There is a great excitement in the world of sneakers, also in Italy. In recent years, trainers invaded even the most elegant wardrobes and also entered the world of luxury, where some companies previously produced only classic leather lace-ups. It is a cultural revolution.
Every month new shops appear on the market, and today, in Italy, we point out the next opening in an area, Puglia, and specifically Valle D’Itria, potentially very receptive and thirsty for high-level sneakers. We are facing a project with a highly international target, which has in its head the best sneaker-stores in the world.
We interviewed Claudio Laporta, of the Laporta family, who for many years has been managing the Tribes store (and the online shop www.tribes-store.it) which is about to inaugurate a store that has great ambitions.
Hello Claudio, thanks for the availability of this interview. We start immediately from the base! What will the new sneaker-shop name and when is the opening planned?
The Store will be called Sneakers Room and will be inaugurated on the second weekend of September, between 7 and 9.
Why choosing to open a store specialized in limited sneakers? What is the path that led you to this choice?
The project is intended to give continuity to the path undertaken by the company Tribes, born in 2009, a couple of years ago. That is the development and the search for new markets and new territories, therefore the growth in the digital market in all its facets, from direct e-commerce, to the marketplace, to selling via social. Here the need to expand the catchment area, both offline and online, also to a target of users specialized in the sector, as well as collectors, resellers and lovers of the sneakers world. So the goal is to be able to create over the years a community in Puglia, as well as become part of that niche of stores, really influential on national territory and not. Furthermore, I believe that our know-how and experience of over 30 years of our family in the footwear world for about 30 years, in addition to the passion and love for sneakers, can make the journey towards the goal less difficult.
Needless to go around: what are the brands and the most exclusive lines that you will sell?
The opening brands vary from Adidas Originals to Nike Premium, Anaheim Factory Vans, to the early lines of Diadora, Fila, Converse, Pony, Puma, Jordan, New Balance, Reebok, Mizuno and others.
Which brand or line is not yet scheduled to open but would you like to come up soon?
The goal is to be able to bring in the area of Valle d’Itria sneakers more ‘sought after, then from the Consortium Adidas line to the various collaborations of Nike, Converse and so on. , but the road will be long and fascinating at the same time.
Will you also add apparel next to footwear?
The apparel topic has been taken into consideration and will present Eastpack Collabo and Triple A, Napapijri, Herschell Off Set and Delta, Nixon as well as we will be a Supreme New York reseller.
I saw that the design of the store is set to an international taste: tell me how the store will be.
The store will have an international flavor, the result of 7 years of experience of the owners around Europe, between Poland, Hungary and the Netherlands, countries where the Tribes has distributed and collaborated with several brands.
Is it planned also the launch of an online shop?
The online shop will be launched in the weeks following the inauguration. The address will be snkrsroom.it and snkrsroom.com and will be added to our historic online shop, or tribes-store.com.
Is there a sneaker-store in Europe or around the world that has been particularly inspiring?
Surely Solebox, The Good Will Out and Presented By in Europe and Kith NY all over the world.
Let’s talk about personal tastes: what are your brand and your favorite models?
I am a collector of sneakers from the age of 10 years, the first was a Nike Air More Uptempo of 96, which is also tattooed on my forearm (similes editor’s note) and the last one Air Presto Off White. My collection boasts a 70% brand Nike, my french bulldog is called Nike, so you will have understood that swoosh has a particularly important role in our history.
What was the most beautiful sneaker of this season according to your personal opinion?
I can only mention the Nike Sean Wotherspoon, the queen for a collector and a sneaker with a unique and inimitable structure. Chapeaux Sean!
We look forward to the inauguration ready to show you the real images of the store.
Meanwhile … enjoy these beautiful renders and….a big good luck to the team of Tribes and Sneakers Room from all the Wait staff!
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