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O S A Y
is an ethical, artisan-based company cultivating luxury goods that are both sustainable and attainable by preserving the craftsmanship of master artisans, while celebrating the art of Mediterranean living.
About us
Building partnerships based on transparency and collaboration means that we honor the prices set by each artisan – guaranteeing fair, consistent and higher wages that will sustain their craft, creative ingenuity and families for years to come. In return, our partners welcome our participation in their process, resulting in a curation of luxury products made with Soul, Skill and Love – designed for you to enjoy and feel good about wearing!
Our sincere hope is that OSAY will become a destination you’ll visit regularly – to shop, share, dream, and be inspired. To discover that – by sharing your own stories and dreams – you, too, inspire others.
Our Founders
O S A Y was created by longtime friends and fashion industry veterans, Kenza Fourati and Simone Carrica, who met in high school in Tunis, Tunisia.
Kenza, a Tunisian-French model whose clients include Chanel, Dior, H&M and Stella McCartney, was the first Arabic Muslim to be featured in Sports Illustrated in 2011. An activist at heart, following the Tunisian Revolution, she became an advocate for artistic expression in Tunisia.
Simone, an American-Argentinian entrepreneur, garnered valuable experience working in Retail Management and Merchandising for BCBG MAX AZRIA and Catherine Malandrino, as well as International Business Development and Implementation for top European companies in the United States.
Their combined 30+ years of fashion industry experience led to a mutual, steadfast conviction that responsibility must be taken for the detrimental impact that we, as consumers, have on the planet and its people. While the excess waste, humanitarian violations and deep carbon footprints created by the industry remain inexcusable, we must focus our efforts on greater solutions: preserving craftsmanship and supporting small businesses whose products are made using sustainable materials and methods – with Soul, Skill and Love.
Uniting this passion with their shared vision of bridging cultural gaps through the power of storytelling, O S A Y was born in 2018.
Celebrating the art of Mediterranean Living, one pair at a time
Sleek, stylish and versatile, La Babouche is as important to your everyday wardrobe as your favorite pair of jeans, little black dress or leather jacket.
The epitome of OSAY’s mission, and the first product carried by the label, La Babouche embodies the true essence of relaxed, Mediterranean living – an everyday shoe that women and men alike can feel good about wearing.
MADE WITH SOUL, SKILL, AND LOVE...
SOUL
Made entirely of exquisite, upcycled leather scraps sourced from maroquinerie de luxe (the luxury industry) and rarely found in shoemaking,
La Babouche can be worn as a loafer for running everyday errands, attending a business meeting or a spontaneous urban adventure. These special leathers, known for their soft, supple and resilient nature, make the unique shape and signature folding heel that converts La Babouche into a slipper – a perfect complement to your #WFH wardrobe, to relax in après-ski, or to take you from a day at the beach to dinner with friends.
SKILL
Inspired by the Rihya, a popular nineteenth century shoe worn by women and men in the Middle East, each La Babouche is entirely built by hand by master artisans in the sub-Mediterranean city of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.
Here, inside a small atelier we find Chahrazed Chaieb, a self-taught female designer, working diligently alongside expert shoemaker, Mansour, who’s spent over 50 years perfecting his craft, and Moez Ben Fradj, atelier owner and master artisan whose family has been making La Babouche for many generations.
Handcrafted in small batches, typically on a made-to-order basis, it takes a master artisan around 24-hours to produce just one pair of La Babouche, making each shoe a one-of-a-kind, limited edition.
LOVE
At OSAY, our commitment to staying current and innovating within sustainability is applied to every touchpoint of the business.
Acutely aware that something considered sustainable today may not be tomorrow, we embrace the fact that we’re always a work in progress – as the industry evolves and the climate changes, our ability to adapt helps us prepare for whatever comes next.
