Iconic South African shoe gains worldwide fame with Hollywood stars and royalty
Veldskoen, a shoe originally from rural South Africa, has become a global sensation, now worn by Hollywood celebrities and British royalty.
Surprisingly, both actor Matthew McConaughey and Prince Harry have been seen sporting veldskoens.
In less than 10 years, “vellies” have been transformed from a practical, traditional leather shoe into a global fashion statement.
This is thanks to a bold reinvention by two South African entrepreneurs.
The rebirth of the veldskoen
In 2016, Nick Dreyer and Ross Zondagh, grappling with personal and professional setbacks, envisioned a way to breathe new life into South Africa’s national identity, writes Al Jazeera.
Inspired by the lacklustre uniforms worn by the country’s athletes at the Rio Olympics, the duo set out to create something uniquely South African.
Their focus landed on veldskoen—a shoe with roots tracing back 1 500 years to the Khoisan. The shoes were later reimagined by Dutch settlers.
While veldskoen were durable, they lacked appeal. Dreyer and Zondagh’s innovation was deceptively simple: bold, colorful soles and laces to give the shoes a modern twist.
They launched their brand, Veldskoen, with a makeshift website and a single Photoshopped mock-up. Much to their surprise, a Facebook ad led to an influx of orders before they’d even manufactured a single pair.
Determined to keep the product authentically South African, the entrepreneurs partnered with local shoemakers in Cape Town and Durban, using homegrown leather, rubber, and adhesives.
Today, the company produces up to 8 000 pairs monthly, employs 36 people directly, and supports hundreds more through its supply chain.
The brand gained international acclaim in 2021 when South Africa’s Olympic team wore Veldskoen shoes at the Tokyo Games.
Since then, celebrities and royals have been seen wearing them, boosting the brand’s profile.
Actor Ashton Kutcher was so impressed by them that he joined forces with businessman Mark Cuban (and Veldskoen) in 2018 to open a United States distributor.
South African shoes made by South Africans
Despite their global success, Dreyer and Zondagh remain committed to their roots. “Veldskoen will never be made overseas,” Zondagh insisted.
“We could do it cheaper in China,” Dreyer added. “But we will never do that. To us, it’s almost like champagne. Veldskoen has to be from SA. The people who own Veldskoen are South African.”
With one million pairs sold, Veldskoen have a growing global fan base. Their next big plan? They are currently in discussions with Team South Africa regarding outfits for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
“We’re going to pull out all the stops for that one,” Dreyer concluded.