Luxury handmade shoes and bag from Brother Vellies. Buy them here
Even though the label has been around since 2013, it wasn’t until Brother Vellies 2018 SS collection that I finally slid my foot into their signature feather mule. There was something so whimsical about the design yet so solid and grounding about the design ethic.
New York-based Toronto native, Aurora James, founded Brother Vellies with the aim of keeping traditional African design practices and techniques alive, while also creating and sustaining artisanal jobs. It has now grown to produce handmade luxury accessories across the globe, including in South Africa, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Italy, Haiti and New York City.
Bags and shoes. Image credit: Instagram/brothervellies/
These special pieces celebrate cultural histories and timeless design, tapping into a growing trend for a more discerning and ruthless approach to wardrobe curation. Having less, but better quality items that have a backstory and somehow ‘give back’ to communities..well that just looks and feels so much better on everyone.
Driven by principles of sustainability, Brother Vellies treats each step of the design and production process with great care for both the artisans and the planet. Products are hand developed making use of vegetable-tanned leathers, soling from recycled tires, hand carved wood, floral dyed feathers along with a collection of by-product materials sourced from farmers.
Be prepared to pay full price, and know that if you find them in the sale on partner websites, Brother Vellies has not discounted their product. Their value is assigned based on materials and fair labour practices, which are unaffected by the traditional commercial consumption cycle. And we really wouldn’t want it any other way, would we?
Read more about Aurora James here.
If you are an artisan or know one who might like to be featured on this site, please send an email to nina@hearth-co.com