Cast your mind back to 2015, and you’ll surely remember the moment DHL Express burst onto the fashion landscape through its surprising collaboration with the hottest brand of the moment, Vetements. Cut to 2022, and the international logistics provider continues its forays into the fashion world, with a brand new partnership with rising South African footwear label Veldskoen. 

Launching this week comes a wild new shoe dubbed ‘Dear Everyone’. Handcrafted in Durban, South Africa, the mid-top style features a vibrant mural to the upper bearing the project’s unique message, as envisioned by local artist Reggie Khumalo. Details come via dual logo branding, a soft suede toe-cap, and punchy laces, while a small South African flag trim demonstrates the style’s heritage and completes the picture.

“When DHL approached us with an idea to collaborate on a limited edition shoe to highlight South African fashion, it was a no-brainer for us,” explains Veldskoen CEO Nick Dreyer, who co-founded the brand with Ross Zondagh back in 2016. “Their previous fashion projects really pushed the boundaries with some unexpected pairings, so being selected as the first African brand was super exciting. There were instant synergies between our two brands – the most obvious being the desire to make a difference in the communities in which we operate.”

Meanwhile, with collaborations in Europe, Asia, and North America under its belt, it was important to DHL to expand globally by linking up with an African label for its next special project. “The DHL x Veldskoen campaign evolved quite dramatically with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reveals Megan Collinicos of DHL Express in Sub-Saharan Africa. “A fashion collaboration of this scale presented the opportunity to share a purpose-driven message with the world. The impact of the pandemic has shown that while we are not all the same, we are all of the same.” Hence, the ‘Dear Everyone’ shoe. 

With just 365 pairs of the unique, handcrafted shoe up for grabs, the style will get its debut at an unveiling party in London this week (March 17), with those keen to get their hands on it encouraged to enter a special shoe drop lottery to be in with a chance of scoring a pair. For more information on how to do that, head here – and check out the ‘Dear Everyone’ shoe in the gallery above.