Wolky catazine

size
5
wolky.co.uk
Wolky catazine
for you & your feet
#05 summer 2015
spring
Designed for walking
size
5
catazine for real women (and their men!)
Welcome to the fifth issue of Size 5, Wolky’s very own “catazine”: a cross between
a catalogue and a magazine for you and your feet. Size 5 (European size 38, US size
7½) has been the shoe industry’s sample size for many years. It’s a light-hearted nod
to the fashion world and its fixation on size 0 models. Size 5 doesn’t think in
categories but makes space for real women – inspiring and enterprising girls and
women of all ages, types and sizes. Size 5 is for women with their own style who won’t
be dictated to by fleeting fashion trends but make a conscious decision to opt for
quality and comfort. Women who express their personality in the way they dress.
We also thought about the men, as you can see on page 34. Here you can find some
models from our Cloud 9 collection, the menswear label from Wolky.
Size 5 is published twice a year to coincide with the launch
of Wolky’s new shoe collections: the spring/summer
and autumn/winter collection.
If you have any questions or comments about
this catazine, we’d love to hear from you.
Just drop us a line at info@wolky.nl.
Kicks 1478 Anfield / 1479 Ibrox 2
Feet love our shoes
2
Editorial
Feet love Wolky sneakers
Do I go for the Biker
1225 Italian off-white
with its sole in the
colours of the Italian flag,
or Leontien Zijlaardvan Moorsel’s bling-bling?
Choices, choices!
I remember the day well. I was in year 6 at primary school when I finally got
my first pair of sneakers. My parents weren’t keen on them and preferred to
see me in a sturdy pair of school shoes, so I had to nag and nag. Eventually
I got a pair of high-sided white basketball shoes – at least they provided some
support at the ankles. And they had leather inners and outers, so that was
an upside for my parents – because leather shoes “breathe”. And as I later
realised, they were quite right about that.
A few years down the line, when I was at secondary school, canvas sneakers
were all the rage. By then I had my own pocket money and I could spend it
on whatever I liked. So of course I bought canvas sneakers. The upsides for
me? They were hip – and cheap! Downsides: because they were made of stiff
canvas they weren’t particularly comfortable, and if you wore them a lot –
especially in the rain – they would stink!
As new, high-tech materials were launched, more and more non-leather
sneakers and sports shoes came onto the market. With the obvious
consequences. If, like me, you go into the junior changing room after a
Saturday morning football match on a wet playing field, you’ll know exactly
what I mean. All those plastic football boots – not the most pleasant
fragrance!
One of the football mums had a good idea. She rubbed her sons’ trainers and
their feet with Vick’s Vaporub. But that’s just papering over the cracks. This is
something you just don’t get with leather-lined shoes, particularly if you let
them dry out properly.
But whatever they are made of – leather, canvas, plastic – sneakers have
become a permanent fixture in the world of fashion. Even my father wears
them regularly these days, and it’s getting harder and harder to find shoes
for my sons that don’t look like sneakers. Sneakers are part of life.
At Wolky we think so too, and that works out well for me: Wolky makes its
own line of sneakers with genuine leather uppers and inners. Even the
footbed is leather-lined, so odours get no chance. What’s more, Wolky
sneakers give your feet the kind of all-round support you’d expect from truly
comfortable shoes.
This season the new Biker is on my wish list. It’s a real eye-catcher! I just
haven’t yet made up my mind which one to go for. The Italian off-white with
its sole in the colours of the Italian flag, or the Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel
limited edition in white with silver.
We’re always bragging that feet love Wolkys. But when it comes to our
sneakers, we could actually say: feet and noses love Wolkys!
Enjoy the fresh fragrances of spring!
Magda Kleinhout
Art Director Wolky BV International
3
Summer vibes
Hot town, summer in the city. Cruising down the boulevard on a Vespa, bobbing around in a boat on
the water, or exploring the city in a vintage car. Summer is the season for fun and frolics – so bring out
the child in you! Touch your toes to the clouds on the swing, reach for the sky on the trampoline, and at
the end of the day reward yourself with a well-deserved ice cream.
Wolky doesn’t make sensible shoes for sitting behind a desk in all day – although you can if you want
to! – but great-looking footwear for the get-up-and-go woman. Whether you’re doing a spot of
gardening, heading out on the festival circuit, going away on holiday, setting off on a marathon hike,
or dancing the night away – with a pair of Wolkys on your feet you couldn’t be better prepared.
