I started in 2003 with my own collection. Before that I worked for 14 years for several companies like Bronx, Wrangler Footwear and Mag Megamoks to gain experience. My own collection is not influenced by any fashion-trend or any commercial thought. These shoes are my thoughts about footwear and what is possible to make in the factory. I also work with Couture designers, to prepare their imposible designs and have them produced. For this I do not work with a factory but with a master-shoemaker, handcrafted shoes.

For my own collection I work with materials, soles and heels which I find during my sourcing for the clients I work with now (Hub Footwear, Gaastra, Maruti) So many parts are ‘not commercial’ for these clients but too beautifull to let it be. In such case I will have samples develloped for my own brand. For instance the Olga. I found this heel in Spain and loved it. But with a normal pump it would have been quite an ordinary shoe with a distinctive heel. But when I found the material with the holes in Italy, I had ‘a concept’. This heel and material were ment for each other. Construction is another great inspiration for me. It was the reason for the innovative wrap. I got an reward for this new way of closing a shoe with velcro.

Some of my shoes are in the Ferragamo-museum in Florence.

Also the italian freelance fotojournalist Arturo Di Casola:  

www.arturodicasola.com/contact/tabid/61/Default.aspx  who did an interview with me the 23rd of june in Amsterdam.

For more info, visit www.hestervlamings.com