"When I saw fur shoes, I knew I was in the right place," Kanye West [1] exclaimed after visiting the Brother Vellies presentation this past Fashion Week. Well, it seems Kanye isn't the only fan of this up-and-coming talent. Aurora James and her line Brother Vellies are one of three to take home the coveted CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund prize [2] this year. Along with designers Gypsy Sport and Jonathan Simkhai, Brother Vellies's big win just secured its spot on every fashion girl's wish list.
Aurora founded the brand with the intent of bringing her favorite traditional African footwear to the rest of the world. Her designs are handmade in South Africa, Kenya, and Namibia and feature unusual details like fur and fringe. While the debut style was a traditional desert boot known as veldskoen or vellies for short, James's label now includes a number of lust-worthy sandals and slippers too. Intrigued? Read on to shop a few of the cool kicks the fashion world just can't stop obsessing over [3].
Art School Shoes [4] ($285)
Neon Yellow Toe Cap Otavi [5] ($235)
Springbok Congo Sandal [6] ($380)
Leopard Karen Sandal [7] ($395)
Lamu Country Slide [8] ($265)
Painted Slide [9] ($265)
Denim Babouche [10] ($235)
Western Sahara Slip On [11] ($265)