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"    Photo: Sean Patrick McArdle   When we hang out with our best friend, it involves a glass (or three) of wine and a thorough dissection of Mad Men and Downton Abbey. When BFFs Megan Papay and Cristina Palomo Nelson hang out, it involves a thorough dissection of heel heights, lasts, and insoles (hold the vino). The San Francisco-based duo launched their footwear collection in fall 2012 after stints in fashion\u2014 the celebrity styling department at Calvin Klein (Papay) and the personal styling department at Neiman Marcus (Nelson). They met while working at a fashion-comfort footwear brand. &amp;quot;It was there where we really honed our skill of designing shoes that fit well,&amp;quot; said Papay. &amp;quot;Our shoes are made for the urban woman, so they need to be infinitely walkable. Comfort does not need to be ugly\u2014a little bit of padding or a well-balanced heel goes a long way.&amp;quot;   Enter Freda Salvador (named for their mutual love of Frida Kahlo and Nelson&amp;#039;s ancestral ties to El Salvador), a collection of elegant-meets-functional footwear that fuses a cool, rock &amp;#039;n&amp;#039; roll vibe (heavy on the studs, straps, and edgy materials) that are also seriously comfortable. &amp;quot;We wanted to offer women a different, more modern option for their everyday &amp;#039;go-to&amp;#039; shoe,&amp;quot; said Nelson. For Spring 2013, they were inspired by mixed media, as can be seen in the organic natural prints paired with techno iridescence or Swarovski crystals webbed with neon threads on flat sandals. Fall 2013 is all about balancing geometry and proportion, whether it&amp;#039;s two-tone knee-high boots with decorative heel details, textured buffalo slip-ons or distressed metallic oxfords. Then there&amp;#039;s the clever Ornament range, which features detachable harnesses and ankle wraps that offer two looks for the price of one. Earlier this year, Papay and Nelson were nominated for an FGI Rising Star Award and in February, they opened a small concept store adjacent to their design studio in San Francisco&amp;#039;s Cow Hollow &amp;#039;hood. Here, customers can find the latest Freda Salvador offerings alongside samples of the upcoming season&amp;#039;s collection, sketches and mood boards. &amp;quot;We wanted to have close interaction with our customers,&amp;quot; explained Papay. &amp;quot;Their feedback and inspiration on how they would wear our shoes is invaluable for our design process.&amp;quot; Regardless of the season or inspiration, adds Nelson, &amp;quot;the focus is on creating artisan, cutting edge, wearable shoes.&amp;quot; Freda Salvador retails from $295 and is carried at Saks Fifth Avenue, Shopbop, Anthropologie, Harvey Nichols, and boutiques nationwide. The Freda Salvador concept store can be found at 1782 Union Street in San Francisco. Keep up to date with the latest fashion news.  Photo: Aubrie Pick  Photo: Aubrie Pick  Photo: Aubrie Pick  Photo: Aubrie Pick "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elle.com/fashion/news/a22900/megan-papay-cristina-nelson-freda-salvador-fashion-designers/>