Go sporty and opt for the Biker, Kicks, Sparkle, Target, Swing or Universe. Or make an ultra-elegant
entrance in Couture. As always with Wolky, exceptional comfort and the very best materials are
guaranteed. And Wolky is not just for women – there’s plenty for men too in the Cloud 9 men’s
collection. Here’s to a great summer!
Ciao
bella!
4
Sneakers have become a permanent fixture on the street
scene. And just as well – because they beat almost every
other shoe hands down with their sporty look and feel.
And as for the cliché that sports shoes are no good for
your joints – you can consign it to the scrapheap for good.
Because Wolky sneakers not only rock, they are also good
for your feet! Take this Biker: pure bliss for you and your
feet. When you buy the Biker 913 Leontien silver, which we
designed in conjunction with Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel,
you will also be supporting the Leontien Foundation, an
organisation that helps young people with eating disorders.
Biker
With its three-tone rubber trim, this new addition to the Wolky fold is a real eye-catcher for your feet.
It has a removable footbed and the outsole is coloured underfoot. Because the uppers are not the only
part of a Wolky shoe that’s worth seeing!
–-–-–-––––-–-–-–
Wolkeyd
design g
for walkin-–
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Biker 1225 Biker
5
Check out these summer colours. Don’t they just make your heart sing?
Biker 1225 Biker 282 denim
Biker 1225 Biker 279 mint green
Biker 1225 Biker 250 red
Biker 1225 Biker 200 black
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Biker 1225 Biker 290 sulphur yellow
Biker 1225 Biker 243 cognac
Biker 1225 Biker 912 Italian off-white
Biker 1225 Biker 276 turquoise
it’s a wolky by leontien
She’s a former racing cyclist, multiple Olympic medal winner and world champion, and now she’s a shoe
designer. Because last season Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel got together with Wolky to design the limited
edition Flow 4351 Zela, and for this season she has come up with a truly sporty sneaker, the 1225 BikerLeontien. Like Leontien, these sneakers are sporty, feminine and shiny. And incredibly comfortable too.
And as if that wasn’t enough, just like the Flow designed by Leontien, a percentage of the purchase price of
the Biker goes to the Leontien Foundation as well. This foundation helps young people with eating disorders.
Biker 1225 Biker 913 Leontien silver
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Wolky x Leontien Ladies Run & Ride
Run for your life
Former racing cyclist Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel is determined to get more Dutch women exer­
cising. And she’s doing it with her Ladies Run and Ladies Ride, plus a sporty shoe that she developed in
collaboration with Wolky: the Biker, a comfortable, robust sneaker in which you can cycle and walk to
your heart’s content.
“I want to be active because I know that it
gives me a lot of positive energy”
“I stopped bicycle racing a good 10 years ago. More
or less straight after that, we started encouraging
people to exercise by putting on a series of sports
events designed mainly for women. We aim to get
women exercising, but at a low entry level and in
a social setting. We want every woman to surprise
herself: ‘Did I really do that?’
“We started with the Leontien Ladies Ride, a
35 or 65 kilometre (22 or 40 mile) ride which is
being held for the tenth time this year. To get even
more women active, two years ago we added the
Leontien Ladies Run, a 5 or 10 kilometre (3 or 6
mile) run. I think it’s amazing that women who
don’t usually get much exercise go on to complete
the whole 65 kilometres (40 miles). I’m really proud
of them.
“The Ladies Run is another story, because there
will always be a bit of a competitive edge to that.
It is also aimed a little higher: it’s easier to cycle
30 kilometres (19 miles) than to run 10 (6).
But both the Run and the Ride are mainly about the
fun of exercising and motivating people to do more.
On average, between four and six thousand women
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take part in the Ride and the Run. That’s a fantastic
number, but there’s always room for more!”
A question of planning
“The excuse many women give for not exercising
is that they have no time. But there are 24 hours
in a day, so it’s all a question of planning. If you’re
very busy during the day, you could always set your
alarm one hour earlier in the morning. But maybe
it’s easy for me to talk – after all, I still have some
of the discipline left over from my sports career.
I want to be active because I know that it gives me
a lot of positive energy that I can channel into being
a good mother or a good employer.
“Another reason why a lot of women don’t do sports
is the gear. I understand entirely that if you’re a
mother of three who wants to start getting regular
exercise, you’ll flinch at an outfit that costs €300
(£240). So you start running or cycling in your
husband’s tracksuit, which doesn’t fit properly, and
you give up again. We’re responding to that with a
line of good quality sportswear that is affordable
for just about everyone.
