Van Lier
Van Lier is a Dutch shoe brand founded in 1815 by Goyert van Lier in Loon op Zand, Brabant. Known for leather shoes, it now focuses on online sales.
| Founded | 1815, Loon op Zand |
|---|---|
| Founder | Goyert van Lier |
| Headquarters | Breda, Netherlands |
| Channel | Online |
| Website | vanlier.nl |
What is Van Lier?
Van Lier is one of the oldest shoe brands in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1815 by Goyert van Lier in Loon op Zand, in the Brabant shoemaking region, and was long run as a family company. Its headquarters moved to Breda in 2023.
History
For most of its history Van Lier was a family-owned shoemaker in and around Loon op Zand. In 2025 the company closed its own stores, and later that year the holding company was sold to Fairmont Capital, in which fashion entrepreneur Nick de Ronde Bresser is a shareholder. He and investor Horizon Capital restarted the business, with de Ronde Bresser leading day-to-day operations.
Products and positioning
Van Lier is known for leather shoes, especially men's lace-ups and smart casual styles, and has also offered women's footwear.
Distribution
Under its new owners the brand focuses on online sales through its own web shop, with no physical stores planned for now.
Why it matters
Van Lier's move from a store-based heritage shoemaker to an online-first brand reflects wider changes in European footwear retail, where heritage names are being restructured around direct digital sales.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Van Lier?
Van Lier was founded in 1815 by Goyert van Lier in Loon op Zand, in the Dutch province of North Brabant.
Does Van Lier still have shops?
Van Lier closed its own stores in 2025 and now concentrates on online sales.