A STEP AHEAD...Mirco Scoccia has driven footwear design for labels like Bottega Veneta, Cole Haan and Tory Burch, and his acumen informs the extensive array of “seasonless” styles—from haute to sporty, day to evening—that are featured in his new brand, O2 Monde. Each shoe is Italian-crafted—but not from the materials you might expect. Vegan plant-based “ingredients” like leathers made from pineapple, wine-industry leftovers and wood sources are used in the innovative offerings.
“I pushed them a lot, and when they saw this high level of quality, they were really happy,” Scoccia says of his experience imploring venerable factories to work with such novel resources. “It’s so great to see them embracing the brand’s concept.”
O2 Monde’s styles are all named after environmental activists—from Greta Thunberg (a kicky slip-on sneaker) to Hilda Flavia Nakabuye (a low-heeled slingback)—and for every style sold, the brand will donate 1 per cent of the profits to the 1% for the Planet initiative. That certainly makes it a little easier to be green, doesn’t it?
