Veja x Bellerose - Behind the Collab

When Veja launched its debut collection some 14 years ago, Bellerose was their very first wholesale customer. Seeing how both brands value craftmanship, authenticity and durability, the link always was a very logical one.  With our 30th anniversary coming up and Veja having taken the world by storm since then, the time seemed right for an exclusive collaboration. September 20th marks its launch in all Bellerose stores, plus a selection of Veja and Bellerose points of sale worldwide. 

Sebastien Kopp & François-Ghislain Morillon

Sebastien Kopp & François-Ghislain Morillon

Going back in time, it’s fun to look back on how the relationship between Bellerose and Veja started. We’re talking September 2004. After a summer spent in Brazil, sourcing the right materials (biological cotton, natural rubber) and working on the development of their first sneakers, Veja founders François-Ghislain Morillon & Sebastian Kopp found themselves in Paris trying to sell their product at one of the fashion fairs. Young and inexperienced, they had no idea of what was to come next. Enter Patrick Van Heurck (Bellerose founder) and Laetitia Van Gindertael (Patrick’s wife and designer of Bellerose Women), who saw potential in the starting brand and decided to place an order. They bought 36 pairs. The Veja duo had to make a quick run to get a notepad so they could write down the order. 






Ever since, Bellerose has been buying Veja sneakers off and on, cherry-picking the products that appealed to us and that fit in easily with our own style and collections. Honestly, with Veja’s sneakers becoming better and better, we haven’t had any problems finding those cherries in recent years. Since 2004, Veja has grown tremendously, with 1500 points of sale spread over 45 countries in 2018. The additional revenue is used for more research and development in order to create an even better product. True to their original mission statement, Veja keeps investing in the Brazilian family businesses that provide the wild rubber, enabling them to save even more rainforests from being destroyed. 

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That stubborn belief in what they do is something Bellerose can easily relate to, having survived several stormy seas throughout the years ourselves, without ever compromising our original vision and ideas. Though Veja is by far the biggest brand of the two, the respect and admiration for one another has been a constant since those early days. It thus goes without saying that it is with great enthusiasm that we present this collaboration. Part of the limited-edition Bastille series, the Veja X Bellerose sneakers were designed by Bellerose’s Derek Van Heurck. He opted for the classic V10 model for adults and the Esplar velcro model for kids, using bold and lively colors that perfectly complement our own universe.

Partick Van Heurck & Derek Van Heurck

Partick Van Heurck & Derek Van Heurck

We could encourage you to “hurry up” and “discover” both models now but we’re quite sure that you’re already on your way. 

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