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.
ONE OF THE BOYS
Apr 06, 2020
One Of The Boys editorial for Portuguese Soul magazine showcases our brand new Bernadi White slip-ons for our SS20 collection. The one female model Jeanne Cremers among the boys wears our slip-ons, showing how much our shoes please both woman and man. View the editorial video here.
READ MORE
READ MORE
THINGS WE CAN LEARN FROM WOLVES
Apr 04, 2020
The law of a jungle has a way of balancing itself out, and these are things we can all learn from wolves. We know the Universe has ways to try our nature. But it's when we are the most vulnerable that we discouver our strength. May we all come out of this testing time with a clear vision on our path ahead... To all Lone Wolves and Wolf Clans out there, the Wolf Family wishes you to stay safe and strong during this time.
READ MORE
READ MORE
SS—20 COLLECTION
Mar 30, 2020
Presenting our SS—20 Collection with identical shoes for MAN and BOY. We focus on meaningful shared experiences as a way to unifying bonds. At Wolf & Son, parents walk side with their kids, sharing not only shoes but also life journey. Get our collection through on our online store and through our retail partners The Feeting Room, Minty Square, Actitude.pt and Maisonette.
READ MORE
READ MORE
RUN WITH WOLVES
Mar 23, 2020
We challenge you to join our clan and RUN WITH WOLVES this Spring-Summer of 2020. Make it light, safe and joyous! Our campaign creative direction is signed by Alexandra Mendes at BLANK with invited photographer João Macedo. Share our identical Wolf Kicks for all the family available on our online store and through our retail partners The Feeting Room, Minty Square, Actitude.pt, Maisonette.
READ MORE
READ MORE
W&So Father's Day
Mar 19, 2020
Today we celebrate Father's Day in Portugal and our Wolf Clan extends the good wishes to all fathers, grandfathers and paternal figures who walk side by side with their kids, sharing not only their life journey, but also their shoes. Make each step count and rejoice on every walk. Stay safe and strong!
READ MORE
READ MORE
Raised by Wolves
Feb 14, 2020
Wolf & Son is all about family ties and the love bonds we share that unify us as a clan. Raising wolves is a multi-layered complex task. We are continuously reinventing and evolving our family dynamics and inter-personal relationships. On Valentine's Day, as we celebrate love, I came to think about how so much of our upbringing and parental conditioning unconsciously molds how we behave in our most intimate relationships, the one with ourselves and with our significant others.
© Words by Alexandra Mendes
W&So Branding Creative Director
READ MORE
© Words by Alexandra Mendes
W&So Branding Creative Director
READ MORE