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…).
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.
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.
Below: She has this big, old cabinet, filled with her designs in her workshop. Makes you greedy. See mine? Top right.
Below: I liked her little display on the big table. This is the front of the shoes…..
Below: … and this is the back.
Below: A last as decoration. I think it had a special meaning, but I forgot.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
Below: Similar photo as the top one. I like it.
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.
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.
Below: Nice and airy for summer.
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.
Below: The black and white ones on the right have a really warm lining.
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.
If you want to visit her online shop, here is the link: EIJK shoes. Overseas shipping is no problem.
Greetje
Oh dear, I commented and do not see it here. I do love this line and appreciate that they are crafted so thoughtfully with a woman’s comfort in mind.
I so love the shoes that you wear from this company . Love the flats and the booties with the modified heel . I also love the perforated booties and love when booties are lined with something soft.
I love your look with the flats Greetje! The stripe top is lovely and chic and I love raw hem jeans.
Can’t wait to see you wearing the cool leopard booties. I wonder if they come in my small size ? Will check . Great to know more about this company.
———–
❤️🌸❤️
Elle
http://www.theellediaries.com/
What is your small size?
I LOVE this post. I may not be a shoe designer or maker, but reading about Jolanda fires all the creative cylinders in me. It’s just so great to follow her story and see the amazing fruits of her labour.
Those…oh I can’t think of the word….boots with the holes. Is it perforated leather? They are simply gorgeous!
Indeed perforated leather. Glad you like this post so much. I really, realy like her shoes and boots but you will have guessed that by now.
Great post. Very informative.
I love that she made a point of it to design comfortable shoes that look pretty too.
I’m still not convinced about the look, but I find myself warming up to them a little bit.
Don’t you worry my dear. You can admire Jolanda and still have a different taste in shoes. No problem.
Thank you for sharing Jolanda and her wonderful business with us. I love the styling of her shoes and you know I love that they are Italian made! This coupled with patronizing women owned businesses as much as possible and with your recommendation on how comfortable they are, I have ordered myself a nice pair of the black ankle boots, Chris, from their website. And they were on sale no less! Now I’m just waiting for their arrival in California. Thank you Greetje. I always enjoy your blog posts and stories, and now I get a new pair of boots to boot! Hooray!
How wonderful!! Those awesome and comfortable boots in the sale!! Lucky you. I have no doubt you will like them a lot. I am always honest on my blog and never sell anything. Enjoy the boots.
How cool to be able to meet the person who designs your favourite shoes! I love the style of her designs, but alas, they are too narrow at the front for someone with bunions. The plateau island is an excellent idea and looks much more chic and elegant than a straight up platform.
I think it would be so empowering to learn how to make your own shoes. Perhaps should add that on my bucket list.
I have no idea about with and bunions. My feet are quite narrow, I have no bunions and a low instep. Which means I am very lucky as I can fit in any shoe.
But maybe you will do the same as Jolanda. I think it is a lovely idea to put shoe making on your bucket list.
This is an interesting post. I always love handmade quality shoes and Jolanda seems to have great talent and creativity.
Those are beautiful shoes and the block heel of about 8 cm. is my favourite : it is the most comfortable!!!
6 cm is also comfortable of course. But 8 cm is the same as the difference in height is met with the island underneath the front of the shoe. You know I can walk on the cream booties all day as I wore them shopping in Turin with you.
In my haste, I forgot to say that I REALLY appreciate that even her sandals (like the beautiful black ones she is wearing) have a pointed toe. That is so flattering. You’ll know from your blog photos that nothing elongates the leg like a pointed toe. What a pleasure to have shoes designed by a woman who GETS THAT. xx
She says on het website: “designed for women by a woman”.
How interesting Greetje. I like the style Jolanda is wearing (sitting down) and also your leopard boots and the cream/black elastic ones. I recently bought the most comfy shoes, a year ago I wouldn’t have been seen dead in them as I think they look like ‘old lady’ shoes, but gotta have comfort and they were like walking on air from the first moment.
Look at your toned long legs… and that is a great photo of you both at the top.
It was because Jolanda could only find “old lady shoes” that she started her journey. She wanted comfy shoes AND look stylish. I think she succeeded very well.
Hi Greetje. That must have been a great afternoon and quite special too. I am sure you have enjoyed getting all this inside information (I did) while spending time with an inspirational woman too. She seems to be someone to whom ‘walk your talk’ really applies. Love, Lieske
That is a very astute observation Lieske. Indeed the walks her talk.
