2024.06.03

Only One Model: Sneakers for Urban Use Designed by a Duo from Major Shoe Manufacturers, Introducing "CLEMENS"

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The world is filled with countless sneakers, but when you think about it, most of them are rooted in sports. For instance, Converse's "All-Star" is for basketball, New Balance's "M1300" is for running, and Vans' "Era" is for skateboarding.

It makes sense since the origin of sneakers is sports shoes. However, there's a sneaker brand questioning this common knowledge: CLEMENS.

Over five years have passed since its debut, but it offers only one model with no seasonal collections. Despite this, and limited buying options through their official online store and select shop Bshop, the brand has grown popular through social media and word of mouth. Currently, they often experience sold-out sizes.

To delve into the reality of the brand, we interviewed the two designers behind it.

PROFILE

Shin Mononobe / Shinsuke Otani

CLEMENS Designers

Sneakers Made for Walking the Streets, Not Rooted in Sports

"Sneaker enthusiasts use basketball or running shoes in their daily lives, but these are designed for optimal performance in their respective sports. So, what would sneakers look like if tailored specifically for urban walking? That was the starting point of our creation," says Mononobe.

"The city isn't an easy environment to navigate. You might walk on slippery, rain-soaked concrete or high-temperature asphalt under the summer sun. We aimed to create a product that makes walking comfortably in such sometimes harsh urban environments possible," adds Otani.

Both designers have backgrounds working for major Japanese shoe manufacturers. Mononobe designed running and trail running shoes, while the more senior Otani worked on soccer cleats and track and field shoes.

Later, Mononobe left his job and moved to the UK, where he worked for a branding agency tied to an international information magazine's parent company, handling packaging and spatial design. Their friendship continued, and two years later, Otani also moved to the UK to study European design and culture.

"After returning to Japan, we both continued with branding work but always had the desire to create sneakers. With the necessary knowledge, experience, and connections in place, we decided to start the brand," says Mononobe.

"If we were going to do it, we wanted to do it freely and enjoyably. Chasing trends and sales would ultimately make every brand's product boringly similar. So, we chose to pursue what we thought were cool-looking sneakers, ignoring marketing and productivity considerations," explains Otani.

The origin of the brand name is unique.

"It's an old-fashioned name that you often hear in Europe. We purposely chose this name because we didn't want to be identified by nationality. Plus, we just liked how it sounded when pronounced," says Mononobe.

A Distinctive Sole that Embodies the Pride of Creating a Product

CLEMENS only offers one model named "GU_RE01."

"'GU' refers to the upper part. We used stretchy neoprene material for the opening, and its tubular shape resembles the neck of a 'Guernsey Sweater,' so we use that term," explains Mononobe.

Neoprene material is used for the shoe opening

"RE" refers to the sole.

"The sole is completely original. Brands of our size rarely create their soles from scratch," says Otani.

Making an original sole is costly. For example, if offering eight sizes, you need a total of 16 molds for the sole alone. Detailed knowledge about midsole thickness and hardness, and outsole pattern design is also essential.

"Our foundation is product design. Consequently, CLEMENS sneakers are more of a product than a fashion item. The commitment to the sole exemplifies this," says Otani.