I have also designed a shoe in collaboration with
Wolky that fits in perfectly with this range: the
Biker, a trendy white sneaker with a three-tone
sole. It gives the foot plenty of support and is
wonder­fully comfortable. I used to wear heels a
lot, but I’ve worn them much less since I became
a mum. And at sports events I have always worn
sporty sneakers anyway. The Biker is the perfect
shoe because it looks great and it’s ideal for
cycling or walking.”
HELPING others
“Part of the proceeds from the Leontien Ladies
Ride and the Leontien Ladies Run go to the
Leontienhuis (Leontien House), my drop-in centre
for people with eating disorders. It isn’t a treatment
centre, it’s an enhancement of the fantastic
help that is already available. Our aim is to help
people with an eating disorder get back on track
to a healthy, positive future by offering them a
sympathetic ear, discovering what their talents are,
and where their interests lie.
“I got the idea for the Leontienhuis when I heard
that the number of people with anorexia was rising
every year. I was shocked, and I was determined
to do something about it. I had anorexia myself
for years and it’s something I wouldn’t wish on my
worst enemy. When I look back over my career, I
would do it all again – except the time when I had
my eating disorder. When you have anorexia you
think that’s the only thing you’re good at. It takes
control of your entire life. It is really difficult and
lonely.
“I want to do something to help combat this
growing problem. The help we offer at the
Leontienhuis is free, so I try and raise as much
money as possible with cycling tours, spinning
clinics, store openings, the Ladies Ride and the
Ladies Run, and many other projects besides.
So all the women who register for the Ladies
Run and the Ladies Ride are not just doing it for
themselves. They’re also helping others.”
Copy Fleur Baxmeier
How about you?
You can find more information at leontienladiesride.nl and
leontienladiesrun.nl, including dates, registration forms and
extras such as bike rentals or an upgrade to a luxury package.
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–-–--––-––-–-–-–
aorlkey
Shh
ew
T
e
Experienc-–
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tell us about your favourite wolkys
Wolky has a lot of loyal fans, and that’s something we’re really proud of. Some women wear the same
model or different shoes from the same line for years. There are women who are on their feet all day and
have been wearing Wolkys at work for years. We also often hear about women with problem feet who find
Wolkys the only shoes they can comfortably walk in. And we’ve had requests from women who want us to
revive a particular model because it was such a comfortable fit.
Are you a dedicated Wolky fan, and would you like to tell us why? Then email us at win@wolky.nl telling us
what you like so much about your favourite Wolkys. We will post a selection of your entries on the website,
and every entry will be entered into a prize draw for a free pair of Wolkys!
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Torque
No run-of-the-mill strap shoe, but one that radiates authenticity. That’s the Torque a lightweight shoe
made of ultra-soft materials. The inner lining is chrome-free so it’s perfect for women with a chrome
allergy. The footbed is removable, just as you’d expect from Wolky.
–-–-–-–--––-–-––--–-–-–
design &
comfort
–-–-–-–-––--–---–-–-–-–
Torque 8382 Bering / 8381 Roman
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Torque 8382 Bering
Torque 8381 Roman
Torque 8387 Milton
An extra thick, lightweight
sole means fantastic wearing
and walking comfort.
Torque 8386 Iberia
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universe
Whether you’re just popping out for some
groceries or having dinner in town, Universe is a
great-fitting shoe that feels at home anywhere you
do. Perfect for the active woman of today, and made
of supple leather with a patent leather flash.
The rubber sole is highly flexible and the footbed
is removable – of course!
Reach for the sky in Universe!
Universe 2025 Calama
Universe 2026 Rivera
Universe 2026 Rivera
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4kax
Element 1175 Ka
Joke Elisen-Boodt (55)
Emma Berendsen (18)
Ask four women to dip into
their wardrobes and coordinate one pair of Wolky shoes
or sandals with their own
outfits, and you’ll get four
completely different looks.
QED!
Annerlie van de Brug (38)
Lisette Burggraaff (33)
Get the elegance of high heels
but without the sore feet!
The Ka teams stylishly with a
skirt, gives skinny jeans a sexy
twist, and adds that extra
touch of chic to harem pants.
A true all-rounder – that’s Ka.
And that’s why so many women
love it.
14
-–-–
-–-––-–
–-–--m
co fort &
nce
elega–-–
–-–-––-– -–-–
Feel ultra-feminine in this sandal with a feather -light
wedge heel.
element
Don’t worry – be happy! Put on a lightweight
Element sandal and you’ll feel summery in an
instant. Feminine yet casual, and adjustable at
the toe and the ankle. How handy is that!
See also page 14 and 17.
