It is the rare San Francisco designer to land an account as large as Saks Fifth Avenue. Even more exceptional: A pair of Sausalito shoemakers picked up by Saks in their first season out of the gate. But such is the story of Megan Papay and Cristina Palomo, the duo that launched Fréda Salvador this past August. With a pedigree that includes stints at Anyi Lu and Calvin Klein, the designers have conceived a collection of oxfords and motorcycle boots that are beautifully crafted from leather and horsehair in El Salvador (Palomo hails from one of the largest shoemaking families in Central America). “To get into Saks in our debut season is one of the highlights of our journey so far,” they say. “It’s one of those things that won’t hit us until we see [our shoes] on the [department store] floor.” Pick up a pair of your own at SF’s La Boutique or Saks in New York City.

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This article was published in 7x7's October issue. Click here to subscribe.