Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes. Where do you find them? Usually you can only have one of these three. Which is what Jolanda van Eijk experienced when her feet started hurting.  As she couldn’t find comfortable shoes that looked cool, she decided to learn everything there was to learn about shoe making (three years training, mind you). After which she created the perfect last and the perfect heel, took a very deep breath and started her own company: EIJK shoes.

I bet by now you think that this is a sponsored post. That I either get paid to write this, or a discount or free shoes. NO, I DO NOT.

I am simply a big fan. Every woman should experience these shoes. I have raved about them in so many posts, like in this post about the cream booties, in the one about the pink crocodile print boots, about the black pointy flats and about the black sandals. At one point Jolanda sent me a message through Instagram saying she wanted to meet her biggest fan in person. Would I like to have a cup of coffee with her? Of course I would. We had a lovely chat in her studio in Amsterdam. Been back twice. She is a lovely woman, a real entrepreneur, creative, sensible, daring but not reckless: a power woman. Oh… and genuine. I don’t like fake people and she is the opposite of that. So I really like her.

Which is why I called to see her in my holidays. It was a lovely afternoon and it was my intention to only take a few pictures. But then I decided you should know about these shoes. After all where do you find (high heeled) shoes that are cool, comfortable and timeless?

Below: As you will have gathered from the first photo, this is Jolanda van Eijk. Wearing her own design (duhh…).

Jolanda van Eijk

Below: Yes, Jolanda really knows how to make shoes herself. She uses that knowledge to design the shoes and boots. The craftsmen in Italy produce them after Jolanda’s instructions how she wants them executed.Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: And this is how it works. If you want a heel of 3.15″ (8 cm), she adds a plateau island underneath the front of the shoe. When you stand on it, you don’t see it at all. When you sit, it is a fun aspect, a conversation starter. The 2.36″ heels don’t need a plateau.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: She has this big, old cabinet, filled with her designs in her workshop. Makes you greedy. See mine? Top right.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: I liked her little display on the big table. This is the front of the shoes…..

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: … and this is the back.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: A last as decoration. I think it had a special meaning, but I forgot.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: We compared our footwear of that day. Of course I was wearing her shoes, black pointy flats. I just noticed that the nail polish on her toes was the same as on her hands: blue. Unusual but really attractive.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: Meet Elodie, the French trainee who is assisting Jolanda. We asked her to take our pictures and I took this shot of her when she was my stand-in for the camera settings. (She agreed to having her picture on the blog, don’t worry.)

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: Elodie did a good job, very patiently shooting one after another. This top is from COS, the big sister of H&M. It is blue and white, with a dark blue piece at the bottom. The 7/8 trousers are last year’s and by J Brand. You have seen them in my Geneva post. (My mother comes after me with scissors as she cannot understand why anybody would want to walk around with frays.) I was really pleased the way those EIJK pointy flats looked with this outfit.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable shoes

Below: This top is a bit longer and hides belly and butt without making it too obvious I was aiming for that. I hope. The trousers don’t look good around the crotch, so if I wear a shorter top, this area is in sight and I don’t like that. Why? Because of something I NEVER had to worry about when I was younger. You know you put on some weight when you get older? Well, you also get fat on your mons pubis. Never had that and it looks horrible in trousers which are a bit tight.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable shoes

Below: Similar photo as the top one. I like it.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: I asked Jolanda to show two of her shoes standing in front of the mirror, so you could see the back too. She had to adopt a less elegant pose, but she didn’t mind.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: I photographed lots of shoes, booties and boots on display in her workshop. Here are some pictures to give you an idea of what EIJK has to offer.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: Nice and airy for summer.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: I have my eye on those glitter shoes. Not sure yet. Lisa (The Sequinist) is always very enthousiastic about her glitter shoes. She claims they go with everything.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: The black and white ones on the right have a really warm lining.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

Below: See these leopard booties? I pre-ordered the one on the right (with the heel) last month and they are expected to arrive end of September. I love them already.

Contemporary, timeless and comfortable high heeled shoes

If you want to visit her online shop, here is the link: EIJK shoes. Overseas shipping is no problem.

Greetje

No Fear of Fashion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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