Annual Members Event

The shoe industry balances on the border between craft and refined art. You can see this very clearly in Eperon d’Or. Izegem has been known for years as the Belgian shoe city par excellence. The stamp ‘Chaussure d’Iseghem’ used to be a sought-after label and the city owes much of its wealth to the shoe industry.

The Eperon d’Or outlines the story of that industry. In the unique building, a colourful series of fine masterpieces is showcased, such as the boots of King William I or the enchanting handicraft from the Eperon d’Or line. You can observe a full production line in the factory hall, showcasing how shoes were manufactured in the 1950s.

After exploring different areas, you will become familiar with ray, toad, and even chicken leg leather, along with various other types of leather. Following the tour, you will never mistake fake leather for genuine leather again.

Certainly, the human aspect is not neglected: the shift from manual labor to mechanization, the anecdotes of the workers, the specialized language, and the everyday experiences within the factory.