2x Element 1175 Ka
2x Element 1176 Do
15
Wolky in the mix with …
World Family Ibiza
From sporty casual to elegant city chic. You can coordinate Wolkys endlessly with your favourite
brands. Meet World Family Ibiza: a unique family business that designs wonderful bags, dresses,
sandals and accessories from its well-known island home.
“I don’t do copies: everything you see comes from my imagination and my heart”
“We’ve always travelled a lot,” says Merel Krielaart
(46), who co-founded World Family Ibiza together
with her husband Alok Torrejon. “Sometimes we
would be away for up to six months at a time, and
because we both love ethnic things – embroidery,
pretty ornaments – we would visit local markets
wherever we went. We’re addicted to them; they
make our hearts beat faster. So I got the idea of
taking home fabrics and materials to make our
own bags.”
Modern hippies – that’s Merel and Alok through
and through. They each left the Netherlands in the
early 1990s to start a new life in Ibiza. They had
virtually no possessions, wandered around barefoot
and earned money by busking on djembe drums or
selling energy balls at the market. And when two
kindred spirits such as these encounter each other
in the wild, they can’t help but click.
The rest is history – twenty years and six children
later, Merel and Alok are still inseparable. And
that’s not all. Not only do they run World Family
Ibiza together, but the whole family – including
Merel’s mother, her two eldest daughters and
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Alok’s sisters – are involved in translating the
Ibizan boho style into wonderful bags, dresses,
pants, boots, sandals and accessories, all handmade, brightly coloured and decorated with wire,
fabric, mirrors or fringes.
“To begin with we only sold our things at Ibiza’s
hippie market, Las Dalias. But now we have five
stores, including in Barcelona, Madrid and
Marbella, we have an online shop and we supply
countless boutiques,” Merel says. “Every item from
World Family Ibiza is unique. That’s very important
to me, because we are unique too. And I don’t do
copies: everything you see comes from my
imagination and my heart.”
For more information about World Family Ibiza,
visit worldfamilyibiza.com
Copy Fleur Baxmeier
Photography Marc Pairot (pairots.com)
Some clothes have so much swag that they don’t need much embellishment at all.
Keep your look serene and combine this striking embroidered dress with the casual
but oh-so-feminine Element.
Element 1176 Do
Mix ’n’ match is still the trend of the moment, so team this wonderful handmade tassel
detail bag with a pair of cool, no-nonsense UP2s. In matching or contrasting colours – this
season, anything goes!
UP2 4703 Move
From the beach to the boulevard and on to the cocktail party: these baggy pants are
your best friend this summer. Round off the look with a high heel or go for casual chic
with this summery Joy flip-flop.
Joy 0880 Tahiti
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moc
The moccasin reinvented for our time. Every bit as great-looking
as the original, but sportier, lighter and featuring the very latest in
technical refinements. Like the flexible, wear-resistant PU outsole,
the anatomically shaped inner sole, the removable footbed, the
chrome-free lining and the supplest leather imaginable.
Moc 1510 Pima
Moc 1508 Kiowa
–-–-–-–--––-–-––--–-–-–
design &
t–
or
mf
co
–-–-–-–-––--–---–-–-–Moc 1500 Yukon
Moc 1509 Cahita
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I’m going on vacation
and I’m taking…
My Wolkys, of course! And preferably my very lightest
pairs – like the sandals in the Sparkle range, the
sturdy (but lightweight!) Torques or these Journeys.
Travel light and enjoy yourself – that’s my motto!
Take a photo of your
Wolkys in a special place
and get the chance to win
a free pair of Wolkys of
your choice!
Wolky makes shoes for women who love to be on
the go but don’t want their fun spoiled by sore feet.
In other words: shoes made for walking.
So our shoes can turn up just about anywhere!
Email a photo of your Wolkys in a special place to
win@wolky.nl. We will post the best pictures on
our website, and some entries will receive a free
pair of Wolkys.
To inspire you:
Wolkys Outline
sneakers in Rome…
and Wolkys Joy flip-flops in the desert!
Journey 1739 Yellowstone
19
It’s the inside that makes the difference!
The outside has a great impact on the way we perceive and experience things, but it’s the inside
that makes the difference. Wolky looks beyond the latest trends and colours and focuses on comfort.
With lasts designed to produce a perfect fit, anatomically shaped footbeds and the softest materials
that mould themselves precisely to the foot. Put on a pair of Wolkys and you’ll notice right away:
feet love Wolky.
