German-French friendship: The Veja brand and Berlin have created a sneaker. What is behind the urban footwear.
Veja x Berlin: The Berlin sneaker is for the brand’s first cooperation with a metropolis.Look
Anyone who has strolled through the pedestrian zones of this world in recent years has certainly noticed the trendy Veja shoes at least once: The trademark is the V emblem cut off at the bottom on the side of the sneaker, which is available in any color. Whether red, blue, gray or black – the leather sneaker has become the real thing It-Piece established.
Former investment bankers Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion wanted to design sports shoes that were manufactured as sustainably as possible. In 2004 they founded their brand. What began with just 10,000 euros in seed capital is now a great financial success: According to the company, it has sold more than 3.5 million pairs of shoes since it was founded. Stars like Emma Watson, Reese Witherspoon or Duchess Meghan also wear the shoes from France.
Now the Berlin bear adorns the new model of the brand: Other labels such as Adidas and Co. have demonstrated special Berlin shoes, now Veja has designed a model himself in cooperation with the Berlin Senate: The Senate Chancellery is giving 105,000 euros for the cooperation, which is intended as an advertising campaign out; Whoever wears the Berlin sneaker automatically becomes an ambassador for the city, according to the somewhat crude marketing idea. For Veja, on the other hand, the sneaker should pay tribute to the place where the cornerstone for the current success of the brand was laid: Berlin was one of the first cities where the project started 17 years ago.
Sébastien Kopp says that some initially advised against opening a store in Berlin. “Many said don’t go to Berlin, it’s difficult there,” said Kopp. However, the managing director explains that he has always opened stores with his label where the brand and its makers feel most comfortable. And one of these places is the German capital.
Berlin is a balance between coolness and the weight of history, between modernity and the artistic underground scene.
The Berlin shoe is a so-called “Minotaur”, the brand’s latest climbing model. The equally modern and nostalgic design is intended to tie in with the spirit of the capital: “Berlin is a balance between coolness and the weight of history, between modernity and the artistic underground scene. Every time we come here, we feel at home,” says Sébastien Kopp.
The chrome-free cowhide of the Berlin shoe comes from southern Brazil. The upper material of the sneaker is characterized by the fact that the tanning process, through which the leather can be preserved over the long term, takes place without chrome, heavy metals or toxic acids. This should once again distinguish a sustainability aspect that the label always emphasizes.
The design of the shoe is as timeless as all of the brand’s models: the white high-top sneaker has a beige V on the outside of the shoe as a classic brand logo. The word “Berlin” is emblazoned in red capital letters on the outer right side of the shoe. The Berlin bear, which can now be found on the shoe tongue and on the insole, is considered a kind of symbol of the capital.
The Berlin sneaker by Veja costs 160 euros and is available on the brand’s website and in its own Veja store at Alte Schönhauser Straße 42, at Overkill and at KaDeWe.