SLEM introduces TEAM1

Not only does SLEM offer education for footwear students and professionals, the organization as such is a school as well, providing traineeships to students. We proudly present our first team of trainees who will help build SLEM from scratch.

Richenny “Ryfa” Felicia – 22 – practically lives in his neon pink Nike Hyperfuse Air Force 1s, can’t stand the thought of wearing dress shoes, wishes he can someday afford a pair of Kris van Assche sneakers and hopes to one day be the Editor-in-Chief of his own fashion magazine.

He studies International Fashion & Branding at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute and wants to do his work placement at SLEM because of the exciting, diverse and unique opportunity to build a brand from the ground up.

Anouk Huijgens – 21 – loves her red suede Jaime Mascaro wedges, can’t stand Crocs, wishes she owned a pair of Jimmy Choo heels and wants to become a brand manager in the future.

She studies International Business Administration at the Univerity of Tilburg and decided to do her work placement at SLEM, because of her passion for shoes, the diversity of the internship, and the challenge to build something brand new.

Indi van Bijnen – 21 – is obsessed with Converse All Stars, can’t stand Uggs, wishes she had a closet filled with designer shoes and hopes to one day see her work grace the covers in newsstands.

She studies Allround Styling at Academie Artemis in Amsterdam and chose this internship because it fits her love for shoes and she embraces the unique opportunity to have creative input in building this new institute.

Kiki Starrenburg – 22 – can’t live without her Tommy Hilfiger cowboy boots, can’t stand Birkenstocks and Skechers, would kill for a pair of Christian Louboutins and hopes to set up her own concept developing agency that focuses on Fashion and Leisure Management in the future.

She studies International Lifestyle Studies at Fontys in Tilburg and chooses to do her work placement at SLEM because of “the amazing opportunity to make SLEM the best and most exciting innovation and education center in footwear”.

Nicoline van Enter is the ‘SLEM mom’, she loves shoes  - and earrings - that are downright weird, is allergic to Teva sandals, and wishes she could one day buy the ‘Hommage to Giger’ shoes that master shoe maker René van den Berg made to her size years ago. She still does not really know what she wants to become when she is grown up, but while she thinks about that, she is scheming to turn SLEM’s peaceful hometown of Waalwijk into shoe paradise. She studied Apparel Technology and Journalism, but went into a different direction and became a world-renowned footwear forecaster with her company Ytrends. One year ago she took on the challenge to take her vision and experience to the next level and accepted the invitation to set up SLEM, so she can help teach the new ideas and technologies she is forecasting.

The portraits of the SLEM team members were made by Nadja Pollack.