6
2
1
6
3
5
4
6
8
7
Swing 3325 Rio
1
Removable footbed
5
Leather lined uppers allow shoes to
breathe and absorb perspiration
2
Leather covered footbeds are
comfortable, durable, and absorb
perspiration
6
High-quality velcro fasteners provide
easy adjustability
3
Specially developed memory foam
shapes itself to the foot and feels
wonderfully soft
7
Anti-slip sole
Natural cork footbeds provide the
proper support and make walking
more pleasant
8
Highest quality leathers are
fashionable, durable, and soft to
the touch
4
20
10 0%K
CO R
Swing
With its chunky, coloured sole, Dreamline is a peeptoe sandal you can be seen in. Light, summery and
elegant – yet extremely sturdy and comfortable with its
removable cork footbed. A sandal you could easily run
a marathon in! The upper is made of soft leather and
the closures are fully adjustable.
Swing 3325 Rio / 3326 Havana
Swing 3325 Rio
21
Target
Why should sandals always be boringly brown, play-it-safe black or run-of-the-mill white? The Target hits
the mark with a joyous range of colours in all conceivable variations. What’s more, the sandal is 100% adjustable and has an ultralight XL Light sole. Just that little bit different – for a touch of variety in your life.
22
What’s
your
target?
The sporty Target goes perfectly with trousers,
but why not try wearing it with a snugfitting dress and a cool leather jacket? Very
feminine and amazingly comfortable too.
Target 1125 Target
23
Wolky in the mix with …
Le Pep
From sporty casual to elegant city chic. You can
coordinate Wolkys endlessly with your favourite
brands. Meet Le Pep: sleek, cool dresses with a
French twist that are perfect for every occasion.
“I make dresses I would
wear myself – and that
works”
Le Pep stands for feminine dresses with French
flair repackaged in a cool new look. “We call it
Basic Plus,” says Le Pep founder Daniëlle WagterHuiden (36). “Elegant, mainly plain dresses in a
range of top-quality, robust and slightly heavier
fabrics like jersey and cotton. We pay a lot of attention to the fit and attractive details that really catch
the eye: every dress is unique in its own way.”
Daniëlle launched Le Pep in 2012 following a hip
injury that left her unable to continue in her job.
“I worked for the police but I had to leave. And I
certainly didn’t want to sit around all day doing
nothing! I had to think of something that I could
do even if my hip got no better. I saw a gap in the
market for Le Pep – and I was absolutely right.”
Now the brand not only sells from the Le Pep web
store, it is also available in more than 40 stores in
the Netherlands and around 20 in Belgium. And its
growth trajectory is set to continue: it already has
plans to expand into other countries. “Our dresses
are just that little bit different,” Daniëlle says.
“We want women to get compliments when they
wear a Le Pep dress – and we often hear that they
do.” Daniëlle makes dresses she would wear
herself – timeless, authentic and high-quality.
And that formula works. “My husband and I never
24
dreamed that it would work out, but it’s my fulltime job now. My dream for the future is to be able
to keep on combining Le Pep with my family life and
to allow the brand to grow steadily, because the
possibilities are endless.”
For more information about Le Pep, visit le-pep.nl
Copy Fleur Baxmeier
Photography Robert Rozenbeek
A hint of the 50s with an elegant sandal. The result – a look that’s bursting with
summer in a trendy, ultra-feminine guise. Also great when the sun isn’t shining!
Couture 4640 NYC
Understated yet always stylish and sassy. How do French women do it? Here’s how:
a simple feminine dress and high-heeled, simple sandals. Et voilà!
Step Up 4628 Ixia
Flat sandals are a godsend in the summer, and the possibilities are endless. Go casual
or opt for a smarter look with a close-fitting dress. Effortlessly chic in an instant!
Contour 3307 Isa
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UP
2
The UP2 not only has its own distinctive look, its
soles are unusual too. Instead of one sole it has
two – a midsole of shock-absorbing, flexible poly­
urethane and a rubber sole that gives a good grip
on every surface. The result: a shoe that’s ultralight, ultra-airy and ultra-springy.
2
in the
air
p
u
UP2 4700 Jump
UP2 4705 Kick Summer
UP2 4706 Hit
UP2 4703 Move
UP2 4704 Rush
26
UP2 4701 Fly
4flyx
UP2 4701 Fly
Lisette Burggraaff (33)
Emma Berendsen (18)
Ask four women to dip into
their wardrobes and coordinate one pair of Wolky
shoes or sandals with their
own outfits, and you’ll get
four completely different
looks. QED!
Joke Elisen-Boodt (55)
Annerlie van de Brug (38)
With its upturned toe,
the Fly has a sporty,
distinctive look. And its
ultra-lightweight sole and
removable footbed are so
comfortable you can go on
wearing it mile after mile
after mile. It coordinates
beautifully too – perfect with
jeans for a casual look or a
real eye-catcher worn with
white trousers.
