The Kenyan touch: Enda Lapatets Trainers
From the very first pair that we built, we wanted to make a shoe that tells the story of Kenya to the world. A shoe that holds true to Kenya’s global reputation of running excellence.
A couple of years later, we’ve not only built an award winning and the most socially conscious shoe that’s great for running, but also, a shoe that has a story.
Just like with our debut lightweight trainers, the Enda Itens, the Kenyan story is also reflected in the little flares of Kenya’s landscapes, history and culture that makes up the Enda Lapatets:
The name: Lapatet
“Lapatet” means running in some Kalenjin languages, a tribe in Kenya that has continuously churned out most of Kenya's great runners. It's how most Kenyan athletes say running.
Just before we built the Enda Lapatets, we did a naming survey, and a couple of name suggestions came in. Nephat's suggestion -Lapatet, was the most popular. So, we invited him to share more about the name:
The Wave pattern on the uppers
The wave-pattern on the uppers was inspired by the waves of Kenya’s Indian ocean, the wind blowing across the Savannah, and the clouds as seen in Kenya’s vast grasslands.
Kenyan Flag and The tip of the spear
A symbol of pride that shines a light to the size of the fight in you. The spear which symbolizes the zeal and readiness to protect our country’s sovereignty, is also the Enda logo. In the same spirit, we see the spear as a reminder to go, to get started, a reminder to step out, to explore, discover and rediscover. A representation of speed, action, and forward progression.
On both sides of the pair and on the topline of the Enda Lapatets is a small tab of the Kenyan flag. Black, red and green are the main colors of the Kenyan flag. The black color represents the indigenous people of Kenya. Red represents the blood shed in the quest for independence, and green is a celebration of Kenya’s rich vegetation cover and agricultural heritage. The white stripes symbolize peace and unity.
Kitenge Strap
We added patterns of Kitenge on the pull tab. Kitenge, sometimes pronounced as Chitenge, is a colorful fabric with bold African patterns and symbols. Kitenge is commonly on head wraps, baby slings or lesos in many African setups.
Harambee
Just underneath the arch at the bottom of all our pairs is the word “Harambee.” Harambee is a national motto of Kenya. It is a swahili word that means“all pull together.” It refers to moments when people come together to accomplish a task that one person would not.
Harambee is also a reminder that the best runs are those done with friends. That as runners, we are at our best while going it together and lifting up each other.
Rift-valley topography
On the outsoles of the Enda Lapatets is a grove that runs from the heel to the forefoot. This groove represents the valley of the Great Rift valley. On the grove, we also added the topographical map of the Rift valley that for a long time has forged most Kenyan runners.
We hope as you step out for your daily runs for which these lovelies are built, you also enjoy these little whispers of Kenya’s history and culture. If you have are looking to get a pair, you can order one here. #TwendePamoja!