BEHIND THE BRAND - TFR JOURNAL
Jun 19, 2021
The Feeting Room store curates new talent and independent labels, offering the discovery of differentiating concepts and products made and designed in Portugal. You can shop Wolf & Son shoes for MAN and WOMAN on their downtown Porto and Lisbon stores and also online.
Behind the Brand is their journal column showcasing behind-the-scenes access to discover more about the people that make our products in their store. They meet Cristiano and Marta, co-owners of Wolf & Son, and you can read the interview here:
Hi! First off, introductions are in order: What is your name and what is your role at Wolf & Son?
I’m Cristiano Lopes and together with my sister Marta Lopes, we’re both owners, producers and brand managers at Wolf & Son.
What is the story behind Wolf & Son? When did it start and what was the inspiration behind it?
We come from a family of shoe manufacturers — our company is Jovan — and in 2012 we envisioned to create our own footwear label. As manufacturers, we decided to use the best of our expertise and know-how to produce a brand of men’s footwear complemented by a junior line, made of identical shoes. We didn’t want to create just another footwear brand, we wanted to deliver a strong concept and social message. We came to Alexandra Mendes at BLANK to help us develop this idea and create our brand concept, who made an excellent interpretation of what we wanted. Wolf & Son was born in 2013, a footwear brand wrapped around the father-son universe, which later developed into the Wolf Family imaginary.
What are the values that drive Wolf & Son?
We are proud of having a quality product that is well presented alongside the brand imaginary. Wolf & Son is rooted on family heritage and driven to promote unifying bonds. Parents walk side by side with their kids, sharing not only their life journey but also their shoes.
Which image do you personally feel really represents what Wolf & Son is all about?
This campaign image pretty much describes the brand’s concept — a playful family scene that captures the Wolf Family wearing our Albus oxford shoes. Wolf & Son is all about family ties and unifying life experiences. Its ludic universe has an old-school feeling that is proper, understated and timeless.
What are the distinctive features of Wolf and Son’s products?
Wolf & Son reinvents classics of male footwear, presenting new versions that tap into both the masculine and infantile universes. Our collection offers identical shoe models for adults and kids, including unisex models, that allows us to make shoes for all the family. Our high-quality production, clean and timeless character, fresh color palette and old-school feeling have made the brand an international reference, gaining the attention among others from Monocle, Portuguese Soul, Dsection and Vogue Niños.
How does the creative process for your products carry out?
Wolf & Son is not a fast fashion brand, we’re not in constant search for trends. We promote continuity of models across collections, introducing new models each season. We always have very present the challenge of bringing together two worlds that encapsulate two distinct segments of the market in one unifying universe — grownups and kids.
Personally, what is your day like working at Wolf & Son?
Our daily work life at Jovan factory makes us have to manage our time well in order to balance the factory private-label clients and our brand. On the days we’re more dedicated to Wolf & Son, we feel the need to change our mindset from manufacturer to customer, which is not always easy!
Is there a specific product or piece that has proved iconic for the brand?
Our signature sneakers Arabs and Youngi with our exclusive patterned rubber soles, and our Albus oxfords shoes are probably the models that best represent Wolf & Son.
I know one shouldn’t pick favorites but… what is your personal favorite piece from your current collection?
I usually wear Hattai trainers and Youngi sneakers. Possibly I would pick the ones I’m wearing today, Youngi! :)
How has The Feeting Room played into the growth of Wolf & Son?
We started by approaching other markets before exploring the national market. We have been with TFR since 2016, and it was our first partner in Portugal. This has been a wonderful partnership, allowing the label to be showcased in beautiful stores which attract a variety of interesting customers and also launches worldwide sales with the online store. TFR ongoing happenings also create a strong sense of local community which is a very attractive way for Wolf & Son’s clients to engage with the label in an inspired setting.
Behind the Brand is their journal column showcasing behind-the-scenes access to discover more about the people that make our products in their store. They meet Cristiano and Marta, co-owners of Wolf & Son, and you can read the interview here:
Hi! First off, introductions are in order: What is your name and what is your role at Wolf & Son?
I’m Cristiano Lopes and together with my sister Marta Lopes, we’re both owners, producers and brand managers at Wolf & Son.
What is the story behind Wolf & Son? When did it start and what was the inspiration behind it?
We come from a family of shoe manufacturers — our company is Jovan — and in 2012 we envisioned to create our own footwear label. As manufacturers, we decided to use the best of our expertise and know-how to produce a brand of men’s footwear complemented by a junior line, made of identical shoes. We didn’t want to create just another footwear brand, we wanted to deliver a strong concept and social message. We came to Alexandra Mendes at BLANK to help us develop this idea and create our brand concept, who made an excellent interpretation of what we wanted. Wolf & Son was born in 2013, a footwear brand wrapped around the father-son universe, which later developed into the Wolf Family imaginary.
What are the values that drive Wolf & Son?
We are proud of having a quality product that is well presented alongside the brand imaginary. Wolf & Son is rooted on family heritage and driven to promote unifying bonds. Parents walk side by side with their kids, sharing not only their life journey but also their shoes.
Which image do you personally feel really represents what Wolf & Son is all about?
