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Designer Evelyne Van der Looven (46) has opened the Kunoka shoe store on the Kortrijksesteenweg in Sint-Denijs-Westrem. Behind the case lies the story of a conversation with a stranger in New York and the pursuit of local production.
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Lotte Ruysschaert
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Van der Looven worked for Italian and Spanish shoe brands for a while, when she got the urge to design her own prototype. And so it happened in 2017. She was sitting on a bench in New York’s Central Park, when a lady spoke to her about her footwear. “She absolutely loved the model and asked where the shoes were for sale,” says Van der Looven.
Nowhere then, but the conversation was very pleasant and the complete stranger convinced Van der Looven to go for her dream: “It was the right conversation at the right time”. The woman’s name is Gabrielle Kunoka and that’s how Van der Looven found the name of her brand. In 2018 she started with Kunoka. (read more below photo)
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The designer from Sint-Martens-Latem set up her company from home. Van der Looven now employs five people, and it was time to give the brand its own place. She found them in Sint-Denijs-Westrem, where a shop has been set up next to the offices. It is open during office hours from Monday to Friday. “It is actually a service point, where customers can come and try on our shoes, or return or exchange shoes that they have ordered online.”
Kunoka shoes are made in Portugal. It was a conscious choice by Van der Looven to keep production in Europe. “It is more sustainable to keep production close by. That way I know for sure that my employees there are paid correctly and are well off.”
Van der Looven designs all shoes himself, from sneakers and sandals to boots and loafers. “My inspiration really comes from everywhere. I look around all day, and the simplest things like food on my plate can inspire me.” The current collection is aimed at quirky ladies, but next year three gender-neutral sneakers will be added. Comfort and colors are central.
INFO: www.kunoka.com/nl, Kortrijksesteenweg 1092, 9051 Ghent. Open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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