At JIIJ we solved a problem and found a voice for our community. Our shoes were built to advocate for all aspects of who you are and we are proud to walk in your shoes.

 

The journey of JIIJ begins with our founder Ieva Juskaite. Her story is wound into the fibres of JIIJ. As a young girl living in Post-Soviet Lithuania, Ieva grew up on the notion of possibility and opportunity, ready to shake off societal constraints and to express herself.

 

The fashion world for all its possibilities can also be a very isolating and exclusive place. Whilst experimenting with styling, Ieva noticed one element where there were never choices available to her. Shoes.

 

With feet deemed to be a larger than average size for a woman, there were no brands or products on the market that offered Ieva a choice, yet alone, an elegant or feminine solution. Ieva was always forced to compromise, either squeezing her feet into shoes too small or accepting the men’s styles on offer. For anyone who finds joy in self expression, to be confined and restricted because your industry ignores you, is a difficult pill to swallow.

 

Alike many creatives Ieva took this challenge and transformed it into an opportunity and this was the birth of JIIJ. Realising that she was definitely not alone in her struggles, Ieva wanted to build a shoewear line that offered a solution for everyone who felt excluded when it came to footwear. By embracing herself as an outsider, Ieva had placed herself at the core of a new community that shared the same struggles and motivations. From women to men and everyone in between, JIIJ would offer styles and sizes to suit everyone. There is no definition to who can or can’t wear JIIJ and for what occasion.  

 

As well as being inclusive in a practical and emotional sense JIIJ was formed to enhance the world we live in, not take from it and that’s why sustainability is grounded in the very foundations of the brand. Made exclusively from plant based materials, JIIJ allows you to experience fashion with a conscience.