DHL collab showcases African shoemaking
22/03/2022
The “unlikely” collaboration, as described by the two firms, marks DHL’s first fashion partnership with an African brand. Earlier, relatively unexpected, ventures into the fashion world have included a t-shirt co-created with the luxury brand then known as Vetements (recently relaunched as Vtmnts) in 2016, plus a limited-edition sneaker alongside German footwear retailer MyBudapester in 2019.
This time around, DHL and Veldskoen jointly commissioned South African artist (and self-described “motorbike adventurer”) Reggie Khumalo to design the exclusive mural-style artwork incorporated on either shoe’s quarter. DHL’s own branding features on the shoes’ heel counter, as does a tab bearing the colours of the South African flag.
Crafted from full grain reversible leather with a full leather lining, each pair of Dear Everyone shoes also has a hand-painted wedge sole and comes complete with interchangeable red and yellow laces.
Chief executive of the shoe company, Nick Dreyer, commented: “When DHL approached us with an idea to collaborate on a limited-edition shoe to highlight South African fashion, it was a no-brainer for us. Being selected as the first African brand for their next collaboration was super exciting.
“DHL has afforded Veldskoen a moment to show the globe the talent, creativity and manufacturing ability that Africa has to offer. We have produced a high-fashion shoe, while every stage of the development process and every link in the supply chain has been carefully considered from a sustainability point of view.”
In the interest of fairness, the shoes (priced at £228 or roughly $300 per pair) are only available for purchase through a “drop lottery” system - live until April 15 - via a co-branded website. According to the partners, a “buyer picker system” will randomly select the names of 365 would-be shoppers from a list of those who have pre-registered their interest on the site.
Image: DHL/Veldskoen.
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