish sandal which was originally handmade on the island of Menorca. The mania for Kinas is born from the menorquina mania !

Collaboration stories

Driven by curiosity and a constant desire to discover new talents, Kristina is always out there looking for artists to express their creativity on her signature shoes.

Collaboration stories

“ I chose to tell the story of a contemporary artist once a year on a limited-edition Kinamania style.”

Proceeds of the sale of those exclusive collaborations go for cancer research. In 2019, Kristina was diagnosed with breast cancer. "Cancer changes your perspective on what’s important in life ", she says. 

The Shoe Lines

Kristina aims to create signature shoe styles :

  • The Atelier Line are elegant and structured shoes with a twist of boldness. 
  • The Soft Line are made to fit like a second skin : shoe styles that are lightweight, flexible and colorful. 
  • The Collaborations are limited-edition shoes that tell the story of contemporary artists and soulful artisans.

The founder

Former designer and production director to the Johnny Farah House of leather accessories - between Beirut & NY - Kristina Zouein spent countless hours in artisans’ workshops. As a self-taught designer, this was a very formative experience.

In 2015 and with more than 10 years experience, she decides to create Kinamania, a slow fashion brand of accessories with a balanced mix of humility, sobriety and dare.

Of Canadian-Lebanese origins, Kristina lived most of her life in Beirut, until she met her partner and moved to Brussels a few years ago.

Fun facts to know :)

+++ It is through a failed romance with a Spaniard that Kristina discovered the abarca sandal style. This traditional Spanish sandal was the trigger to her shoe brand.

+++ KinaMania is a brand name with roots in 'menorquina', the alternative name for the abarca sandal which was originally handmade on the island of Menorca in the Baleares. The mania for Kinas is born from menorquina mania!

+++ The shoes have singer name and the subtitles refer to uplifting songs that align to the Craft Your Day tagline.

+++ The tag line says CRAFT YOUR DAY with two dashes. The two dashes symbolise the craftsmanship and hand-stitched design signature of the Kinamania fine footwear atelier.

Atypical leather-craft workshops

Kristina also offers creative leathercraft workshops combining leather and modern technology.

The objective behind those workshops is that participants personalise a beautiful object - in a warm and friendly atmosphere - and proudly return home with a unique souvenir.

DISCOVER

They talk about Kinamania :)

GAEL Magazine, SoSoir, L'Orient Le Jour, L'Officiel, ELLE, Noun ...

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