Thanks for taking us with you on your shoe shopping adventure. It’s wonderful to find a cobbler who really understands the issues of comfort and style. I love the blue/gray snakeskin pumps.
Thought the comment on the mons pubis was hilarious. Who knew we ladies had one more place on our bodies to store fat:-)
I thought I would reveal this issue (in words 😂) as nobody ever talks about it, right? It is not the end of the world of course, just something you have to work around.
Words are probably best:-) Is Jolanda’s studio open to the public? We don’t live in Netherlands, but plan a visit in the future and I would like to check out her shoes. It seems there are several shops that carry her shoes. Do you have a favorite?
No, I don’t think Jolanda’s studio is open to the public. She wouldn’t get any design work done if it were. You could check on her website which shoes or boots you particularly want to try on and then see whether one of the shops carries them. My favourite is Young Designers United, but I don’t know whether they stock the most. You would have to email that question to EIJK.
Young Designers United (YDU) is a great shop. As the name says, they sell items of young designers: clothes, bags, jewellery and EIJK shoes/boots. You get unique pieces for a reasonable price as the designers are still young. It is a small shop but worth a visit.
These shoes are awesome!
And right at my doorstep. Lucky me.
The plateau island on the shoe is brilliant. What a different that must make in comfort. I have always admired your white shoes by Eijk. Now I look forward to seeing those leopard booties. Congratulations to Eijk on this artful, successful business. Thanks for sharing her work with us, Greetje.
I should say, Congratulations to Jolanda, instead of Eijk.
Yes, that is what you get when you name your company after yourself haha (sorry Jolanda). I will pass it on, although I am sure she reads the comments of this post.
YES YES YES! Adore this brand so much, thank you for introducing me in the first place Greetje. It’s great to learn more in depth about the concept of the designer. Great post x
Thanks Michelle. When the post was finished in concept, I hesitated because it looked so much like a selling page. I can get very enthousiastic over things I really like. I decided to leave it like this as it is written from the heart. And by now my readers should know I am always honest.
Love the looks of all her shoes …. especially the leopard booties you have ordered. Thank you for the pictures!
i am very excited about the leopard ones. I hesitated as I already have the pink ones and they go with everything. But I fell in love with the leopard boots. Reason went out the window.
What a wonderful post. I know what it’s like to love a product. Of course the creator is thrilled for your support!
Yes, she is, but my first goal is to make other women happy by introducing this stylish solution for back aches and painful feet. That s what blogging is about too right? Sharing good stuff.
I’m always a fan of comfy shoes.
These are very cool.
How wonderful to support a small local artisan too.
I agree with Lisa…those sparkly shoes would add pizzazz to every outfit.
I had to look up mons pubis. Ummm…yet another thing I did not know about ageing that I’m not excited about. Good grief is all I can say. All the horrors that await me.
bisous
Suzanne
Hahaha. I had the same reaction when I heard about fat on mons pubis. But thought it wouldn’t happen to me. Wrong! I decided to let go of the idea I can stay beautiful as before. Well groomed is the best exterior I am aiming for now. But hey… the interior is polished!
LOLOLOLOLOL
😂😂
Fabulous shoes. She is very lucky to have you as her ambassador!
You know what I am like when I get enthousiastic about something 😊😉. And she deserves it. It takes a lot of guts and determination to do what she has done.
I get,,de kriebels,, of these shoes. I am a real shoe addict, I was as a young girl. And now I can look for hours at beautiful shoes. And these are so gorgeous, feminine, comfortable, but what’s really important: craft work! Fabulous!
After I bought the cream lace-up shoes because I adore cream shoes and boots, my second purchase were the pink crocodile print booties. They were such a good investment, they go with anything. I was watching a woman in a store, wearing these pink boots with every outfit she tried (and she tried many). It struck me how versatile they were. Even better than black. The store by the way was Young Designers United (Keizersgracht Amsterdam). They sell EIJK if you don’t want to order online. They also sell them in Deventer and Utrecht. (Just checked for you.) The full collection is always online of course.
Also in Deventer? That’s fabulous, my niece lives there! Thank you Greetje!
You can check the website of EIJK. It says Boutiques in their navigation.
