SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC LEGEND, ANTON GOOSEN, LAUNCHES HIS OWN LINE OF VELLIES
Over the years, Anton Goosen’s music has become synonymous with the Afrikaans culture.
In celebration of his successful career and heritage, the Liedjieboer has joined forces with Vellie Boutique to launch his own exclusive line of vellies, called JANTJIE VELLIES that was manufactured according to his unique specifications.
Anton, who has been wearing vellies on stage since the 80s, has always been obsessed with this comfortable shoe and even has a 1980 painting (by Hermien Spies) of a pair he bought at Karasburg Handelshuis in the old Southwest Africa, which was used on the cover of his third album, Liedjieboer.
These shoes, which he still nostalgically refers to today, were made of kudu leather (or as he says – “it was a kudu before it was a shoe”) and attracted a lot of attention because the laces broke while he was on tour, and he had to replace them with white electrical wire because that was all he could find.
Audiences enjoyed this humorous anecdote so much that it became part of his shows and he always used to joke that the wire laces were extra special because you could plug them in to connect to the “beat” of the music. It is this story that served as inspiration for the musician and songwriter’s own unique vellies.
According to Vonk Musiek’s Kobie Koen, JANTJIE VELLIES can be described as modern vellies that were manufactured according to old, nostalgic values.
“Anton wanted a nostalgic design that relates to the shoes he wore in the painting, and we made about seven rounds of changes before the final product was completed,” he explains. “It’s a low-cut suede vellie that fits comfortably like a slipper but is modern enough to meet the latest trends. We are very proud of the final product.”
The name of the shoe was inspired by his hit, Jantjie, which was recorded and made famous by Sonja Herholdt in 1976.
“Jantjie has had a major impact on my life and career. He worked for us in Kroonstad and taught me to smoke, milk a cow and play the guitar, and his wife was Katryntjie. She did the most beautiful floral arrangements,” Anton shares about why they decided on this specific name. A Katryntjie vellie is also in the pipeline for the near future. They are also planning on expanding the Liedjieboer-range even more over the next few months.
Anton is an acclaimed musician, director and songwriter, with more hits behind his name than any other South African, including Silver de Lange, Boy van die suburbs, Byeboerwa, ‘n Brief vir Simone, Kruidjie-roer-my-nie, Jantjie, Waterblommetjies, Harlekyn, Hanoverstraat, Trein na Matjiesfontein, Ta’ Mossie se sakkie-sakkie boeredans and many more.
Furthermore, the artist also boasts more than twenty best-selling albums and numerous music awards. He has shared the stage with the biggest South African artists and performed at all the major music festivals in the country. He is regarded as the father of Afrikaans rock music and has laid the foundation on which many successful artists built their careers.
Anton Goosen: Liedjieboer, a biography written by journalist Hanli Retief, was released in 2020 by NB Publishers.
Currently he is performing all over the country and working on music for a new album.
JANTJIE VELLIES are available online at www.vellieboutique.co.za.
“These vellies are super comfortable. I have been wearing them non-stop for the past few weeks and am really impressed,” Anton concludes.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AntonGoosen
Website: www.antongoosen.co.za