n.d.c. made by hand was created in 2001 by two friends passionate about shoes. Unable to find the shoes they really wanted to wear, they launched the brand to fulfil their personal need.
n.d.c. made by hand immediately opened a new dimension in men’s and lady’s footwear, offering luxurious materials, comfortable lasts and rejuvenated classics. The collections aimed to be appealing to a wide range of customers — trend setters, luxury lovers, quality freaks, etc — who are in pursuit of understated individualism.
NOM DE CODE
The brand name nom de code — or ‘code name’ – reflects our conviction that the strength of the brand is the product itself. Four key factors define every n.d.c. made by hand collection: simplicity, quality, originality and constructional know-how.
HAND CRAFTED
All of our shoes are hand-crafted by the best European artisans using only carefully selected hides from Italy’s expert tanneries. Our passion for footwear is reflected in the use of quality materials, traditional shoe constructions — blake, goodyear, sacchetto, espadrille, etc — and exquisite finishing techniques. We do our best to turn every pair into a hand made work of art.
Situated in the heart of downtown Brussels, STIJL is a multi-label luxury designer store with two locations. As an early supporter of independent Belgian and innovative international design, founder Sonja Noël opened the first store in the mid-eighties, starting with the Antwerp Six. The store soon became known for its specialized and highly curated selection, as well as its focus on personal advice towards clients and exceptional interior design.
Throughout the years, this innovative and daring vision was translated into a variety of other projects, sparking the resurgence and development of the vibrant Dansaert area, such as STIJL men, STIJL underwear, the continuation of children’s store Kat & Muis (both still staples in the area, now under different owners), the first Maison Martin Margiela store in Brussels, and eco-concept store Haleluja (now transformed into STIJL men).
Over the past three decades, STIJL has continuously strived to support emerging talent and independent creation, choosing designers for their unique voice. This is what gives the store its eclectic identity, from the bold and colourful Dries Van Noten or the sleek and romantic Ann Demeulemeester, to the daring Y/Project and art-inspired Raf Simons, down to the avant-garde Rick Owens, colourful Christian Wijnants and of course Maison Margiela.
This approach now found an additional home online, where we invite visitors to discover and admire the designwork before bringing it home ‒ just like our many window displays have done over the years. Please feel welcome to visit our physical store for additional guidance.
KINAMANIA gives object-oriented creative workshops where Kristina mixes her passion for leather and pattern making with modern technologies: 3d printing, laser and cnc cutting technologies meet with leather lacing techniques to create beautiful and functional leather pieces.
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The workshops are a moment of sharing where time stands still : a unique immersive experience in a cosy atmosphere where participants return home with a personalised leather piece and a strong feeling of pride 🙂
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Experience is not required. Only good eyes, and your good mood!
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You will find below the calendar of workshops. And at the bottom of the page you have more info & pictures about each workshop.
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Note that we also offer customised and team building workshops. Do not hesitate to contact us 🙂
The Brand
Kinamania is an independent Brussels-based atelier with a passion for leather. We make fine iconic footwear inspired by cultural heritage and revisited with elegance and dare. The shoes are made in Spain and Portugal.
“I find my inspiration in basic footwear styles that have stood the test of time to which I add fashion-forward details. This is my way of reinventing heritage.” Kristina
The brand has two main lines – The Essentials which are timeless collections and The Collaborations where Kristina partners with artists, artisans and craft-based NGOs to put their craft in the spotlight.
Collaborations
Kristina has a deep appreciation of makers and cultural heritage combined with a passion for leather as a primary raw material. Driven by her curiosity and her hunger for discovery of creative works, she collaborates with artisans and artists on her shoe collections and takes great pride in partnering, when possible, with craft-based NGOs that drive real changes in people’s lives.
The founder
Former designer and production director to the Johnny Farah House of leather accessories – between Beirut & NY – Kristina Zouein spent countless hours in artisans’ workshops. As a self-taught designer, this was a very formative experience.
In 2015 and with more than 10 years experience, she decides to create Kinamania, a slow fashion brand of accessories with a balanced mix of humility, sobriety and dare.
Of Canadian-Lebanese origins, Kristina lived most of her life in Beirut, until she met her partner and moved to Brussels a few years ago
A committed brand : Kinamania X Cancer
“In November 2019, I was diagnosed with breast cancer which pushed me to redefine the way I am leading my life and my business. Statistics show that 1 in 8 women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and I was chocked when I learnt those numbers, especially to discover that so many women, like myself, below the age of 40 go through this for reasons that are still unclear. Since then, I have committed to support cancer research.”
Leather and sustainability
Kinamania shoes are made from domesticated animal skins that are raised in agricultural settings and treated in European tanneries that are certified for their environmentally friendly working method.
The European leather industry is at the forefront of the conversation and innovation towards lower impact and circular practices :
+ to reduce chemical usage, water, and waste compared to traditional tanning processes.
+ to make sure that animals from which the hide is used are being treated well
+ to ensure that people who produce the leather are treated fairly
Fun facts to know 🙂
+++ It is through a failed romance with a Spaniard that Kristina discovered the abarca sandal style. This traditional Spanish sandal was the trigger to her shoe brand.