Thank you, Greetje, for sharing this marvellous creator with us. I’ve been exploring her site. I *love* how the heels give the illusion of a stiletto from the back while looking wedge-like from the side! A quirky, unique style trademark. Now if only I could afford them … sigh.
I know Susang, they are pricey. But that cannot be avoided. The material and craftsmenship are expensive. Jolanda isn’t in it for big profits. Especially not now as a start-up. If I hadn’t fallen in love with her cream shoes, I might never have bought them. After that first pair I was sold to the comfort of them. Now I save up.
These shoes are very classy and the creative way that Jolanda engineered their design to make them as comfortable as possible (for a heel) is quite amazing! The heel is a very cool feature of the shoe.
It’s unusual to be able to visit, know and buy directly from a shoe maker. I could be completely wrong but it seems that the skill and artistry of shoemaking is rarely found in the United States. It’s not that easy to find a cobbler to repair a shoe either.
I think the cream colored pair with the black trim at the seams would be cute with the striped top your wearing in this post!
This was an interesting post Greetje. Thanks for giving us a beautiful new product to consider as well!
Jolanda aimed for cool and comfortable and I am glad she succeeded. I don’t know many shoe makers in The Netherlands but I have seen some. And I have a cobbler who is European champion. In cobbling. How a small country can be great haha.
Thanks for the tip of the cream coloured boots with the striped top. That is what I am going to wear tomorrow.
The glitter shoes DO look amazing. Glitter is a neutral, doncha know?! Do the booties come in glitter? I’m a bit in love with those black perforated ones. I’m off to explore her website, and for the record, I am ALREADY JEALOUS of your leopard booties. *runs to website*
Haha.. yes glitter is a neutral. I don”t think there are boots in glitter. I’ll suggest it to her. You never know. You can walk on these babies all day.
I quickly checked her website and see her shoes are sold in a store in Utrecht, will have to go and try some one next time I’m around, they all look great! And I can see why you ordered the leopard ones as well, there is just too much to choose from.
As I can wear her 6 cm heeled boots as if they are flats, I am a huge fan. Such soft leather, such great support. I am slowly building a collection haha. It is indeed hard to choose.
Very interesting post. I love looking at pretty shoes.And if they are comfortable it’s a win win!
My thoughts exactly. And I have tested them, so I know.
Great post. Very informative.
I love that she made a point of it to design comfortable shoes that look pretty too.
I’m still not convinced about the look, but I find myself warming up to them a little bit.
Don’t you worry my dear. You can admire Jolanda and still have a different taste in shoes. No problem.
Thank you for sharing Jolanda and her wonderful business with us. I love the styling of her shoes and you know I love that they are Italian made! This coupled with patronizing women owned businesses as much as possible and with your recommendation on how comfortable they are, I have ordered myself a nice pair of the black ankle boots, Chris, from their website. And they were on sale no less! Now I’m just waiting for their arrival in California. Thank you Greetje. I always enjoy your blog posts and stories, and now I get a new pair of boots to boot! Hooray!
How wonderful!! Those awesome and comfortable boots in the sale!! Lucky you. I have no doubt you will like them a lot. I am always honest on my blog and never sell anything. Enjoy the boots.
Oh dear, I commented and do not see it here. I do love this line and appreciate that they are crafted so thoughtfully with a woman’s comfort in mind.
I so love the shoes that you wear from this company . Love the flats and the booties with the modified heel . I also love the perforated booties and love when booties are lined with something soft.
I love your look with the flats Greetje! The stripe top is lovely and chic and I love raw hem jeans.
Can’t wait to see you wearing the cool leopard booties. I wonder if they come in my small size ? Will check . Great to know more about this company.
———–
❤️🌸❤️
Elle
http://www.theellediaries.com/
What is your small size?
I loved this post. Thank you for giving us a behind the scenes of Jolanda’s work. Pure craftsmanship. You just don’t see it that often. Very nice.
And so well designed with the needs of women with aching feet and back in mind. Women who still want to look cool with a the heel lower than sky high.
I loved this post. Thank you for giving us a behind the scenes of Jolanda’s work. Pure craftsmanship. You just don’t see it that often. Very nice.
And so well designed with the needs of women with aching feet and back in mind. Women who still want to look cool with a the heel lower than sky high.
Hi Greetje. That must have been a great afternoon and quite special too. I am sure you have enjoyed getting all this inside information (I did) while spending time with an inspirational woman too. She seems to be someone to whom ‘walk your talk’ really applies. Love, Lieske
That is a very astute observation Lieske. Indeed the walks her talk.
