THE ORIGINAL “VELDSKOEN”
The history of Veldskoen is as rich and diverse as the country they come from. There are various groups of people who believe the Veldskoen, or a version of it, started with them.
The word “Veldskoen” was first documented by the Dutch settlers who arrived in Southern Africa almost 400 years ago. It means “field shoes.” However, according to Khoisan tribal folklore, there were leather shoes, cut from a single hide, being made and worn by the tribe, as far back as 1000 years before that.
According to GQ magazine, Nathan Clark, of Clarks Shoes, was serving in the second world war when he noticed South African officers wearing, in his own words, “strange leather shoes”. We like to believe they all had a hand, and a foot, in the Veldskoen story!
The Veldskoen brand
After watching the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Nick Dreyer and Ross Zondagh were fairly unimpressed with the South African kit. They began imagining what the athletes could have been wearing that would have better represented South Africa.
Zondagh suggested a pair of leather Veldskoen because they are iconic South African shoes. Dreyer responded that most Veldskoen weren’t exactly fashionable. And so, they began chatting about ways to make the shoe more attractive
The answer came in the form of the brightly coloured soles and laces; Veldskoen’s trademark look today.
Our factory
Hopewell Footwear, the only factory that makes VELDSKOEN, is located in the beautiful East Coast city of Durban, the surfing capital of South Africa. It is a third generation, locally owned, family business. The fourth generation is studying a footwear degree in London, and will be working in Italy to prepare him to take over the family business.
The longest serving employee has been at Hopewell for 48 years. Owner Ebrahim Shaikh says many of the employees have been with them for as long as he can remember. In short, people love working there.
How our shoes are made
The process
All our shoes are handcrafted in South Africa, where we employ some of the finest shoemakers in the country. Each Veldskoen is hand-stitched with extreme care and attention to detail. The result of our process is a comfortable, durable shoe, that is 100% unique.
The material
No two hides are ever the same. We use locally sourced hides that have a more natural look and finish to them. This means your shoes may have slightly different textures from place to place. We love these little variances and celebrate them as part of Veldskoen’s beautiful character!
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