Boots © Martin Bing

Dirk Bikkembergs, one of the famous ‘Antwerp Six’, would become known for his signature shoes: robust with a defiantly utilitarian aesthetic, inspired by boots worn by the military, mountaineers, and construction workers. In the 1980s, his designs particularly stood out from the then-popular sharp, Italian style of men’s footwear. Specifically, Bikkembergs footwear was stitched from thick, hardwearing leather atop heavy soles, often making a decorative feature of straps and lacing. One early signature feature was the bootlace passed through an eyelet in the heel of the boot, creating a bound-in aesthetic reminiscent of mountain-climbing footwear.