For Veronique Branquinho’s A#6, Belgian shoe designer Els Proost has written this personal, honest poem to tell her story of dreams becoming reality in the fashion business. Els is the co-owner and designer of the Antwerp-based boutique mens and womens shoe label Elsa, alongside  partner Angelo Penazzato. Read her words below:

“This is a wicked little fairy tale

About Elsa searching for her trail

Age eleven she has some money to choose

And bought some wedge-heel platform shoes

Her mother coloured purple, red and green

A child on platforms was not her dream

So every night she prayed and prayed

To once have a fantastic shoe parade

Creating shoes would be so cool

So off she went to fashion school

Designing clothes was not her goal

For shoes and accessories were in her soul

So every night she prayed and prayed

To come closer to her shoe parade

She started sewing soles and leather

And, Yes! A first shoe was put together

She struggled and tried till late at night

And after a while she had it right

Still every night she prayed and prayed

To create a full-blown shoe parade

Dries Van Noten gave her a chance

She was so happy she could dance

From him she lerned to create

Working there was really great

Still every night she prayed and prayed

To create a world-famous shoe parade

in Milan she found a working space

Drawing Armani shoes became her case

But creating shoes alone was not enough

She also wanted to make accessory stuff

So again every night she prayed and prayed

To make an accessory and shoe parade

Martin Margiela was her big love

So to Paris she went off

From him she learned to understand

How a mind can create a brand

But still every night she prayed and prayed

To once have her very own shoe parade

So she left and took a bit of rest

Making a collection was now the test

So that’s exactly what she did

An now she gave birth to her very own kid.”

Photography by Jaklien Teuwen