Freedom Of Movement

What Freedom Of Movement does

Freedom Of Movement (FOM) is a South Africa–based fashion and lifestyle brand founded in 2013 that designs, sells, and distributes footwear, bags, apparel, and accessories directly to consumers under its own label and a portfolio of sub-brands. Its product architecture centers on a footwear-first assortment (Tekkies sneakers, Vellies leather shoes, the premium Best Vellie in the World line, Diski, MOOVS, Chelsea boots, sandals), paired with a full bag range (handbags, backpacks, business bags, travel bags), apparel for men and women, and accessories (wallets, socks, headwear, belts, sunglasses, watches). The company operates sub-brand franchises such as FOM x Kolisi (a Siya Kolisi collaboration tied to community impact in Zwide), MOOVS, and Diski, and runs seasonal collections (Winter '26, Autumn '26) to drive repeat purchase.

The business runs an omnichannel model: a primary Shopify-powered direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at freedomofmovement.co.za, a parallel UK storefront at fombrand.com, and physical retail stores across South Africa served from a Cape Town warehouse and distribution hub at Harvest Park, Richmond Industrial Precinct. Revenue mechanics are one-time product sales (apparel, footwear, bags, accessories) plus digital gift cards (R250–R4000 denominations); checkout supports buy-now-pay-later via Payflex and PayJustNow, and orders over R1500 ship free. Personalization services (embossing/customization) are offered on select bags and accessories.

FOM serves primarily South African male and female consumers seeking durable, lifestyle-oriented footwear and apparel priced for the local market, with a secondary exposure to English-speaking international buyers via the UK storefront. No revenue, funding, ownership, or management team data is publicly disclosed in the input material, and no AI/ML capabilities, enterprise SaaS products, or third-party platform integrations beyond Shopify payments are described. The company appears to be a privately-held, founder/operator-led independent retailer of meaningful scale (51–100 employees) operating a niche but mature D2C brand franchise.

Name

Freedom Of Movement

Legal name

Freedom Of Movement

Website

https://freedomofmovement.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Freedom Of Movement is a South African fashion and lifestyle brand that designs, manufactures, and sells footwear, bags, apparel, and accessories directly to consumers through a Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront, a parallel UK site, and physical retail stores, serving men and women via sub-brands such as FOM x Kolisi, MOOVS, and Diski.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fashion & Lifestyle Retail

NAICS

Shoe Retailers (45821), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)

SIC

Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Retail-Family Clothing Stores (5651)

akta.pro primary industry

Casual & Lifestyle Footwear (CRAAACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Handbags & Purses (CRAAAJAA), Fashion & Accessories Marketplaces (CRAFABAA)

Keywords

• Lifestyle fashion brand
• Leather footwear
• Premium apparel
• Travel bags
• South african fashion

Headquarters

HQ city

Cape Town

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: One-time product sales of footwear, apparel, bags and accessories through direct e-commerce and retail channels.
2. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations from R250 to R4000, redeemable online only at freedomofmovement.co.za

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Freedom Of Movement designs, markets, and retails South African fashion and lifestyle products including footwear (sneakers, vellies, boots, sandals), apparel (tops, bottoms, jackets, dresses), bags (handbags, backpacks, business and travel bags), and accessories (wallets, socks, headwear, belts). The company sells directly to consumers through its Shopify e-commerce platform and physical retail stores in South Africa, with personalization options available on select products and collaborations such as the FOM x Kolisi collection.

Product overview

Freedom Of Movement (FOM) is a South African fashion brand offering footwear, apparel, bags, and accessories for men and women. The product portfolio is organized around core footwear lines including Tekkies (sneakers), Vellies (leather shoes), and the premium Best Vellie in the World (BVIW) line, complemented by bags (handbags, backpacks, business bags, travel bags), full apparel ranges, and accessories (socks, headwear, wallets, belts). Seasonal collections like Winter '26 and Autumn '26 feature new product introductions, while the FOM x Kolisi collaboration adds limited-edition pieces. The brand operates through an e-commerce platform with buy-now-pay-later payment options and offers personalization services for select products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FOM x Kolisi: A collaboration collection with Siya Kolisi, featuring apparel and footwear designed to fund sports facilities in Zwide, South Africa.
• MOOVS
• Diski

