Renowned Dutch shoe designer Jan Jansen has died at the age of 85. Jansen was celebrated for his innovative and groundbreaking designs, earning him national and international acclaim throughout his six-decade career. He began his work in footwear inspired by his father’s profession in a shoe factory, and opened his own Amsterdam atelier in 1964. Jansen became famous for incorporating unconventional materials like bamboo – his “Bamboeschoen” design brought him global attention in 1973 – and reimagining traditional Dutch footwear, such as with his “Woody” clog-inspired shoe. He attributed much of his success to his wife, Tonny, who provided valuable market insight. Despite facing frequent design imitations, Jansen remained committed to creating both aesthetically pleasing and functional shoes, having designed over 4000 pairs during his lifetime. A retrospective exhibition of his work was held at Museum Jan in Amstelveen five years ago.