A New Chapter at Maslinda Designs

If you've been following Maslinda Designs for a while, you may have noticed things went quiet for a bit. No new listings, no updates, a long-ish pause. I wanted to take a moment here, properly, to explain where I've been, what's changed, and what's coming next. Because something *is* coming, and I'm genuinely excited to share it.

First: a move, a reset, and a lot of making

The past couple of years have been a season of change for me. My husband and I moved from Amorgos the tiny and remote Cycladic island that shaped so much of this brand to the very different but just as beautiful Syros. A new island, a new rhythm, a new chapter in every sense.

That kind of transition has a way of making you stop and ask the big questions: What do I actually want to do? What does this brand want to be?

In the middle of figuring that out, I wasn't idle. I kept making. I kept experimenting. I've been building Aegean Herbs with my husband, a herbs and teas brand rooted in the plants and landscape of the Aegean islands. And I quietly started Maslinda Lab, a new project where I share tips and resources for creative small businesses like mine.

Making has never left. It just took a few different shapes for a while.

Nearly a decade of espadrilles and twenty years of making

I started Maslinda Designs almost twenty years ago, making things by hand long before I knew exactly what form the brand would take. Espadrilles came into the picture in January 2017, and from the moment I started, I was hooked. The simplicity of them, their rich history. The jute, the canvas, the quiet satisfaction of a finished pair. Over the years I made hundreds along with bags, accessories, small things with a lot of soul.

That history doesn't disappear just because the shop went quiet for a while. If anything, the break gave me space to see it more clearly: I have years of hands-on knowledge about how to make espadrilles well. And for a long time, that knowledge has lived only in my hands.

What's next: teaching you to make espadrilles

Here's what I've been building.

I'm creating an online DIY course, the first of its kind from Maslinda Designs  teaching you how to make your own handmade espadrilles from scratch.

This isn't a general crafts course. It's specifically about espadrilles: the techniques, the materials, the process I've refined over the years. The first course focuses on my most popular designs, flat closed-toe espadrilles and open toe leather sandals, designed for complete beginners. No experience with sewing or shoe making required just curiosity, a few materials and a willingness to work with your hands.

The course is launching in late May / early June exact date coming soon.

Before it goes live at full price, I'm opening a founding member round at special early pricing.

If you want to be in that first group, the wait list is already open 

Why now, why this

I'll be honest: the idea of filming myself, building a course, putting my process out into the world felt big. It still does a little.

But every time I sit down and start making, I remember why this matters. There's something that happens when you make something with your hands. A kind of focus, a kind of satisfaction, that's hard to find anywhere else. I've had that with espadrilles for years, and I want to share it.

This course is my way of doing that.

I hope you'll join me.

Fani

Join the waitlist here