For Christmas, my fiancé very kindly bought me a pair of Common Projects! I became aware of this understated trainer brand about a year ago and I’d been dying for a pair ever since. They are very minimal in design, no stripes, no mention of the brand name, just ten digits on the side stamped in gold – a style reference, the European size and a colour reference.
Common Projects is not a new brand but it’s only just started to resonate with women, helped on by the support of Net-a-Porter. The company was started by Peter Poopat and Flavio Girolami, they launched their first collection in 2004. The womens collection, Woman by Common Projects, didn’t launch until 2009. Their slow rise to fame may have something to do with their cost, at nearly 4 times that of Stan Smiths, they’re not a cheap option but what you get is a beautiful, comfortable trainer made in Italy from premium Italian leather.