ArtEZ University of the Arts
Specialisms: Footwear / Accessories / Product Design
Location: Arnhem, Netherlands
First Name: Maxim
Last Name: Verheul
Specialisms: Footwear / Accessories / Product Design
Sectors:
My Location: Arnhem, Netherlands
University / College: ArtEZ University of the Arts
Course / Program Title: Product design
Maxim Verheul is a cultural footwear designer from the Netherlands. Maxim translates and innovates our cultural heritage into our contemporary world. Maxim is a designer that looks to our past and present and connects them with his design.
Walk on Wood! Maxim Verheul Clogs are wooden shoes that have been worn in the Netherlands since the Middle Ages. They form an integral part of Dutch cultural heritage and they are still being worn in rural areas mostly. In todays urban landscape however, these traditional Dutch shoes are rarely seen and even frowned upon. Designer Maxim Verheul wants to celebrate the historical significance of clogs by translating them in a modern way. His aims are for clogs to make a comeback in urban environments and become normalized in society once again. Clogs provide examples of how natural materials like wood have been utilized in an industry that today primarily uses synthetic materials. Maxim wants to show people that wearing natural materials doesn't have to be traditional. He wants to create wooden shoes that offer innovation and that fit different styles. ‘Walking on Wood!’ is Maxims interpretation of what clogs could be nowadays, bridging history, craft, innovation and contemporary life. Let’s all walk on wood!