If you’re a South African, then you probably grew up
with Velskoens (pronounced: fell-skoon) but known affectionately as “vellies”.
I never actually owned a pair and they pretty much remained “platteland” or
farm shoes for a long time. Ancestors
of the modern-day desert boot, Vellies were first made in the 1600s, inspired
by the footwear of the Khoikhoi tribe and crafted using raw materials. Later, vellies
were adapted by British travellers, packaged and renamed to be what we now know
as desert boots. Over the past decade or so however, Vellies have been enjoying
somewhat of a fashion revival, popping up in trendy stores and being worn by
hipster surfers.
The latest in producers of hip Vellies is Namibian
based Herbert Schier shoes. They are handmade by a small group of eight Damara
gentlemen at the Swakopmund workshop, who assemble every shoe by hand, turning
out just 20 pairs an afternoon. The shoes are made of vegetable-dyed Kudu
leather. The Namibian government mandates the culling of these large native
antelope to control their population. Kudu skin yields amazingly durable
leather and suede that ages exceptionally well. Because these hides are taken
from wild animals they often show scars or other "imperfections" that
domesticated hides do not.
The range of shoes is pretty amazing and is accompanied
by a striking lookbook shot by photographer Jason Hardwick.
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