Not Yet in Japan: Bringing the Comfort of "Home" Outdoors—Russia's "Homies" and Footwear Designed for Walking Your Own Way

In 2020, as the world came to a standstill, a pair of shoes was born in a corner of St. Petersburg, Russia. What began with the paradoxical concept of "slippers you can wear outside" soon evolved into a footwear brand named Homies.

With lifestyles drastically altered by the pandemic, Homies emerged from a desire to carry the "free-spirited energy of home" into the outside world. Its simple yet meticulously designed forms and choice of materials have quietly resonated with a global audience.

We sat down with founder Vitalii Polyakov to discuss his brand's philosophy and the story behind its creation.

Shoemaking That Springs from Within

Homies was born in 2020 in St. Petersburg amidst the pandemic. It wasn’t an attempt to break into the fashion industry, but rather “a project that emerged naturally from within,” as founder Vitalii Polyakov describes it.

After studying fashion design, he refined his aesthetic sense for form and proportion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, a legendary art school. There, he discovered the power of minimalism and the fusion of function and beauty—insights that eventually guided him toward creating shoes designed “to support the very act of being.”

"I've always thought that shoes aren't just fashion accessories; they should be companions that move in sync with the rhythm of our lives and our individual movements," Vitalii explains. In an era when the pandemic blurred the lines between indoors and outdoors, he constantly questioned, "In a life not dictated by a schedule, what role should shoes play?"

One of his answers was the brand’s first model, the “Heel Socks.”

"I wanted a shoe that could seamlessly bridge the relaxed feeling of being at home with the movement of the outside world. Something minimal, adaptable, and never overstated. I was looking for an object with a quiet yet distinct beauty," he recalls.

The Rhythm and Emotion of "Home"

The brand's name came about just as organically. When Vitalii tried on the first sample, the word that reportedly escaped his lips was "home."

"When I was young, my room was a sanctuary of liberation, a place with a special rhythm completely different from the outside world. I'd cut up clothes and dance in front of the mirror. I wanted to make shoes that could carry that same energy of inner freedom out into the world."

The essence of Homies shoes is this very feeling of "home." It's not a physical house, but rather a "state of mind where you can be yourself—liberated and free."

"Shoes must be 'things that move in harmony with a person's rhythm,'" he insists. "Our shoes are designed not to define people, but to follow them."

The design is rooted in the strict principle of functionalism: "Form follows function." All superfluous ornamentation is stripped away, and the construction is meticulously engineered, yet the result is anything but cold.

They mold to the body, gently embracing the wearer's very presence. This “aesthetic of silence and clarity” lies at the core of Homies’ philosophy.

Stepping Out into the World: The Luxury of Clarity and Freedom

In 2024, the brand moved its production to Portugal, with the clear aim of establishing a European base and building Homies with a borderless vision." They are steadily expanding their reach across Europe and to other parts of the world, including Japan.

While maintaining their identity as an independent brand, they remain committed to small-batch production and pay meticulous attention to their choice of materials.

"Every material has a purpose," he notes. "Softness, durability, and sustainability—each element is directly tied to the shoe's ultimate intent."

For Homies, luxury is not about superficial status but about "clarity and freedom." "True luxury means having time for yourself, eliminating the superfluous, and living according to your own rhythm. I believe shoes should be tools that support such a lifestyle," Vitalii declares.

What Homies creates isn't just footwear. It's the "headspace" that opens up when you wear them, a "state of being" that accompanies you through daily life.

Every word from founder Vitalii is imbued with resolve and sincerity. Quietly but surely, the brand is sending ripples of resonance across the globe.

Homies—its footsteps are walking into the future, without compromising for anyone.