Not only has she managed to reinvent “zocos” (clogs) but Elena Ferro is a sustainable and innovative project which is generating employment and wealth in the Galician countryside. A combination of values that fits in perfectly with those of the Mercado de la Cosecha.
Hers is a story of pure perseverance. The third generation of a clog-making family, she was never happy with simply continuing the trade she had learnt since childhood, but always felt the need to take a step further, evolve so as not to be left behind in a sector that, for many, is already dead. Even at the most important craft fairs that she and her father attended, they had to ignore the suspicion with which footwear thought obsolete was met. However, fortunately, Elena’s never-ending creativity has reaped rewards. This year, the Ferro family workshop celebrates its 100th anniversary, and that won’t be the only thing they have to celebrate. They are working at full capacity and the number of original, fun and completely unique clogs that leave from Vila de Cruces is constantly increasing while, at the same time, the brand Eferro is becoming more and more popular.
But, are they comfortable? Perhaps this is the most frequently asked question that Elena hears and she always answers in the same way: “Try them”. If you also want to try them, you can visit Elena and her team at the workshop in Vila de Cruces, but between 8 and 13 June, you can also find a great variety of her original clogs at the Mercado de la Cosecha Pop Up Store in Vigo.
If you want to know more about Elena and her story you can listen to her talk on Parladoiros on www.mercadodacolleita.com or www.mercadodelacosecha.com