27
Wolky x charity
Playing sports, playing with friends, going to school. These are things that most children take for granted.
But not Teun (age 5). He has spina bifida, an illness that is not widely known – but one that has a serious
impact on the sufferer’s daily life. Teun’s mother, Audrey Nijman, explains what spina bifida means in everyday life.
Where
there’s
a
will,
there’s
a
way
“When he needs new shoes, it’s not simply a matter of going to a shoe shop”
“A person can cope with a lot, I’ve learned. It’s your
child, so you gladly take on all the extra care they
need. Mentally, Teun is just a lovely five-year-old.
Complete with a mischievous streak and a constant
stream of delightful banter. In that respect he gives
me so much pleasure, but I don’t have that lighthearted feeling about him that I see in other
parents. Running barefoot across the grass, rolling
in the sand, or going to play with a friend for the
afternoon. I’m constantly thinking about Teun’s
condition and his health. I can’t just say: “Go on and
play, have fun”. I find that really hard.
“Even as a baby Teun had difficulty passing solids.
He regularly had constipation, an unexplained high
temperature, a sore bottom, a foot at a strange
angle. In his first year we took him to the doctor a
lot, but every time we were sent away again: ‘Give
him some laxatives; constipation is very common in
children.’ We were not taken seriously, and it was
only after we came across spina bifida ourselves by
googling that the doctor said: ‘Teun might well have
that.’ Then it took a good six months to get the
official diagnosis.”
Measuring and fitting
“I had never heard of spina bifida before, and I had
no idea what to expect. Now we’re five years down
the line and I feel like an expert in this condition.
28
Teun has various limitations: he is incontinent
and he has difficulty walking. Without wanting to
denigrate him, it’s almost as if I still have a baby.
I live by the clock because I have to take him to the
toilet every few hours, I have to irrigate his bowel
every evening, and I have to help him put on special
shoes because he can’t walk without them.
“Spina bifida is a congenital defect in which the
spine and spinal cord are not properly formed during
pregnancy. There are various forms, of which Teun
has the most common: spina bifida occulta, which
literally means ‘hidden split spine’. The only visible
sign on the back is a lump, a dimple, a red mark or a
patch of hair. In some cases there is nothing to see
at all, so this form is often only discovered by chance
in a CT scan or a back X-ray.
“Having a child with spina bifida means providing
a huge amount of care. Teun sees so many different
specialists: a urologist, a neurologist, a neuro­
surgeon, a rehabilitation specialist, a physio­
therapist, a social worker, and a paediatrician.
He also goes to a rehabilitation centre, where he
has a rehabilitation specialist and a special needs
educationalist to help him learn to cope with the
fact that he is different from other children. When
he needs new shoes, it’s not simply a matter of
going to a shoe shop. No, first he has to go through
months of measuring and fitting at a shoemaker’s.
“I live by the clock because I have to take him
to the toilet every few hours”
Facing the future with courage
“I’m trying to let Teun grow up like a normal child
as much as possible, but some things are difficult.
Like the special shoes he has: they come up to just
below the knee so he can’t roll off his feet, and
running is harder for him and uses up a lot of his
energy. Because he is incontinent, he can’t just pop
round to a friend’s house to play for the afternoon.
And he always has to watch what he eats. Sure,
Teun can have the odd portion of chips or ice
cream, but he has to balance that out by eating lots
of healthy food. If he doesn’t, he risks becoming
constipated.
“Life with Teun is full of big and small challenges.
Learning to walk, riding a bike without stabilisers,
going to a children’s party. When he does, there is
so much to think about: what do I need to take with
me, will he get healthy food, will he get too tired,
will there be somewhere where I can change him?
It’s quite a performance, but I do it. We tackle every
challenge with a positive attitude because we want
Teun to have as normal a childhood as possible. He
will always have his disability, but what we want is
for him to be as strong as he can be going into the
future. And for him to think: OK, I have my
limitations, but everyone has problems.
“I clearly remember running back to the car on the
day Teun got his spina bifida diagnosis. It had been
a very difficult day, with all kinds of tests from early
in the morning until late in the afternoon. Teun was
exhausted and we had got the worst news. But all
I could think was: Teun will be OK. He will go far,
and when he is 25 we will say: ‘What were we
worried about?’ He’s so entertaining, so funny, so
open. My Teun will get through this: I’m absolutely
convinced of that.”