The plateau island on the shoe is brilliant. What a different that must make in comfort. I have always admired your white shoes by Eijk. Now I look forward to seeing those leopard booties. Congratulations to Eijk on this artful, successful business. Thanks for sharing her work with us, Greetje.
I should say, Congratulations to Jolanda, instead of Eijk.
Yes, that is what you get when you name your company after yourself haha (sorry Jolanda). I will pass it on, although I am sure she reads the comments of this post.
Thanks for taking us with you on your shoe shopping adventure. It’s wonderful to find a cobbler who really understands the issues of comfort and style. I love the blue/gray snakeskin pumps.
Thought the comment on the mons pubis was hilarious. Who knew we ladies had one more place on our bodies to store fat:-)
I thought I would reveal this issue (in words 😂) as nobody ever talks about it, right? It is not the end of the world of course, just something you have to work around.
Words are probably best:-) Is Jolanda’s studio open to the public? We don’t live in Netherlands, but plan a visit in the future and I would like to check out her shoes. It seems there are several shops that carry her shoes. Do you have a favorite?
No, I don’t think Jolanda’s studio is open to the public. She wouldn’t get any design work done if it were. You could check on her website which shoes or boots you particularly want to try on and then see whether one of the shops carries them. My favourite is Young Designers United, but I don’t know whether they stock the most. You would have to email that question to EIJK.
Young Designers United (YDU) is a great shop. As the name says, they sell items of young designers: clothes, bags, jewellery and EIJK shoes/boots. You get unique pieces for a reasonable price as the designers are still young. It is a small shop but worth a visit.
I LOVE this post. I may not be a shoe designer or maker, but reading about Jolanda fires all the creative cylinders in me. It’s just so great to follow her story and see the amazing fruits of her labour.
Those…oh I can’t think of the word….boots with the holes. Is it perforated leather? They are simply gorgeous!
Indeed perforated leather. Glad you like this post so much. I really, realy like her shoes and boots but you will have guessed that by now.
These shoes are awesome!
And right at my doorstep. Lucky me.
YES YES YES! Adore this brand so much, thank you for introducing me in the first place Greetje. It’s great to learn more in depth about the concept of the designer. Great post x
Thanks Michelle. When the post was finished in concept, I hesitated because it looked so much like a selling page. I can get very enthousiastic over things I really like. I decided to leave it like this as it is written from the heart. And by now my readers should know I am always honest.
How cool to be able to meet the person who designs your favourite shoes! I love the style of her designs, but alas, they are too narrow at the front for someone with bunions. The plateau island is an excellent idea and looks much more chic and elegant than a straight up platform.
I think it would be so empowering to learn how to make your own shoes. Perhaps should add that on my bucket list.
I have no idea about with and bunions. My feet are quite narrow, I have no bunions and a low instep. Which means I am very lucky as I can fit in any shoe.
But maybe you will do the same as Jolanda. I think it is a lovely idea to put shoe making on your bucket list.
This is an interesting post. I always love handmade quality shoes and Jolanda seems to have great talent and creativity.
Those are beautiful shoes and the block heel of about 8 cm. is my favourite : it is the most comfortable!!!
6 cm is also comfortable of course. But 8 cm is the same as the difference in height is met with the island underneath the front of the shoe. You know I can walk on the cream booties all day as I wore them shopping in Turin with you.
How interesting Greetje. I like the style Jolanda is wearing (sitting down) and also your leopard boots and the cream/black elastic ones. I recently bought the most comfy shoes, a year ago I wouldn’t have been seen dead in them as I think they look like ‘old lady’ shoes, but gotta have comfort and they were like walking on air from the first moment.
Look at your toned long legs… and that is a great photo of you both at the top.
It was because Jolanda could only find “old lady shoes” that she started her journey. She wanted comfy shoes AND look stylish. I think she succeeded very well.
What a wonderful post. I know what it’s like to love a product. Of course the creator is thrilled for your support!
Yes, she is, but my first goal is to make other women happy by introducing this stylish solution for back aches and painful feet. That s what blogging is about too right? Sharing good stuff.
Fabulous shoes. She is very lucky to have you as her ambassador!
You know what I am like when I get enthousiastic about something 😊😉. And she deserves it. It takes a lot of guts and determination to do what she has done.
