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The word Mascaró is synonymous with chic ballet shoes. After nearly a century in the business, the footwear label from Menorca is expert at adapting its popular ballet pump to the trends of the modern age. But with three different labels, the Balearic company is much more than that. Whilst Jaime Mascaró is a tribute to elegant femininity and refinement, Úrsula Mascaró offers up-to-the-minute styles. The company’s latest addition, Prettyballerinas, is an irresistible collection of the little dancing shoe that has made it famous. Fashionfromspain spoke to Lina and Úrsula Mascaró, the family firm’s third generation.

Mascaró is a company steeped in tradition. When did it all start?
The firm goes back to a small workshop which made classical ballet shoes. It was founded in 1918 in Ferreries (Menorca) by Pedro Mascaró and his brother Antonio. In the fifties, Pedro’s son Jaime turned the workshop into a quality footwear factory, beginning an expansion process which still continues today.

What role does the founding family play?
The family tradition continues with Jaime Mascaró, the founder’s son and with us, his granddaughters, Lina and Úrsula. We are the third generation. Jaime Mascaró is still General Manager. Lina is National and International Director. Úrsula deals with all the design matters, and runs her own label. So what was once a small studio with just six people is now a flourishing business which provides 170 direct jobs.

How important are the traditions and landscape of Menorca to the day-to-day running of an established company?
Menorca is one of the most traditional and experienced regions in Spain when it comes to the design and production of quality footwear. Its pleasant climate, peaceful setting and Mediterranean breeze are part of an island spirit which makes its footwear totally unique.

We’ll be opening our first Prettyballerinas shop in London this year

So why create Úrsula Mascaró and Prettyballerinas?
Every label has its own style and target. Jaime Mascaró has always been based on feminine elegance and good taste. With Ursula Mascaró, we wanted to create something more dynamic and cutting edge that would be young, fashionable and innovative. Each collection seeks to “break the mould” and I think we can be proud to have pulled it off. Prettyballerinas was also an innovative project, but at the same time a tribute to the first Mascaró generation which began producing ballet shoes in the early twentieth century. We’ve combined our experience with the new e-commerce methods to create a successful product, directed by David Bell.

How is Prettyballerinas.com doing?
Since we launched in March 2005, it’s been doing extremely well, I’m proud to say. It’s proving really successful in Germany, Britain, Italy, Spain, France, Japan and the USA. In fact, we’ll be opening our first shop Prettyballerinas.com in London later this year. Prettyballerinas is a brand we’re continually experimenting with, for example the specific designs we’ve launched for narrower feet.

Will you sell all your collections on the web?
At the moment we’re sticking with Prettyballerinas.com, which is our main online project.