Copy Fleur Baxmeier
Photography Anneke Nijman and Esther Zwitselaar-Nijman
Spibi Foundation
Social engagement is an important part of our philosophy at Wolky. We learned about the disease
spina bifida because of Teun, the son of friends of Wolky director Anthony Diks and his wife Ingeborg.
Anthony and Ingeborg’s thoughts were: We have a healthy company and two healthy children. Can’t
we give something back? The result is the Spibi Foundation, a charity that aims to improve the lives
of children with spina bifida. Unfortunately there is no cure for spina bifida, but with the targeted and
practical help offered by the Spibi Foundation sufferers’ lives can be made easier – for example with
an extra pair of modified shoes, a balance bike, modifications to the home, or help with legal matters.
To offer your support or find out more about the Spibi Foundation, go to spibi.nl.
29
I get a kick
out of you!
Kicks
Yet another sporty sneaker that’s good for your feet.
Put on a pair of Kicks and you can leave the car behind!
Wolky Kicks are at least as cool as conventional sneakers – and as an added bonus they are good for your
feet! Kicks are as light as a feather, they fit like a glove and they come with a removable footbed. The soft,
matte leather gives them a refined look, and the white midsole adds a sporty touch. Besides the sneaker
model there’s now a sporty bar strap version too.
Kicks 1479 Ibrox 2 / 1478 Anfield
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for walk
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wolky.nl
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Wolky x Design
“The Dopper is a bottle with a message”
Founder Merijn Everaarts’s mission is to consign
disposable water bottles to history. His Dopper
bottle is sold in eight countries and received an
honourable mention in the Red Dot awards, the
biggest design competition in the world. Email
now and win a special Wolky Dopper!
It was late 2009. Businessman Merijn Everaarts
(41) was watching a TV documentary about litter
and the plastic soup in the ocean. He was shocked
by the scale of the problem. “I live in Haarlem, near
the beach. Everyone goes around with disposable
water bottles, and in the summer the beach
is littered with discarded plastic bottles every
evening. But it never occurred to me that all that
plastic was being carried out to sea by the tide,”
says Merijn.
Plastic breaks down but it never disappears
altogether. “It’s like the sugar in your tea,” Merijn
explains. “You can’t see the sugar lump any more
32
but the sugar is still there.” Once in the sea, plastic
deteriorates into a kind of sludge and becomes
part of the food chain, which can cause massive
ecological and environmental problems. Problems
that are occurring right now and are only set to get
worse. Merijn: “When I realised that, I thought:
I have to do something about this.”
He decided to ask the Dutch public to help him
develop the perfect sustainable water bottle, and
Rinke van Remortel, a graduate of TU Delft, came
up with a design that Merijn thought would be a
hit with the public. “The design is not only sexy, it’s
also practical because the cap also acts as a cup.
And the Dopper is made of sustainable, non-toxic
material that doesn’t leave odours and is easy to
clean,” Merijn says.
Water-related
The aim of the Dopper is to raise worldwide
awareness of the plastic problem, reduce plastic
Photo Inbeeld, Driebergen.
waste and encourage people to drink tap water.
But it doesn’t stop there. Five percent of Dopper
sales go to water projects in Nepal via the Dopper
Foundation. Merijn: “We’re also spreading the word
about tap water and waste reduction in schools.
The Dopper is not just a water bottle,
it’s a bottle with a message.”
More than 800,000 Doppers have already been sold
in eight countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Italy,
Denmark, the USA, Canada, Australia and in Asia,
particularly in Hong Kong. Besides the well-known
plastic version there is a steel version that holds
more, and the company is currently working on a
glass version that is set to be launched in a few
years’ time. Innovation is important for the Dopper,
but as Merijn says, “The Dopper will always be
water-related.”
The name Dopper doesn’t actually mean anything.
Merijn: “At a design meeting one day I was saying
that it has always amazed me how people are
constantly opening and closing the cap on their
plastic bottles all day long. It’s all about the cap
(‘dop’ in Dutch). So we started elaborating on that
theme, and suddenly there was the word ‘Dopper’
on the board. I’ve got used to the fact that the name
is well known now, but I still get a kick when I see
someone walking along with a Dopper.”
Find out more about the Dopper at
dopper.com
Copy Fleur Baxmeier
Photography Peter Smith
Win a Wolky Dopper!
Would you like the chance to win an exclusive
Dopper with the Wolky logo? Email win@wolky.nl
before June 1, 2015 and tell us why you should be
one of the lucky winners. Winners will be notified
before July 1, 2015 and will receive a Dopper by
post.
33
Cool, sporty, and masculine through and through.
