Brand Spotlight: Belgian Shoes
A quietly crafted brand and a mainstay for the refined artisans of the world
In a fashion landscape crowded with poor-quality “luxury” and endless exploitation scandals, Belgian Shoes stands apart.
The brand traces its roots back to the 1950s, founded by Henri Bendel (nephew of the department store founder of the same name), who introduced the design to New York City as an homage to traditional Belgian craftsmanship, which he discovered during a visit to Belgium. In 1976, Bendel met Georges Vanacker, an established luxury shoe manufacturer descended from De Busschere of Bruges, a family of shoe artisans with over 300 years of heritage. The two went into business together.
Belgian loafers are still, to this day, hand-sewn, hand-turned, and made in Izegem, Belgium, a historic centre of the nation’s shoe industry. Each sole is stitched over a light filling of piano hair by skilled craftswomen working from their homes in the Belgian countryside. In 2019, Georges Vanacker became the sole owner of Belgian Shoes and entrusted the business to his three daughters, who now oversee manufacturing, operations, and sales.
Though the brand is based in New York, there is one quietly tucked-away boutique in Belgravia where you can try them on in person.
Note: This post is not sponsored and contains no affiliate links.