Elegnano® is a pioneering fashion tech company at the intersection of design and technology with a specialization in the development and realization of "real products" - hardware for the techies; products you can touch, feel, experience, and enjoy for the fashion lover. While many know us for our innovative shoe line with the same name, we are equally dedicated to helping other fashion and tech companies create groundbreaking fashion tech products.
THE COMPANY
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee… that is what Elegnano stands for.
Elegnano offers elegant shoes for men and women infused with technology to enhance comfort and durability. Elegnano lives by the motto: float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. Walking through life effortlessly and elegantly, but strong and sharp at the same time. Technological innovation and modern design make this possible. Elegnano is literally, and figuratively a fusion of elegance and nanotechnology.
The Italian craftsmanship and high-tech innovation are brought together in unique designs. The design studio is based in Belgium. We pay a lot of attention to the right fit and materials of the shoes. Only top-quality materials are selected with great care. The exclusive leather goods are handmade in the Marche region in Italy, which is known worldwide for producing high-quality footwear.
The contemporary and innovative nature of Elegnano is emphasized by the design and the use of modern technological developments. Nanotechnology is for example integrated at the level of leather technology to improve the quality, comfort, and durability of the collections. Check out this TEDx presentation by our founder, Katrien Herdewyn, to learn more about the technology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--nUvLi-OjI
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Elegnano received several awards and honors over the past years, including the prize for most promising new business in 2015 - Starter of the Year Belgium. In 2019, Elegnano received the Best Women's Designer Footwear Label by Lux Magazine and the Most Innovative Footwear Label in 2024. Elegnano was honored by Fonds Lionel Vanden Bossche of Koning Bouwdewijn Stichting (Royal King Baudouin Foundation), as well as, KBC Start-it and Netwerk Ondernemen.
THE FOOTWEAR LABEL
CONSULTING SERVICES
Elegnano's consulting services span from wearable technology, like AR/VR glasses and 3D printed wearables, to smart textiles, electronics, nanotechnology, leather alternatives, and more. We collaborate with brands to integrate cutting-edge materials and solutions into their collections and with tech companies to adapt their innovations for the fashion industry.
While we're interested in collaborating on fashion tech products across the board, our specialty is material development and electronics.
Whether creating for consumers or consulting for industry leaders, Elegnano pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in fashion tech and is one of the only companies in the world to offer this service.
THE FOUNDER
Katrien Herdewyn's fascination for shoes started at a very young age: The four-year-old Katrien built a shoe shop in front of the garage and spent hours underneath tables in aisles to look at the shoes of people walking by. In 2010 she graduated as an electrical engineer with a master's degree in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at the University of Leuven. After her studies, she started a Ph.D. in Sciences, in combination with studies in Footwear Design at the Academy of Fine Arts of Sint-Niklaas. She took specialized classes in Fashion Footwear Design at the University of Arts London (UK), Polimoda (Italy), Prescot & McKay (UK), and SLEM (Netherlands). The eccentric collections she designed for the Academy were shown in various exhibitions, fairs, and fashion shows in Belgium, the Netherlands, London, and Paris. In 2013 she was nominated for the Global Footwear Design Award. In 2014 she became the only Belgian finalist in the prestigious Muuse x Vogue Talents - Young Vision Award Accessories.
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Katrien has given talks, lectures, and interviews for national and international audiences and press on Elegnano®, (female) entrepreneurship, and fashion tech, including talks at TEDx, Week of Europe, Vlerick Business School, KUL MBA Program, iMaterialise Conference, EU Horizon 2020, SemiTherm Conference, Deloitte, She Goes ICT (DataNews), and Het Lichaam van Coppens (VTM).
