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BehnidtheSeamsD:erDau

A master shoe cobbler works quietly on a strange machine of a bygone industrial era. A second-generation worker
hammers countless nails into a single shoe. Anyone could say that its an art of the past, or even, a dying art. But they
are master shoe cobblers. Some stitch, some cut, and some finish. Their trade is an ancient one. And their devotion to
it is uncommon, nearly sacred.
This is the outline of Der Dau, a 56-year-old boot manufacturing company. It follows a tradition of perfectionism
established by Jose Der, founder of the Brooklyn, New York-based company. But it wouldnt be a story without a twist.
What happens when a dying art comes face to face with innovation? It either shrivels away or becomes strengthened by
the ideas of a new era. With a background in fashion and the ambition required to lead the boot industry in style and
performance, it was Joseph Der who asked this of his fathers company.
A Solid Start
What Der Dau is today stems from the Cuban tradition of boot making, which Jose mastered under the guidance of his
uncle. He immigrated to the United States in the 1940s with nothing more than the skill of making boots and the
determination to make a life. A Cuban immigrant turned American dreamer, he began his own boot making company.
Morales, as it was then called, was the genesis of Der Dau.

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Joseph and Jose Der


Joseph, now CEO of Der Dau, has the utmost respect for his fathers ardor. He remarked of Jose, Not only is he my best
friend, father, and mentor, but he is a class act. At 87-years-old, Jose Der still imparts his wisdom to his son.
From its humble beginnings, Der Dau has ascended to become a top name in equestrian boots. They make a custom
boot that fits like a glove. Their top-of-the-line riding boots, crafted
from the highest grade of leather, are known for their comfort and durability. The boot is a tool for a rider, and the likes
of Ian Miller, Margie Engle, and Debbie Stephenstrue celebrities of show jumping sporthave put their trust in Der
Dau.
There is always room for improvement. Joseph had a vision to take the company, and its age-old craft, to the forefront
of design and functionality. With the utmost passion, Joseph has constantly sought to perfect the riding boot. He says,
Were always making it better and better. If anyone can make a boot to last a lifetime, Im going to be the first to do it.

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Getting feedback from riders has been crucial to this quest. Under Josephs leadership, Der Dau has gained more and
more awareness of the needs and desires of its market. The input from customers from people like you and mehas
changed the riding boot as we know it. It has been tweaked, tailored, and downright reinvented.
The Paradigm Shift
Der Daus Dream Boot was the first transformation. For countless decades, riding boots were made out of French calf
leather. Boots made from this material were hardy and could last riders for up to 30 or 40years. But those were the
days when breaking in boots meant blisters, band-aids, and endless inventive remedies for the biting pain of stiff
leather against skin.
Fortunately, we no longer have to tolerate that. It became the industry standard to make boots out of baby calf leather,
a much softer leather. For what we gained in comfort, however, we lost in durability. Calf leather boots can only standup to about four years of use. Over time, the constant rubbing of the boot against the saddle and side of horse will
wear out the leather on the inside of the calf.
Der Daus approach to customer awareness paid off. Riders voiced their problems, so Der Dau kicked into action and
invented what is now their top-selling product, The Dream Boot. Joseph is especially proud of this product because, he
says, It gives the customer the best of both worlds. It is made of baby calf leather for softness, but it has a panel of
durable French calf leather on the inner part of the calf.
This was only the start. The Dream Boot has undergone more revisions throughout the years. Each new model does a
little more to perfect the boot and solve riders problems. For example, in order to help riders gain a better grip without
using harmful stick sprays, they created The Dream 2- Grip Boot, employing a radical design of rubber pellets on the
inner calf. Next came a boot with smooth rubber on the outside. Then came the latest model, which is a smooth rubber
reinforced with fiberglass mesh.
The horse world is a traditional one, but it has embraced Der Daus position on the vanguard of function and fashion.

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Der Dau was the first to make color, crystals, and exotic skins available to riders. Their snakeskin, and crocodile skin
trimmed boots might as well have walked straight from the runway into the show ring.
Josephs experience accommodating celebrity and Broadway stars has caught up with the show world, and a wild
mixture of fashion and sport has ensued. It only takes a little creativity to breach the two worlds. Why not use the
stretch leather from leggings to make tight-fitting half chaps? Why not use laser technology to emboss initials on
products? Why not add a little Broadway bling to a fine pair of boots? This is what we call a spirit of innovation.
The fashionable take on the modern boot is a trendy one, yet, if you look in the background, youll still find a shoe
cobbler, working silently at his trade.
-Story by Arden Cone
This article was originally published in the Feb/Mar 2014 issue of Horse & Style Magazine. CLICK HERE to read the
entire issue online!
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