Step inside vejaproject's new shop in Nolita, the only place where you’ll find the entire assortment of styles in the U.S.
When a designer opens a new store, the first thing they tell you is usually who they hired for the interior design and architecture. They’ll explain how they tore up the floors, covered every inch of drywall in a glossy coat of paint, redesigned the façade entirely, and imported antiques from 6,000 miles away. Not so for Sébastien Kopp, the cofounder of, who is opening the sneaker brand’s first New York store in Nolita tomorrow.
Fans of Veja’s sneakers likely won’t be too broken up about the lack of selfie mirrors; simply having access to the sneakers will be reason enough to hop on the 6 train. The U.S. has grown to be the brand’s largest market, but until now, you could only find Veja at retailers like Nordstrom, Kith, and Barneys, “and they only had five or 10 percent of the collection,” Kopp says.
Here’s where it gets really ambitious: The shop will accept sneakers from any brand, not just Veja’s, in an effort to divert them from landfills, where their plastic, rubber, and leather parts. “We’ve been working on this for over a year,” he says. “To recycle sneakers is really complex. There are many different steps and processes involved, depending on the materials in the shoe. It’s a new frontier for us, but it’s the first step into a new world.
Addressing the “end of life” of its sneakers will be one of Veja’s key challenges for the next decade, and Kopp shared a list of other sustainability goals. “Theis huge, and we use a lot of leather, so we’re working on that. It’s a big challenge,” he admits. “We’re looking for a better way to trace our recycled PET too—it’s a bit blurry. We have a big plan for our CO2 emissions, too, which will we’ll release at the end of March.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
First coronavirus case confirmed in New YorkNew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Sunday night that New York has its first positive coronavirus case. The patient had traveled to Iran, according to the governor.
Read more »
New York confirms first coronavirus case, Governor Andrew Cuomo says patient is woman in late 30s'There is no reason for undue anxiety—the general risk remains low in New York,' Cuomo said.
Read more »
New York state has confirmed its first coronavirus case - Business InsiderNew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the patient is a woman in her late 30s who contracted the virus while traveling in Iran.
Read more »
First coronavirus case confirmed in New York CityNew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo confirmed the state's first case on Sunday, without specifying where the patient lives.
Read more »