REBEL TRADITION: THE SHOES SIGNED JOE NEPHIS

Destroy the stylistic rules without denying the arts, the techniques. This is Joe Nephis, Italian brand of shoes also unisex today, that use our local craftsmanship to create models that go beyond aesthetic beauty. A duality between what is subjectively creative and what rather need to get a quality product: made in Italy. Reiterates this Angelo Malaisi brand’s creative director.

Angelo, why did you decide to establish your brand unisex shoes as Joe Nephis?

The brand was founded initially with models aimed to man. With the passing of the seasons has evolved into what it is now: initially introducing pieces suitable to the woman, to reach today to produce a much more structured collection in which we find the “core” (man and woman, ed) in where the modeling is “genderless” and then a part exclusively dedicated to men and another for women. As for the name of the brand, Joe Nephis, is the anagram of Josephine, the historic brand that our company has purchased just opened, but that’s another story.

How can you create a desirable product both for man and for woman when you create a Joe Nephis shoe?

For me it’s quite simple. Although I talk to an audience quite edgy, though I am all the opposite: often shun social occasions; my greatest satisfaction is to spend the evenings in Latinos pubs dancing salsa. In these places often I look around: the environment has remained very conservative in terms of fashion and taste. Women wear high heels all with relative rhinestones while men always tend to wear the usual suede moccasin. This is why often I carry around some prototype or sample. Sometimes they create strange glances or even a sense of disgust. In this case I am happy because I know then that product will have a big success!

What is your perspective on made in Italy and how much of this we can find in your collections?

For me, made in Italy is everything: an essential point, something indispensable. The entire production comes out of my business and where I do not get I commit the production to sub-contractors of area within 15 kilometers from me. So if I were to answer how much of this is in my collections, I’d tell you a 100%.

You are Italian but have lived in London for a while. What are the facets of style of these two countries, if we want, in antithesis to each other?

In London, I spent a year of study, when after having graduated in Economics at Ancona, I chose to make a change to my knowledge, taking a diploma in Fashion Design at the Marangoni. I had already attended a course in Fashion Management in collaboration between an organization in my area and IED, and this perhaps has prompted me to London, the Marangoni and fashion design. I believe that those who are going to fashion world, should be familiar to 360 ° on the subject, then focus on one aspect, which is design, logistics, marketing or something else. Speaking of differences, I find myself in great difficulty on this question for several reasons: first, my time in the City has been in contact with international people including no English. My own teachers to Marangoni all came from backgrounds related to this industry but very few of them were English, every one had his own way of doing with his “fashion taste”. In addition, the question is a little ambiguous! Are we talking about what Italians wear than the residents of London? Because in this case I would answer you: an Italian in the morning opened his closet and makes a careful selection of combinations to wear, while an English brushes himself with glue, than thrown him in the closet and that he stays with what attached on him out of the house. If the reflection is instead on the British and Italian designers I can tell you that England, in my opinion, has always been a little the rebel of Europe (in the fashion field) in search of transgression – see Vivienne Westwood and Galliano to example – while Italy have always seen as a country much more conservative but with an immense attention to quality, and those details that might escape a bit to those who always chases the excess.

What kind of customers are turning your shoes?

The typical customer of Joe Nephis, is a maverick who sees in the shoe an experience both in the act of purchase and in bearing it. An independent customer who lives with fashion an highly personal experience and not classifiable in a specific social substrate. Basic all could be potential customers Joe Nephis, but to become one he must accept to break fashion patterns and not everyone is willing to do so.

What are your future plans?

I’m working hard on the distribution side. While it is important, the design is always the easiest part of this activity, but at the same time it is crucial that go on without too many hitches. So my short-term goal is to be able to expand in markets outside of the European market, such as the US.

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