On August 12th, 2007, I pulled into the parking lot by the quay at Dale Shoe Factory in Dale, Sunnfjord.
Freshly graduated as an industrial designer from Milan, the contrast couldn’t have been greater. But the slower pace of Dale would turn out to be something I’ve valued ever since.
I was greeted by the factory manager and owner, Stein Grov Eilertsen. He had agreed to teach me how to model shoes — in exchange for working on the factory floor in the lasting department, where uppers are shaped and soles are attached.
I had dreamed of making shoes since I was 13.
And I had never been closer to the source than this.
Foto: Firda/Hilde Genberg
With large windows overlooking Sunnfjord as a backdrop, Stein walked me through the factory — past the old machines, racks of lasts, and shelves filled with rolls of leather.
The 18 months I spent in Dale would shape me as a footwear designer for years to come.
The people who had worked there since they were young.
The access I was given to Norwegian shoe craftsmanship and traditional dress.
And the quiet rhythm of life along the fjord — something entirely on its own.
When we set out to create a bunad shoe for men, we knew the fit had to be right for a Nordic foot.
That’s when I remembered one of the most comfortable lasts we had at the factory in Dale — called Emil.
I tracked down the German manufacturer and asked them to dig it out of their archives.
The result is a shoe that fits like a glove.
We chose to make it in leather, combined with the same level of comfort as the women’s version.
And when it came time to name it, there was only one choice.
We named it after Stein.
Foto: Hordaland Avis/Daniel Melve Kvarme
