As friends venting about not being able to find that perfect desk lamp or dress shirt that suited their rarefied tastes in 1990s’, Peter Poopat and Flavio Girolami created Common Projects, the super-minimalist sneaker worn by everyone seeking a hint of upscale cool, from the creative layman to Kanye West.

Today, Common Projects continues to expand with small refinements, like introducing the occasional new colour and branching out with unexpected styles including suede combat boots and caramel-hued high tops that resemble a grown-up version of the Converse Chuck Taylor.