These shoes are very classy and the creative way that Jolanda engineered their design to make them as comfortable as possible (for a heel) is quite amazing! The heel is a very cool feature of the shoe.
It’s unusual to be able to visit, know and buy directly from a shoe maker. I could be completely wrong but it seems that the skill and artistry of shoemaking is rarely found in the United States. It’s not that easy to find a cobbler to repair a shoe either.
I think the cream colored pair with the black trim at the seams would be cute with the striped top your wearing in this post!
This was an interesting post Greetje. Thanks for giving us a beautiful new product to consider as well!
Jolanda aimed for cool and comfortable and I am glad she succeeded. I don’t know many shoe makers in The Netherlands but I have seen some. And I have a cobbler who is European champion. In cobbling. How a small country can be great haha.
Thanks for the tip of the cream coloured boots with the striped top. That is what I am going to wear tomorrow.
Love the looks of all her shoes …. especially the leopard booties you have ordered. Thank you for the pictures!
i am very excited about the leopard ones. I hesitated as I already have the pink ones and they go with everything. But I fell in love with the leopard boots. Reason went out the window.
Thank you, Greetje, for sharing this marvellous creator with us. I’ve been exploring her site. I *love* how the heels give the illusion of a stiletto from the back while looking wedge-like from the side! A quirky, unique style trademark. Now if only I could afford them … sigh.
I know Susang, they are pricey. But that cannot be avoided. The material and craftsmenship are expensive. Jolanda isn’t in it for big profits. Especially not now as a start-up. If I hadn’t fallen in love with her cream shoes, I might never have bought them. After that first pair I was sold to the comfort of them. Now I save up.
I’m always a fan of comfy shoes.
These are very cool.
How wonderful to support a small local artisan too.
I agree with Lisa…those sparkly shoes would add pizzazz to every outfit.
I had to look up mons pubis. Ummm…yet another thing I did not know about ageing that I’m not excited about. Good grief is all I can say. All the horrors that await me.
bisous
Suzanne
Hahaha. I had the same reaction when I heard about fat on mons pubis. But thought it wouldn’t happen to me. Wrong! I decided to let go of the idea I can stay beautiful as before. Well groomed is the best exterior I am aiming for now. But hey… the interior is polished!
LOLOLOLOLOL
😂😂
In my haste, I forgot to say that I REALLY appreciate that even her sandals (like the beautiful black ones she is wearing) have a pointed toe. That is so flattering. You’ll know from your blog photos that nothing elongates the leg like a pointed toe. What a pleasure to have shoes designed by a woman who GETS THAT. xx
She says on het website: “designed for women by a woman”.
The glitter shoes DO look amazing. Glitter is a neutral, doncha know?! Do the booties come in glitter? I’m a bit in love with those black perforated ones. I’m off to explore her website, and for the record, I am ALREADY JEALOUS of your leopard booties. *runs to website*
Haha.. yes glitter is a neutral. I don”t think there are boots in glitter. I’ll suggest it to her. You never know. You can walk on these babies all day.
I get,,de kriebels,, of these shoes. I am a real shoe addict, I was as a young girl. And now I can look for hours at beautiful shoes. And these are so gorgeous, feminine, comfortable, but what’s really important: craft work! Fabulous!
After I bought the cream lace-up shoes because I adore cream shoes and boots, my second purchase were the pink crocodile print booties. They were such a good investment, they go with anything. I was watching a woman in a store, wearing these pink boots with every outfit she tried (and she tried many). It struck me how versatile they were. Even better than black. The store by the way was Young Designers United (Keizersgracht Amsterdam). They sell EIJK if you don’t want to order online. They also sell them in Deventer and Utrecht. (Just checked for you.) The full collection is always online of course.
Also in Deventer? That’s fabulous, my niece lives there! Thank you Greetje!
You can check the website of EIJK. It says Boutiques in their navigation.
I quickly checked her website and see her shoes are sold in a store in Utrecht, will have to go and try some one next time I’m around, they all look great! And I can see why you ordered the leopard ones as well, there is just too much to choose from.
As I can wear her 6 cm heeled boots as if they are flats, I am a huge fan. Such soft leather, such great support. I am slowly building a collection haha. It is indeed hard to choose.
Very interesting post. I love looking at pretty shoes.And if they are comfortable it’s a win win!
My thoughts exactly. And I have tested them, so I know.