This campaign image pretty much describes the brand’s concept — a playful family scene that captures the Wolf Family wearing our Albus oxford shoes. Wolf & Son is all about family ties and unifying life experiences. Its ludic universe has an old-school feeling that is proper, understated and timeless.
What are the distinctive features of Wolf and Son’s products?
Wolf & Son reinvents classics of male footwear, presenting new versions that tap into both the masculine and infantile universes. Our collection offers identical shoe models for adults and kids, including unisex models, that allows us to make shoes for all the family. Our high-quality production, clean and timeless character, fresh color palette and old-school feeling have made the brand an international reference, gaining the attention among others from Monocle, Portuguese Soul, Dsection and Vogue Niños.
How does the creative process for your products carry out?
Wolf & Son is not a fast fashion brand, we’re not in constant search for trends. We promote continuity of models across collections, introducing new models each season. We always have very present the challenge of bringing together two worlds that encapsulate two distinct segments of the market in one unifying universe — grownups and kids.
Personally, what is your day like working at Wolf & Son?
Our daily work life at Jovan factory makes us have to manage our time well in order to balance the factory private-label clients and our brand. On the days we’re more dedicated to Wolf & Son, we feel the need to change our mindset from manufacturer to customer, which is not always easy!
Is there a specific product or piece that has proved iconic for the brand?
Our signature sneakers Arabs and Youngi with our exclusive patterned rubber soles, and our Albus oxfords shoes are probably the models that best represent Wolf & Son.
I know one shouldn’t pick favorites but… what is your personal favorite piece from your current collection?
I usually wear Hattai trainers and Youngi sneakers. Possibly I would pick the ones I’m wearing today, Youngi! :)
How has The Feeting Room played into the growth of Wolf & Son?
We started by approaching other markets before exploring the national market. We have been with TFR since 2016, and it was our first partner in Portugal. This has been a wonderful partnership, allowing the label to be showcased in beautiful stores which attract a variety of interesting customers and also launches worldwide sales with the online store. TFR ongoing happenings also create a strong sense of local community which is a very attractive way for Wolf & Son’s clients to engage with the label in an inspired setting.
A Child's Book for Grownups
Mar 22, 2016
Playtime is a child's book for grownups staring Mr. Wolf and Wolf Jr. The lookbook introduces our Spring Summer 2016 collection focusing on the companionship bond between father and son. Playtime is that moment when imagination runs free and everything becomes a game, a play, a discovery. These unifying experiences are our label's premiss and the reason we're dedicated to all men Raised by Wolves.
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PLAYTIME SS—16
Mar 22, 2016
Our PLAYTIME SS—16 photo campaign focuses on the companionship bond between father and son. It introduces Mr. Wolf and Wolf Jr. in a playtime scenario, as life must be lived as play!
Special thanks to the creative direction by BLANK, invited photographer André Brito and stylist Sara Soares. Our charming duo is portrait by models Pedro Ribeiro and Rafael Santos.
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Special thanks to the creative direction by BLANK, invited photographer André Brito and stylist Sara Soares. Our charming duo is portrait by models Pedro Ribeiro and Rafael Santos.
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Happy Father's Day
Mar 19, 2016
We're celebrating Father's Day in Portugal by launching our Spring Summer 16 collection for Man and Boy. Wolf & Son is proudly dedicated to the companionship between father and son, and focuses on meaningful shared experiences as a way to unify bonds.
We present you PLAYTIME, our Child's Book for Grownups, showcasing Mr. Wolf and Wolf Jr. having a fun time with Wolf & Son. Get to know our new models and color combinations at Collection.
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We present you PLAYTIME, our Child's Book for Grownups, showcasing Mr. Wolf and Wolf Jr. having a fun time with Wolf & Son. Get to know our new models and color combinations at Collection.
READ MORE
BEHIND THE SCENES SS16
Mar 11, 2016
Behind the scenes at the studio shooting our SS—16 lookbook, with creative direction by Alexandra Mendes at BLANK, invited photographer André Brito and stylist Sara Soares. Entitled Playtime our Spring-Summer campaign focuses on the companhionship bond between father and son. Our charming models Pedro Ribeiro and Rafael star as Mr Wolf and Wolf Jr, personifing a fun time at play with Wolf & Son. These two are pure joy and we had the most amazing day at the studio!
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WOLF&SON ON THE NEWS
Feb 24, 2016
Wolf & Son has received great press from our last presence at MICAM tradefair, showcasing the AW16 fall-winter collection for Man/Boy in our Pop-Up Shop exhibition stand.
Jornal de Noticias economy paper came to visit and interview us and published an article on our label's birth and early rise. Wolf & Son also made it to the nacional prime-time news in an interview and video report by SIC Television made at the MICAM, highlighting new labels and concepts in the footwear industry designed in Portugal. Photo © Miguel Pereira/Global Imagens
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Jornal de Noticias economy paper came to visit and interview us and published an article on our label's birth and early rise. Wolf & Son also made it to the nacional prime-time news in an interview and video report by SIC Television made at the MICAM, highlighting new labels and concepts in the footwear industry designed in Portugal. Photo © Miguel Pereira/Global Imagens
READ MORE