The New Brand Uses Vegan Materials Made from Grapes, Pineapple and Wood
Just as oxygen is essential for life, footwear has an equally important role to play in enhancing even the simplest of outfits. If, on top of that, it is sophisticated, eco-friendly and made in Italy, then it becomes a precious added value for every look. This is the inspiring concept of the brand O2 Monde (O2 as in oxygen and Monde because it is a global project), created by an Italian designer with international experience, but with production in the Marche-based district.
The path of Mirco Scoccia in the world of footwear has taken him from Fermo, where he grew up at his father’s shoe factory, all the way to the United States, where he currently lives in New York. Important milestones of his professional experience include his collaborations with Le Silla and Bottega Veneta in Italy, Belstaff, Tory Burch and Cole Haan in the USA. From high-end brands with more traditional business models, Mirco has also placed his skills at the service of American direct-to-consumer brands, like M.Gemi and Aerosoles.
The designer explains how “O2 Monde, with its début spring/summer 2021 collection, combines my knowledge in the world of luxury with more evolved and current marketing projects, reaching out directly to end customers in order to cut costs. I have opened a physical fitting store in Manhattan but sales take place on online, as well as a corner in Bloomingdale’s, with a single model per colour and size. I know the American market well and its preference for buying online; this is why I focused my project here, with the aim of expanding over to Europe and Asia. I’m not ruling out a presence in some niche boutiques, capable of providing an exclusive shopping experience”.
Mirco’s commitment goes beyond offering excellent value for money footwear. In aligning his own environmental sensitivity with that of consumers, who are increasingly attentive to sustainability and cruelty free products, he has based O2 Monde on the use of vegan and natural materials, sourced from grape seeds, pineapple and wood.
“An immense challenge, because initially Italian workshops were reluctant to work with any material other than leather, due to the fact that the former require a greater degree of attention. I am convinced that today sustainability is a path that starts from design, leading onto the production process and all the way to the finished product”.
The collection features classic models like pumps, slingbacks and sandals along with sportier footwear like sneakers, drivers and loafers. A lifestyle project that is also set to develop in the world of men’s footwear and clothing. With an unfaltering ecological spirit!