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Boundaryless Play & Work! The Shoe Brand "MANEBU"
After spending an era immersed in skateboarding, the shoe brand "MANEBU" is recommended for those who have slightly shifted to an adult lifestyle, featuring a style that combines sneaker soles with leather shoe uppers.
Supporting individuals who thrive creatively without barriers between play and work, MANEBU celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. We spoke with Yuta Aoyama from DAXIS, the company behind MANEBU.
"Learning" x "Imitating" for MANEBU
"MANEBU started in the autumn and winter of 2014 and this year marks its 10th anniversary. Exactly ten years ago, casual shoe brands featuring sneaker soles and leather shoe uppers were beginning to appear overseas."Amidst this trend, I wanted to create a stylish shoe brand that focused on the concept of 'sneaker soles with leather shoe uppers.'
"Given that DAXIS originally had partnerships with leather shoe factories, we decided to launch MANEBU by collaborating with Hiroki Yokota from MASAKA.
"The brand name MANEBU is derived from 'Learning' x 'Imitating.' We incorporate designs of authentic shoes that have existed for a long time into our work."
The Initial 3 Models as Bestsellers
After hearing the story about the brand's inception, let's check out some of MANEBU's items. There are three staple models that are essential."The first model we created is called 'HIHIN,' designed with military service shoe details. Its simple design has made it synonymous with MANEBU.
"Next is 'VOVO,' an American traditional coin loafer style, and 'UKI,' a wingtip style that retains traditional British shapes. These three models released in our first year have consistently been bestsellers."
Second Bestsellers & Popular Models Overseas
With the collection being presented in an exhibition format and increasing availability in selected domestic shops, the presentation expanded overseas, resulting in the birth of even more hit items. Let’s continue the conversation."As we continued to expand, there are two models that could be called our second bestsellers. The first is the 'BITCH,' a bit loafer released in 2018. It combines a traditional authentic vibe with sneaker sole-compatible design.
"The second model is 'BOO MID,' a wallabee boot released the following year. After a few years of starting the brand and beginning overseas expansion, we received high praise from international buyers at the MAN/WOMAN PARIS exhibition in Paris, France, particularly from select shops in South Korea that placed many orders."
Original Sneaker Sole
Now, let’s discuss MANEBU's original soles. There are about four types used according to the kind of shoe, but the most commonly used is the "regular sole.""We pay great attention to quality and have made our original sole and matching lasts since the beginning. Over the past decade, we have developed various soles, but the 'regular sole' is the one we use most frequently. It continues to be our standard sole, which has been refined for strength and specifications over time.
"In terms of comfort, it features a mix of leather and sneaker styling, offering both the ease of a sneaker and the solid hold of a leather shoe. So, you might say it’s like a 'non-tiring leather shoe.'"
10th Anniversary of MANEBU
This year, MANEBU celebrates its 10th anniversary. They released a special 10th commemorative model."The commemorative models are HIHINTEN 'MIX' and VOVOTEN 'MIX,' which combine various types of leather through patchwork. We use all cowhide and create different atmospheres through embossing and processing. Additionally, we created a visual image for our 10th anniversary to accompany the collection."
MANEBU: A Classic After 10 Years
Alongside a regular season lineup, MANEBU has also undertaken numerous special orders and collaborations. After a period of curating an extensive variety of offerings each season, the brand now focuses on maintaining its classic selection.It is important for them to respond to users who have worn a particular shoe for years and want to repurchase the same style.
"While they can't be worn when skating, we aimed to create shoes that you would wear on days you don’t ride or when going out for dinner. The initial lookbook featured skaters dressed in sets with their skateboards for visual images.
"Surprisingly, as the brand has developed, many office workers have adopted our shoes as part of their casual office attire. One media outlet even described MANEBU using the term 'Yokonoriman (ヨコノリーマン),' which surprised me, but I felt it was quite fitting.
"I believe that shoes combining a sneaker sole with a dress shoe upper, which can look good both casually and smartly, have become a kind of standard. While valuing the archive we've built over the past decade, I look forward to releasing new items in the future."
PROFILE
Yuta Aoyama
Director, DAXIS Co., Ltd. MANEBU
Born in Sapporo in 1980.
Started working at a local vintage shop in his teens and then spent about ten years at a major select shop, progressing from sales to buying. Joined DAXIS Co., Ltd. in 2013. In 2014, co-founded MANEBU with Hiroki Yokota of MASAKA Inc., broadly overseeing brand concept, product planning, manufacturing, and wholesale.
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