Veterschoen van roestbruin suède afgebiesd met bruin leer c. 1930 - 1960

These brown suede shoes with leather trim, by A. van Goethem, are a study in quiet confidence. Imagine the maker, carefully selecting the materials, feeling the soft nap of the suede, the smooth give of the leather. There's a real intimacy in the way the shoes sit, side-by-side. You can imagine Van Goethem's thought process, the little shifts and adjustments made to bring these objects into being. The laces, tied loosely, offer a subtle rebellion against formality. They feel human, imperfect, like a quickly sketched line in a drawing. I wonder if Van Goethem had other shoemakers in mind, those who came before, when making these. Each piece is in conversation with its predecessors. These shoes speak to the way we carry ourselves in the world, the marks we leave behind, and the stories we create with each step.