Apple of Eden

What Apple of Eden does

Apple of Eden Trading, Unipessoal, Lda. is a privately held Portuguese footwear and accessories brand founded in 2010 by Nelson Gomes (Porto) and Friedrich Lüning (Hamburg). The company designs and sources certified leather shoes — including sandals, loafers, ballerinas, and sneakers — exclusively from selected Portuguese manufacturers with whom the founders maintain decades-long relationships, and complements the core footwear line with bags, leather jackets, and jewellery collections. Two trendy collections are released per year, targeting fashion-conscious female consumers seeking Mediterranean-inspired, sustainably produced footwear at accessible price points.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market model. Direct-to-consumer sales run through the company's own e-commerce platforms in English and German (appleofedenshoes.com and apple-of-eden.de), supported by a newsletter funnel offering a 10% first-order discount and integrations with PayPal, Apple Pay, Klarna, and multiple European payment methods. Wholesale distribution to selective retail partners — particularly in the DACH region via the official German storefront operated by ShoeShooting GmbH — runs alongside a B2B login portal for retail buyers, with logistics handled through DHL.

The company is operationally small (11 employees) and founder-controlled, with no disclosed institutional investors or external equity partners beyond a one-time €162,582.75 EU FEDER grant received in 2016 to support export growth. Apple of Eden has invested in ESG transparency through its first GRI Standards 2021 sustainability report covering 2022 and maintains active social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. The brand's positioning rests on Portuguese craftsmanship, certified European-origin materials, and selective distribution rather than volume scale.

Name

Apple of Eden

Legal name

Apple of Eden Trading, Unipessoal, Lda.

Website

https://appleofedenshoes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Apple of Eden is a privately held Portuguese footwear brand founded in 2010 that designs certified leather shoes, bags, leather jackets, and jewellery, manufactured in Portugal and sold to fashion-conscious female consumers through its own e-commerce platforms, selective retail partners, and a B2B wholesale portal in European markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Footwear

NAICS

Footwear Manufacturing (3162), Shoe Retailers (45821), Footwear Merchant Wholesalers (42434), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661), Women's, Misses', And Juniors Outerwear (2330)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury & Designer Footwear (CRAAACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Footwear (CRAAACAH), Outerwear & Cold-Weather Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Women's leather footwear
• Handcrafted shoes
• Fashion leather accessories
• Portuguese shoe manufacturing
• Footwear wholesale

Headquarters

HQ city

Felgueiras

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales (D2C E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer sales through owned e-commerce platforms (appleofedenshoes.com and apple-of-eden.de). Customers purchase shoes, bags, leather jackets, and jewellery as one-time transactions with no subscription component. Multiple payment options including PayPal, Apple Pay, Klarna, credit/debit cards, and purchase on account.
2. Wholesale B2B Sales: Wholesale distribution to retail partners through selective distribution strategy. Company operates B2B login portal for business customers to place orders, indicating active B2B wholesale channel.
3. Retail Distribution: Products distributed through selective retail partners in Germany (apple-of-eden.de as official German distributor) and potentially other regions. The company emphasizes selective distribution as strategically important.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Apple of Eden designs, sources, and sells handcrafted women's leather footwear (sandals, loafers, ballerinas, sneakers) plus complementary fashion accessories including bags, leather jackets, and jewellery. All products are manufactured in Portugal by selected family-owned shoemakers using certified European-origin leather and materials. The company operates its own multi-language e-commerce platforms and a B2B wholesale portal, releasing two seasonal collections per year.

Product overview

Apple of Eden is a fashion footwear and accessories brand offering a cohesive product portfolio centered around shoes (sandals, loafers/ballerinas, sneakers) with complementary product lines including bags, leather jackets, and jewellery. All products are manufactured in Portugal using certified leather and materials of European origin. The company releases two trendy collections per year, with a focus on timeless design, sustainability, and craftsmanship. The brand positions itself as 'Shoes from Paradise' targeting fashion-conscious female customers seeking quality at accessible prices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bags Collection: Bag collection introduced to complement the successful shoe collections
• Leather Collection
• Jewellery Collection

Products and services

• Sandals & Flip Flops Summer footwear including sandals and flip flops, handcrafted in Portugal from certified European leather and materials, designed for the fashion-conscious female consumer.
• Loafers & Ballerinas Classic and elegant loafers and ballerina flats designed for casual chic and everyday wear, produced in Portuguese shoemaking facilities using European-certified leather.
• Sneakers Casual sneakers combining urban style with comfort, made in Portugal from European-certified materials.
• Bags Leather bags and accessories complementing the shoe collections, crafted with the same attention to quality, craftsmanship, and sustainability.
• Jewellery Jewellery collection launched to complement the successful shoe collections and broaden the Apple of Eden fashion portfolio.
• Leather Jackets Premium leather jackets forming part of the expanded product portfolio aligned with the Apple of Eden shoe collections.
• Outlet Discounted previous-season styles available through the official German online shop for value-oriented customers.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• A.S.98: Austrian designer footwear brand offering handcrafted leather boots, sneakers, and casual shoes with a fashion-forward aesthetic. Comparable to Apple of Eden on designer positioning, leather craftsmanship, and selective retail distribution.
• Think! Schuhe: Austrian sustainable footwear brand making handcrafted leather shoes with certified materials and ecological standards. Highly comparable on craftsmanship focus, sustainability credentials, and DACH market distribution.
• El Naturalista: Spanish designer footwear brand producing sustainable, comfort-oriented leather shoes with strong European manufacturing footprint. Closely comparable to Apple of Eden on sustainable materials sourcing, Mediterranean aesthetic, and mid-premium price positioning.
• Officine Creative: Italian handmade leather footwear brand with artisan production methods and timeless design philosophy. Comparable on craftsmanship emphasis, leather sourcing, and selective distribution.
• Pedro Garcia: Spanish-Portuguese designer footwear brand producing handcrafted leather shoes in family-owned factories. Comparable on Iberian craftsmanship heritage, designer positioning, and leather-first product philosophy.
• Josef Seibel: German family-owned footwear manufacturer producing comfortable leather shoes and sandals with European production. Comparable on heritage manufacturing, DACH market presence, and comfort-casual positioning.
• Sixtyseven: Portuguese footwear brand designing women's shoes with a Mediterranean-inspired aesthetic. Comparable on Portuguese manufacturing origin, fashion-casual positioning, and women's segment focus.

Emerging players

• Hoff: Spanish footwear brand growing through fashion-forward sneakers and chunky styles with strong D2C and social media presence. Comparable on European origin, fashion-driven women's footwear, and digital-first marketing approach.

Broad incumbents

• Caprice Shoes: Established German footwear brand offering women's leather shoes with comfort technology at accessible price points. Comparable on DACH market leadership, leather women's footwear category, and broad multi-channel retail distribution.

Others

• ShoeShooting GmbH: Hamburg-based shoe licensing and brand management firm founded by Apple of Eden co-founder Friedrich Lüning. Comparable as the licensor and operational partner for the Apple of Eden brand in German-speaking markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/appleofedenshoes
• Instagraminstagram.com/appleofedenshoes
• Pinterestde.pinterest.com/appleofedenshoes
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apple-of-eden

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Apple of Eden