My name is Nina, I’m the founder and creator of West-Strand by Nina.

I was born in a small village called Westendorf in the Austrian Tirol. Growing up in the Alps was full of fun and adventure specially in the winter snow.

In 2008 I made my way to Ireland for a holiday with my sister. Shortly after arriving we heard about Strandhill in County Sligo, the place to be for surfing. So we headed to the Atlantic Coast in the North-West of Ireland. It didn’t take me long to fall in love and not only with the surf.

Coming from a creative family, handcrafting has always been very natural to me. So, when at the age of 15, our local slipper maker, Anna, refused to sell me a pair and told me instead to learn the craft of making slippers for myself, that’s exactly what I did. When Anna retired at the age of 92 I was lucky enough to inherit her 200 year old wooden lasts, enabling me to bring and continue this Tirolean craft on the Atlantic Coast.

West-Strand by Nina was created.

West from Westendorf my home village in Austria and Strand from Strandhill the place I call home now.

The logo is also inspired by the Alps and the Atlantic Coast. West-Strand brings the mountains and the waves together, with a small ‘n’ for Nina.