Notch
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2010
- Messages
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Hello everyone!
It is with great excitement that I can introduce you all to Vekla, a new brand of minimal sneakers. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Tom and I hail from the Classic Menswear section of this forum, where I run an affiliate thread for my own Goodyear welted shoe brand, Sons of Henrey. With Sons of Henrey, I stress the importance of high quality materials, craftsmanship and transparency. With Vekla, this is no different. When I set out to create a line of sneakers, it was my intention to introduce real craftsmanship and a love for materials in something that could otherwise have been just another ordinary sneaker. A project that took me well over a year led to the creation of a small collection of sneakers, that are now available for pre-order.
Link to access the pre-order:
vekla.store
The sneakers are made in Italy, by one of the top shoe makers in the industry. It is a very small, family run enterprise (the daughter runs the company with her father still working on the factory floor), of not more than 20 people, that produces for a number of important fashion brands. A rare gem that I stumbled upon through word of mouth. On my first visit, they agreed to make a sample, which to me felt as an enormous achievement. No prices were mentioned, and I never questioned the quality of their work. It just felt right. In fact no prices were ever mentioned until we were almost 1 year into the project, and we were making samples with the definitive leather.
The soles are purchased from Margom, located close to the factory. The thick, 100% cotton laces, minimal padding around the ankle, reinforced eyelets on the interior and tongue padding are some details worth noting. All sneakers are made with a leatherboard heel counter, and full steel shank. The steel shank provides support and avoids tired feet at the end of the day. The leatherboard heel counter is something normally only seen in higher-end Goodyear welted shoes, and is more comfortable over time than its thermoplastic alternative. The factory used to specialize in welted footwear, something that is very apparent in many of the construction details. The insole is also fully removable.
The uppers on these sneakers are all made from leathers that come from some of the most reputable and respected tanneries in Italy, but there’s a twist. All of the leathers used for these sneakers are tanned using techniques that require less water, less CO2 and a lower use of heavy chemicals. I believe this is the way to move forward, incorporating sustainability without diminishing the quality nor the beauty of the product.
Finally then, the price. Currently, Vekla sneakers are offered in 6 different colourways, at the price of €185.00 incl. VAT.
For US customers, VAT is subtracted during checkout. The price is set for direct-to-consumer sales only, which means no markup is added for retailers or wholesalers. It is simply the factory that produces for me, and I sell to you. All pre-orders will come with a free shoe cleaning kit that consists of a brush and natural leather cleaner. Delivery date is september 15, which I agree is a long wait. However, pre-order is the only way for me to get this first order of sneakers in production. The minimum order quantity from the factory is relatively high, and on top of that we need to invest in large quantities of leather, Margom soles, shoe bags and boxes.
I appreciate all the support, and am happy to answer any question you might have!
Vekla soft off-white calf on off-white Margom sole, 100% organic cotton off-white laces:
Vekla soft white calf on white Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
Vekla navy suede on white Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
Vekla brown suede on brown Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
Vekla navy suede on navy Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
Vekla soft brown shrunken Calf on white Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
It is with great excitement that I can introduce you all to Vekla, a new brand of minimal sneakers. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Tom and I hail from the Classic Menswear section of this forum, where I run an affiliate thread for my own Goodyear welted shoe brand, Sons of Henrey. With Sons of Henrey, I stress the importance of high quality materials, craftsmanship and transparency. With Vekla, this is no different. When I set out to create a line of sneakers, it was my intention to introduce real craftsmanship and a love for materials in something that could otherwise have been just another ordinary sneaker. A project that took me well over a year led to the creation of a small collection of sneakers, that are now available for pre-order.
Link to access the pre-order:
Vekla
Redesigned essentials, offered at a fair price. At Vekla, we want to help customers feel great by making more conscious decisions about their wardrobe
vekla.store
The sneakers are made in Italy, by one of the top shoe makers in the industry. It is a very small, family run enterprise (the daughter runs the company with her father still working on the factory floor), of not more than 20 people, that produces for a number of important fashion brands. A rare gem that I stumbled upon through word of mouth. On my first visit, they agreed to make a sample, which to me felt as an enormous achievement. No prices were mentioned, and I never questioned the quality of their work. It just felt right. In fact no prices were ever mentioned until we were almost 1 year into the project, and we were making samples with the definitive leather.
The soles are purchased from Margom, located close to the factory. The thick, 100% cotton laces, minimal padding around the ankle, reinforced eyelets on the interior and tongue padding are some details worth noting. All sneakers are made with a leatherboard heel counter, and full steel shank. The steel shank provides support and avoids tired feet at the end of the day. The leatherboard heel counter is something normally only seen in higher-end Goodyear welted shoes, and is more comfortable over time than its thermoplastic alternative. The factory used to specialize in welted footwear, something that is very apparent in many of the construction details. The insole is also fully removable.
The uppers on these sneakers are all made from leathers that come from some of the most reputable and respected tanneries in Italy, but there’s a twist. All of the leathers used for these sneakers are tanned using techniques that require less water, less CO2 and a lower use of heavy chemicals. I believe this is the way to move forward, incorporating sustainability without diminishing the quality nor the beauty of the product.
Finally then, the price. Currently, Vekla sneakers are offered in 6 different colourways, at the price of €185.00 incl. VAT.
For US customers, VAT is subtracted during checkout. The price is set for direct-to-consumer sales only, which means no markup is added for retailers or wholesalers. It is simply the factory that produces for me, and I sell to you. All pre-orders will come with a free shoe cleaning kit that consists of a brush and natural leather cleaner. Delivery date is september 15, which I agree is a long wait. However, pre-order is the only way for me to get this first order of sneakers in production. The minimum order quantity from the factory is relatively high, and on top of that we need to invest in large quantities of leather, Margom soles, shoe bags and boxes.
I appreciate all the support, and am happy to answer any question you might have!
Vekla soft off-white calf on off-white Margom sole, 100% organic cotton off-white laces:
Vekla soft white calf on white Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
Vekla navy suede on white Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
Vekla brown suede on brown Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
Vekla navy suede on navy Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
Vekla soft brown shrunken Calf on white Margom sole, 100% cotton laces:
