BY FAR is the Sofia label two twin sisters and a friend started in 2016 to make leather shoes you could actually walk in. I like how it remembers the 1990s without dressing up as them, so this edit is the shoes and bags I would start with.
BY FAR Shoes and Bags: The Pieces Worth the Price
Three friends and a leather shoe idea
I am always more interested in a brand that started with friends and a practical question, and BY FAR is exactly that. Twin sisters Valentina and Sabina and their friend Denitsa began it in Sofia, each bringing something different: business, art history, marketing and media. The company launched in June 2016 and was selling shoes at a London pop-up two weeks later, which is a fast and slightly fearless start. The name takes its letters from their sons' first names.
The first idea was clear: leather shoes a woman could really wear, with modern shapes that borrow just enough from the 1990s. Square-toe mules and low pumps carried that nostalgia early on, and in 2018 the label moved into handbags too. I like that the story reads as family life and product instinct rather than a mood assembled afterward.
Today it makes bags, shoes, belts and small accessories, all produced in Europe, and the design story still circles around leather, color and shape.
Shoes that meet the day halfway
The Prudence Ballet Flat and the Prudence 45 Pump give this edit two useful heel heights, while the Gala Sandal and the Tanya Suede Sandal bring an open toe for warm evenings. I would start with the leather flats when there is walking to do, then save the pump for a dinner that calls for a little lift. The Prudent Suede Sneaker and the Prudent Sneaker are the off-duty choices.
The Nieves Ankle Boot, the Zoe Boot and the Kitten Stretch Stevie Boot sharpen the line under denim, and the Diva Pump, Serena Mule and Dasha 2.0 Sandal round out the dressier side. Picture her moving from a late coffee to dinner in the Prudence 45 Pump and a clean trouser, no outfit change required.
My practical tip: let one surface lead, polished leather with denim or suede with softer cotton. What I would skip is stacking shine on shine.
Bags with a point of view
The Amberette Shoulder Bag is where I would start for a compact shape, while the Kimberly Bowler Bag brings a rounder profile in baby pink. The Kayla Suede Shoulder Bag adds a softer surface, and the Nara Top Handle Bag is the more structured way to carry the day.
The Mini Mini Croco Embossed Card Holder and the Mini Mini Card Holder are for the days when a full wallet is just too much. In my fashion dreams, she heads to a gallery opening with the Amberette tucked under one arm and the rest of her outfit kept spare. Small bags reward a strict edit, and I find that oddly relaxing.
Familiar shapes, made personal
I like the way BY FAR puts a familiar reference next to something practical. A curved shoulder bag, a leather ballet flat, a low pump or a card holder each gets its personality from leather, color or shape, without asking the outfit to become a costume.
The founders started by trying to make shoes women could really move in, and that question still helps me sort through the whole range. Although I suspect I would start with whichever pair I could wear on an ordinary Tuesday.