Products and services

• Tekkies (Sneakers) Sneaker footwear line available for men and women in various colors and materials, suited to everyday and lifestyle wear.
• Vellies Classic South African-style leather shoes for men and women, including the Best Vellie in the World (BVIW) premium sub-line.
• BVIW (Best Vellie in the World) Premium vellie line positioned as the "best vellies in the world," offering higher-end leather shoes.
• Diski Sneakers Limited edition sneaker collection including Diski '98, inspired by South African football heritage.
• MOOVS Sneakers Casual sneakers available in various colorways for men and women.
• Boots (Chelsea and Other Styles) Chelsea boots and other boot styles for men and women.
• Sandals Men's sandals including adventure flops and Toby Flop styles, suited to outdoor and casual use.
• Handbags Women's handbags including Block Betty, Emily, Emma, Evelyn, Kate, Rosie, Soso, Tina, and other named styles.
• Backpacks Backpacks for men and women including Explore, Rio, Sam, and Wanderer collections, plus non-leather options.
• Business Bags Professional bags including Jamie, Roger, and Russell lines for men and women.
• Travel Bags Travel bags including Frankie and Franklin collections, plus non-leather travel options.
• Apparel Full clothing range including T-shirts, shirts, sweaters, jackets, pants, shorts, dresses, and jumpsuits for men and women.
• Wallets & Card Holders Men's and women's wallets, card sleeves, travel wallets, and zip wallets in various leather finishes.
• Socks Men's and women's socks in various styles including crew socks and active socks.
• Headwear Caps and beanies including dad caps, structured caps, and waffle knit beanies.
• Coolers and Carriers Venture Cooler and Backpack Cooler products for temperature-controlled storage.
• FOM x Kolisi Collection Collaboration collection with Siya Kolisi featuring apparel, footwear, and accessories. A portion of proceeds helped fund a sports facility in Zwide for young athletes.
• FOM Gift Card Digital gift cards available in denominations from R250 to R4000, redeemable online only at freedomofmovement.co.za.
• Personalization Service Personalization options available on select bags and accessories through embossing or customization at checkout.
• Autumn '26 Collection Autumn 2026 seasonal collection including chinos, jackets, shirts, sweaters, and footwear.
• W26 Collection (Winter '26) Winter 2026 seasonal collection featuring new textures, knitwear, Diski Sneaker, and Tina Bag.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and flagship.

• PayflexsupportingOthersPayment provider enabling buy-now-pay-later options for customers at checkout
• PayJustNowsupportingOthersPayment provider enabling buy-now-pay-later options for customers at checkout
• Siya Kolisi (FOM x Kolisi)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with South African rugby captain Siya Kolisi. Inspired by his journey, the collection helped fund a sports facility in Zwide, creating a space where young athletes can train, grow and believe in something bigger. Products include Twill Zip Through Jacket, Crew Neck Sweat, Denim Pants, and Chelsea Boots.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Birkenstock: Established casual and lifestyle footwear brand with strong heritage and sandal/closed-toe categories. Comparable to FOM on heritage-craft positioning and sandals/Vellies-style closed footwear.
• Aldo: Global footwear and accessories chain with a comparable mix of casual/dress shoes, boots, and handbags at accessible price points, overlapping with FOM's Tekkies, boots, and handbag ranges.
• Steve Madden: Global fashion footwear and accessories brand with broad assortment of casual shoes, boots, and handbags. Closely comparable to FOM's lifestyle footwear-plus-bags portfolio and mid-market price positioning.
• Truworths: South African premium fashion retailer with comparable mid-to-premium apparel and accessory positioning. Overlaps with FOM's apparel and bag categories and shares a similar customer demographic.
• Merrell: Global outdoor and casual footwear brand with hiking, sandals, and boots that overlaps with FOM's Vellies/Boots/Sandals range targeting active lifestyle consumers in the SA climate.
• Mr Price: Largest South African value apparel and footwear retailer. Overlaps with FOM across men's/women's apparel and basic footwear but competes on price rather than premium heritage positioning.

Regional players

• Superbalist: Major South African online fashion marketplace carrying third-party footwear, apparel, and accessories. Comparable as a regional SA channel competitor for the same discretionary consumer wallet share that FOM targets.
• Polo South Africa: South African heritage footwear and apparel brand with comparable vellie/casual footwear and SA-pride positioning. Closely aligned to FOM's heritage narrative and product mix within the local market.

Emerging players

• Hammitt: Premium handbag and accessory brand with a focus on personalization and limited drops. Directly comparable to FOM's handbag assortment (Block Betty, Tina, Kate, etc.) and personalization service positioning.

Direct peers

• Veldskoen Shoes: South African heritage footwear brand selling vellies and casual leather shoes, directly overlapping FOM's Vellies and BVIW product category and serving the same SA consumer base with a similar proudly-local positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fombrand
• Facebookfacebook.com/FOMbrand
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freedomofmovement

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Freedom Of Movement