THE MINDS BEHIND COMMON PROJECTS

Among the sea of loud, over-the-top sneakers that inundate store shelves and closets, there is one brand that sings a different tune – Common Projects. With its whispered luxury and less-is-more aesthetic, the brand co-founded in the mid Nineties by friends Peter Poopat and Flavio Girolami continues to be a bestseller for connoisseurs seeking a dose of minimal chic cool. A top choice for countless self-confident celebs, editors and style influencers including Kanye West, Frank Ocean, Ellen DeGeneres, Nick Jonas, Alexander Skarsgard and Drake, these sneakers are as stripped down as it gets. Crafted in Italy from premium leather, the only form of detail is the gold stamped numbers. That’s because the brand’s mantra is to let the shoes speak for themselves. When Girolami and Poopat launched the brand, they were set on deconstructing the sneaker to monastic effect eager to strike a balance between over-designed the barrage of colorful sneakers and boring formal shoes. Their first shoe, the Achilles, unveiled in 2004 was an instant hit with the fashion tribe. And success continues to characterize this unique brand.