Fashion

FROM SHOE HEAVEN TO ASPARAGUS FARM

The special Brabant trip of Jet and May

“Which province are we in exactly?” asked Jet as we got out in the Brabantian Oisterwijk. The girls were out of the city, you know. What am I saying; we were below the rivers. And we thought it was fun. We had already zoomed past farms where you could buy asparagus and strawberries from the land. We would buy those on the way back, because first we had to get cash. At least I assumed this farm wouldn’t accept American Express.

And we had a mission. We were going to Mayke. Just in case you’re as clueless as I am and have never been there; Mayke is the shoe heaven on earth. And not just shoes, also bags, accessories, and a thousand fun things for your home. Plus the famous room spray that our editorial team is crazy about as Renske puts it. By the way, I found out the secret of this scent, which Mayke (the founder of this paradise) had developed herself, and it gets even more wonderful, unique, and divine from there.

Anyway. We were at Mayke to attend her annual lunch. At this lunch, all the lovely (and exceptionally well-dressed) women gather in her shop, and Mayke provides some fashionable entertainment. This year it was in the form of the illustrious trio Jet, Fred, and me. Jet talked about how to achieve the magical mix of being fit and stable while also occasionally having a hangover or a chubby cheek. I climbed onto my soapbox about how to develop your own signature style, and Fred revealed his styling secrets and whispered to the ladies which seven basic pieces they should have in their wardrobe.

In between talking, our eyes were already darting to everything displayed on the shelves. With a slightly elevated heart rate and heavy breathing, I was browsing the store with Jet. “And May, soon the tables will be cleared and the higher segment will be displayed,” Jet said. I asked if that referred to the height of the heel or the price, but when the cordon of Prada, Aquazzura, Jimmy Choo, and Isabel Marant was rolled in, I knew enough.

Now I was really restless. And I also saw cloches for the house, orange with golden plates (how nice for this King’s Day) and a set of six different but still matching wine glasses. I was craving Isabel Marant sneakers, I had to have those black studded heels from Laurence Dacade, meanwhile I was stroking a yellow Louis Vuitton bag with parrot embellishments from another attendee and I realized that little sandal from Jimmy Choo was truly indispensable in my summer wardrobe.

Meanwhile, I could no longer see the counter because there was a big shoe orgy happening as that greed had spread like a virus to everyone present. It’s a miracle that all three of us (our sales director Daan was also with us) left the store with just one pair of shoes. We barely had a few euros left to buy asparagus and strawberries from the farmer...