In Bared with Dena Kaplan
4/15/2019
A woman of many talents, Dena Kaplan can do just about anything – from acting, dancing, singing to late-night DJ’ing.
Eager to show the world what she can do in our shoes, the South African-born Aussie hit Melbourne's streets to show us a week in her go-to Bared kicks.
Scroll through to find out how our love affair began.
1. Back in 2013, how did you first hear about Bared?
DK: The first time I heard about Bared was from my sister, Gemma, actually. She has lived with a terrible back injury for a long time and was looking for a pair of shoes for her wedding day that she could look great in but be comfortable and pain-free in! We discovered Bared and fell in love. We put all the bridesmaids in Bared heels, too – I think it’s the first wedding I ever managed to keep my heels on the entire time! She looked amazing and felt so comfortable.
2. Why is being in Bared so important to you?
DK: I love being in Bared shoes. So much of what I do is in the public eye so it’s important for me to wear brands that look cool and fresh, but at the same time what I do is so physical, so I need to be comfortable. Bared are the only boots and shoes I’ve found that allow me to have both. I love the brand, the company ethos, the quality of the shoes, the design and most of all, the comfort (each pair comes with the most amazing custom fitting pack, it’s genius). I spent way too many years dancing on my toes to wear uncomfortable shoes!
3. What are your favourite styles, and why?
DK: The Firecrest is boot is my absolute favourite. It’s just the right amount of heel, I feel powerful and sexy in them but can keep them on all night, dance in them and run around airport/festivals and events in them! I also love the Plover, the perfect flat with jeans or a skirt for meetings/auditions or going from work to play.
4. What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in Bared?
DK: To be honest, I have not taken off my black Conure boots in the last year. They have followed me around the world on tour, on stage and on set. They’ve been around the globe with me from Byron Bay to Los Angeles, and they still look brand new?! I’ve worn them on stages in New York, Denver and all over Australia. Imagine the shoes had eyes – they’ve seen it all on stage and behind the scenes!
5. Tell us a bit about the video, where did our shoes take you?
DK: The video is a celebration of women – we wanted to explore the idea of feeling extraordinary even on the ordinary days. We wanted to show you that with the right shoes you can do it all! We hope the video empowers women to give anything a shot, to be brave, to be vulnerable, to be sexy and free, to bare all but in comfort (and style of course!). I collaborated with my genius creative partner Leah Barylsky on this video. She herself is a fan of the shoes and really wanted to get behind this project.
We chose Melbourne as the setting for the video, as it’s home to Bared and where the brand found its feet, so to speak. We filmed all over the city and came up with mantras that related to the scenarios as well as incorporated what Bared stands for: strong, creative, unique, powerful women. This video was created, choreographed, filmed and produced by our all-female production team and we are so proud of it.
CREDITS
SHOES // Bared Footwear // TALENT/CHOREOGRAPHER // Dena Kaplan // VIDEOGRAPHER/EDITOR // Leah Barylsky // PRODUCER/STYLIST // Leah Barylsky, & Dena Kaplan