+++ KinaMania is a brand name with roots in ‘menorquina’, the alternative name for the abarca sandal which was originally handmade on the island of Menorca in the Baleares. The mania for Kinas is born from menorquina mania!
+++ The shoes have singer name and the subtitles refer to uplifting songs that align to the Craft Your Day tagline.
+++ The tag line says CRAFT YOUR DAY with two dashes. The two dashes symbolise the craftsmanship and hand-stitched design signature of the Kinamania fine footwear atelier.
Atypical leather-craft workshops
Kristina also offers creative leathercraft workshops combining leather and modern technology.
The objective behind those workshops is that participants personalise a beautiful object – in a warm and friendly atmosphere – and proudly return home with a unique souvenir.
WE ARE OPEN !
In the prestigious Royal Gallery of Saint Hubert, center Brussels !
LaLotti is a Belgian fashion label designed for all ages, from sizes 34 to 48. With attention to detail and fit, LaLotti finds a way to every woman’s heart. Our collection is designed by the mother-daughter duo Pascale and Joëlle. Our shoe collection, accessories, and knitwear are always coordinated with our main collection, creating an easy-to-mix collection for the end consumer.
The origins
Lode Cnudde and Pascale Declercq are no strangers to the fashion world and have been active in fashion retail and textile manufacturing for years.
In 2015, they decided to leverage their knowledge and passion for fashion to launch their own label. Given the high demand for oversized mohair vests at the time, this presented an opportunity to respond to this trend with their own knitwear collection, crafted in a small studio in Italy.
Over the years, the knitwear collection grew into a full-fledged women’s collection, and Pascale’s daughter, Joëlle, joined the team in 2022. Joëlle had already completed a degree in fashion and tailoring, making her a valuable asset in both the development and production of the collection.
Today
LaLotti is currently distributed in more than 70 points of sale in Belgium and, since the summer of 2024, around 30 in the Netherlands. Due to strong growth, the family business has expanded with a young team in the past two years to better meet the needs of our end customers and to improve service to our retail customers every day.
OPENING HOURS SHOP
Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: Closed (except during holidays and public holidays)
Wednesday: Closed (except during holidays and public holidays)
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee… that is what Elegnano stands for.
Elegnano offers elegant, exclusive women’s shoes of the highest quality for women that are fashionable and graceful, but also know what they want in life. Elegnano lives by the motto: float like butterfly, sting like a bee. Walking through life effortless and elegant, but strong and sharp at the same time. Elegnano wants every woman to move gracefully through life – like a fairy or a butterfly – without exchanging elegance and femininity for comfort and resilience. Technological innovation and modern design make this possible. Elegnano is literally, and figuratively a fusion of elegance and nanotechnology.
The Italian craftmenship and high-tech innovation are brought together in unique designs. The design studio is based in Belgium. We pay a lot of attention to the right fit and materials of the shoes. Only top quality materials are personally selected with great care. The exclusive leather goods are handmade in the Marche in Italy, known worldwide for producing high quality footwear.
Katrien Herdewyn,s fascination for shoes started at a very young age: The four year old Katrien built a shoe shop in front of the garage and spent hours underneath tables in aisles to look at the shoes of people that walked by, without being distracted by anything above it. In 2010 she graduated as a civil engineer with a master’s degree in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the University of Leuven. After her studies she started a PhD in Sciences, in combination with studies in Footwear Design at the Academy of Fine Arts of Sint-Niklaas. She took specialized classes in Fashion Footwear Design at London College of Fashion (UK), Polimoda (Italy), Prescot & McKay (UK) and SLEM (Netherlands). Her designs are enchanting and delicate, yet edgy and sharp. The eccentric collections she designed for the Academy have already been shown in various exhibitions, fairs and fashion shows in Belgium, the Netherlands, London and Paris. In 2013 she was nominated for the Global Footwear Design Award. In 2014 she became the only Belgian finalist in the prestigious Muuse x Vogue Talents – Young Vision Award Accessories. In November 2014 Katrien started her own commercial shoe label: Elegnano.
Our most beautiful Belgian labels in one (online) store!
At les belges you can find a top Belgian outfit for ladies, juniors and kids, both online and in the showroom.
But also for a unique choice of Belgian design interior pieces or original gifts. Here you will only find the most beautiful designs
from our best Belgian designers and nowhere do you have a wider choice than here.
An absolutely unique #ikkoopbelgisch concept store, which should not be missing on your list of the best (web) shops.
You can count on personal advice both online and in the showroom. So never hesitate to contact us.
In 2014, I embarked on an incredible journey to create my own fashion boutique in Brussels, inspired by my love for minimalist, Scandinavian aesthetics. Clean lines, effortless elegance, and a thoughtful range of prices have always been at the heart of what we do, ensuring something special for every taste and preference.
Over time, with the unwavering support of my passionate team, we have expanded to include men’s fashion and curated homeware collections, transforming Mellow Concept into a true lifestyle destination.
It is my deepest wish that you experience joy and inspiration through our carefully selected pieces.
The Brand
The origins
