Shangies by Stilov – colour, comfort and character

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Stine Albertsen

Lightweight, durable, and available in a wide range of colours, the natural jute sandals from Danish brand Shangies by Stilov have grown into an international success. Combining a clean Nordic aesthetic with everyday comfort, they are now sold by close to 400 unique retailers worldwide.

Shangies began with a fascination for jute as the natural material caught the attention of founder and owner Maria Stilov. Jute gives the sandals their distinctive texture and a gentle, almost massage-like feel. It also makes the sandals more versatile than a conventional summer shoe. “Thanks to the breathable and temperature-regulating qualities of jute, our Shangies sandals are versatile enough to be worn all year round — offering a warm, hug-like comfort indoors as slippers, while feeling airy and cooling outdoors in the summer heat,” Maria explains.

This combination of comfort, colour, and effortless versatility has shaped the brand from the beginning and helped Shangies become a distinctive Danish lifestyle brand first in Denmark and now internationally. This year, Shangies celebrates its 10th anniversary with a growing team of six employees, a 100-square-metre showroom and store in Copenhagen’s Østerbro neighbourhood, and a warehouse north of the city.

Founder and owner of Shangies by Stilov, Maria Stilov.

From car boot to boutique

The idea behind Shangies began during Maria’s seven years in Shanghai, where she worked for a premium Danish furniture company. Surrounded by Scandinavian design traditions and natural materials, she discovered jute and began imagining a product built around the natural fibre. “Then the idea of making sandals in different colours began to take shape, and the idea of developing a sandal brand grew,” she explains.

The first sandal was developed with a designer Maria already knew and who still designs Shangies products today. From the outset, she wanted the sandals to be colourful and comfortable, but also accessible in price and independent of the fashion calendar. That instinct also shaped the way she approached shops.

Shangies by Stilov – colour, comfort and character

In the beginning, while Maria was still partly based in Shanghai, a friend cycled around Copenhagen looking for the small, unique places she felt would suit the brand. Later, Maria drove around Denmark herself in her father’s car, with a car boot full of sandals and an old-fashioned map beside her. “It was high summer, and if a shop asked how quickly I could deliver, I said: in ten minutes. I just went out to the car, packed the order, and delivered it straight away,” she recalls.

From early on, the business also became a family effort, with Maria’s mother helping to build up the warehouse, take care of bookkeeping, and pack orders. Today, at 80, she still lends a hand when needed.

Shangies by Stilov – colour, comfort and character

The fashion of feeling good

The focus on carefully selected retailers has remained important to Shangies. Rather than aiming for shoe shops or large fashion chains, the brand is found in interior shops, lifestyle stores, flower shops, boutique hotels, and other places where sandals are not necessarily expected. “The fewer products there are like ours in a shop, the more fun I think it is,” says Maria. “We would rather be in small, special shops than in all the big chains.”

That approach has not limited the brand’s reach. Today, Shangies is represented in more than 30 countries – from Iceland across Europe and overseas to destinations such as the Caribbean and the USA. Still, the product itself remains deliberately consistent. Rather than following seasonal colour trends, Shangies works with a broad and enduring colour palette that changes only gradually over time.

Today, the Shangies universe spans an impressive 45 colours across six different styles. “I don’t come from the fashion industry, so I didn’t want to make designs based on fashion colours but focus more on timeless designs,” Maria says. “We keep the colours that feel right and occasionally add new styles and colours. “For many customers our Shangies sandals have turned into something collected over time, with many customers returning each year to add another colour. “We have many Shangies fans – I think fashion has moved towards shoes you can actually feel good in, and I hope people feel that in our sandals,” Maria says.

Shangies by Stilov – colour, comfort and character \

To match or not to match

Over time, the Shangies universe has gradually expanded beyond the original Woman#1 sandal. Today, the collection includes styles with heel straps, wedges and kids’ sandals, while growing demand from men has been met with several unisex designs, available in sizes 35–47.

Shangies are very versatile, making them suited to holidays, beach trips, the spa, everyday family life and much more. “They’re designed for everyday life, and they can be washed too,” says Maria.

Indeed, with summer around the corner and Shangies’ combination of comfort, affordability and colour, there is really only one question left – should everyone in the family choose their own favourite colour, or is this the year to wear matching family sandals.

Shangies by Stilov – colour, comfort and character