Floris: “The Floris van Bommel collection continued to do well. In the winter of 1999, sales grew from a few hundred pairs per season to several thousands. The Floris van Bommel brand awareness was still minimal, but our dealers enjoyed working with the new line. For consumers, a Floris van Bommel shoe was just a nice Van Bommel shoe; they hardly noticed that it was another brand. My father didn’t care that much, he wanted fashionable Van Bommel shoes in the shops, that had been the challenge and he had succeeded.

(Image below: Pattern drawing training at Ars Sutoria, Milan.)

After completing my training, I decided to join the family business. My father first sent me abroad for a year and a half to gain experience in the shoe business and develop my personality. When that was done, I started working at Schoenfabriek van Bommel in late 1999 at the age of 24. My father provided me with a windowless office, an oval table, some binders, and a file of his marketing work. The onboarding programme were only two words: ‘Get Started’. From the very first day, I was given the responsibilities I still have today: designing collections and handling communications and promotion.”

(Image above: Floris in his first office.)