The Hand

The Hand is a new boutique purveyor of luxury footwear for men. The Hand sources iconic shoes of extraordinary quality, hand-made by the world’s leading craftspeople. Timeless designs that gain in beauty as they are worn in, and that will last a lifetime. The Hand is unique in Amsterdam and in the Netherlands. It combines a centuries-old artisanal product in its most luxurious form, with a clear vision that is highly contemporary and perfectly aligned with a younger audience. Founder Dennis van de Water guides his clients towards the right bespoke (i.e. made for your feet) and made-to-order (i.e. made for your taste) shoes. To boot, he has curated a ready-to-wear collection featuring formal as well as casual footwear. The Hand works with seven authentic makers, each representing a distinct heritage and philosophy within the art of shoemaking. Their common ground is that they create shoes with soul. Gaziano & Girling (UK), Riccardo Freccia Bestetti (Italy), Mario Bemer (Italy) and Norman Vilalta (Spain) are all under exclusive representation by The Hand. Carlos Santos (Portugal) will be launching a new premium collection, available exclusively through The Hand. The premium lines by Edward Green (UK) and Santoni (Italy) are also available, which will already be more familiar to Dutch aficionados. The Hand also features exclusive handmade leather accessories, by leading artisans such as the Japanese brand Ganzo, which we are proud to be presenting for the first time in Europe. Natural shoe care products by Turms (Italy) are also available. The business model is innovative as well. The Hand was founded with an online-first approach via www.meetthehand.com. It also organizes temporary boutiques, “meet the maker” events, and personal fitting sessions with clients, at a time and place of their convenience, anywhere in the Netherlands or further afield.