Stitchdowns: Veldskoen: It's all about making an age-old style trendy

We would like to see this carry on of course for a long time to come, and we are always looking at new designs and concepts as well, but we also need to focus on growing our brand internationally, and you can’t just release new leathers and designs all the time, it takes time to build a good brand and product mix.

Stitchdowns will be here forever, i think it all depends on the brands or factories to keep innovating and developing new styles and leathers, as the stitchdown construction is a really good one and has lots of benefits as well, besides having a more comfy fit with a slightly broader fit for comfort.

 

Do they offer export potential?

I would think there is opportunity in whatever type of manufacturing you do, be it stitchdowns or lasted footwear, it's up to the individual brands or factories to see what they can come up with.

Export is difficult, but I believe we have world class manufacturers who could supply other brands or even other brands in this country who could export to other countries.

We make good quality shoes in SA, but the marketing and building of an international brand is very difficult, but in saying that, I think the factories in South Africa have a good chance to export if they find the right market or brands to support them for export purposes.

 

We supply to a number of chain and independent businesses. 

 

In terms of the Stitchdown construction, this will always be our heritage line, but in the months and years going forward, we will probably look at other types of construction, but right now, our focus is on the stitchdown construction, but everything changes and it all depends on how we grow and what the market asks for in the coming years, but we will always have stitchdown as our main focus, due to the heritage of the Veldskoen and its authentic South African stitchdown construction.

 

I think this comes down to how good your design and development team are, as stitchdowns have been around for years, and will continue to do so, but it's all about trying to innovate an age-old style and construction and make it trendy. This then gives us the opportunity to market the shoe and put the right styles and colours, etc., in front of the right people - the clients.

 

Yes there are. We are very lucky to have Hopewell Footwear, who take all of that on their shoulders for us.

Leather is a natural product and not all leather reacts the same way, and we try and educate our clients as much as possible that leather is good and natural which comes with imperfections, but in leather you have a perfectly imperfect material.