We proudly present Cloud 9, the Wolky men’s label.
biker
Biker is a sleek, medium-high shoe: smooth,
streamlined and made of supple leather.
The three colours around the rubber sole give
it a sporty touch.
Biker 1235 De Kneet
Light
This new men’s line features soles made of
innovative XL Light, so the shoes are light and
comfortable to wear. The Light series is both
dressy and sporty. Say no to clodhoppers,
and yes to comfortable shoes that are just as
perfect for a business meeting as they are for
a meal out with friends.
Light 9390 Canberra
34
Share the Wolky experience
Designed for walking
Put on a pair of Wolkys and you’ll notice right away:
feet love our shoes. Comfort is what we’re all about.
We pride ourselves on our anatomically shaped
footbeds and lasts designed to produce a perfect
fit, coupled with our passion for style and colour,
carefully selected materials, and elegant finish.
Wolky has been synonymous with quality since we
first started out in 1982. Wolky stands for great
looking shoes with a distinctive design and instantly
recognizable comfort. Shoes you’ll love to wear
time after time after time.
Wolky is a thoroughly Dutch family-run company
that has built up an extensive collection of women’s footwear: from sandals, shoes and pumps
to clogs and boots. And now we’ve also created a
special label for men: Cloud 9. Wolky’s reputation
extends way beyond the Dutch borders; with more
than 2000 sales outlets around the world, we make
shoes that are loved and worn by people of every
conceivable nationality.
Our success story started with just one sandal:
the Alto. A bit alternative, a bit playful. With adjustable straps and a fantastic footbed that shaped
itself to the foot. The Alto sparked a true revolution
in the shoe world, and Wolky still has the power
to ­surprise and delight when people discover
how comfortable our footbeds are. Anatomically
shaped, shock-absorbing, removable, and with
an extra layer of memory foam so they mould
themselves precisely to the foot.
In the years following the launch of the Alto,
we worked on expanding our collection and developed a unique, distinctive style of our own. A style
­characterized by quality, comfort, flair and innov­
ation. Every season we bring out new models.
Always slightly different, always innovative. But
never losing sight of what made the Wolky brand
so ­successful: an innovative, high-quality product
with its own distinctive style.
We now produce more than 25 lines of shoes every
season. More and more of our shoes are made
with eco-friendly materials, including leather that
meets the strictest requirements, and recycled
rubber for the soles. And we’re still focusing on
innovation even after all these years, with a sharp
eye for materials, comfort, colour, design and
durability. With our determination and firm belief
in an honest product, what started out small has
grown into a global brand.
Step into Wolky’s world!
Scorer 2225 Olympico
PUBLICATION DETAILS
Special thanks to
Emma Berendsen, Annerlie
van de Brug, Lisette
Burggraaff, Joke ElisenBoodt, Merijn Everaarts,
Merel Krielaart, Audrey
Nijman, Daniëlle WagterHuiden, Alje Tamminga,
Leontien Zijlaard-van Moorsel,
Michael Zijlaard
Editors Magda Kleinhout
(Wolky BV International),
Fleur Baxmeier ­­(journalist/
copywriter, Utrecht, NL)
Text Fleur Baxmeier,
Magda Kleinhout
Photography Pieter Bas
Doornenbal and Esther Zweers
(InBeeld, Driebergen, NL)
Models Veronique de Kock (B),
Petra Gysen (B),
Make-up and hair Lisette
Bouwknegt and Rosanne
Navis (Beauty & More, Ulft,
NL), Lianne Groot Nibbelink
(Halle, NL)
Art direction, styling and
design Magda Kleinhout
Illustrations Jet Bergmans
(Sprang-Capelle, NL)
Lithography and DTP
Suzy Lanters (Wolky BV
International)
Translations Kari Koonin
(London, UK), Jan Schöntauf
(The Hague, NL)
Print Marc and Peter van
Riet (Partnion, Broek op
Langedijk, NL)
© Wolky BV International,
2014
No part of this publication
may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechan­
ical, photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without prior
written permission from the
publisher.
35
when comfort meets design
Put on a pair of Wolkys and you’ll notice right away: feet love our shoes. Comfort is what we’re all about.
We pride ourselves on our anatomically shaped footbeds and lasts designed to produce a perfect fit,
coupled with our passion for style and colour, carefully selected materials, and elegant finish. Wolky has
been synonymous with quality since we first started out in 1982. Wolky stands for great looking shoes with
a distinctive design and instantly recognisable comfort. Shoes you’ll love to wear time after time after time.
by Wolky xx
This Size 5 is offered to you by: