Japan-born, Amsterdam-based designer Teppei Sugaya’s work rolls an eclectic array of influences into one refined craft. His time spent studying in Japan, before travelling across Europe to work for various brands – from London to Italy – has resulted in an approach which lies between the eccentric and the honed. Sugaya’s latest project, beginning in 2021, sees the designer collaborate with Italian shoemaker Superga on the appropriately named ‘Artifact’ collection, which plucks details from the historic brand’s archives to formulate distinctive silhouettes which celebrate over 100 years of craft (‘Artifact’ derives its name from ‘artefatto’, which means the equivalent in Italian). A chunky cross-hatched bumper sole is influenced by their 1970 shoes, and the simple canvas upper maintains a relationship with Superga’s iconic 2750 style, in production since 1911.
‘Artifact’ by Superga
‘Artifact’ by Superga S/S 2022 campaign
The latest collection for S/S 2022 arrives in high or low-top styles, spanning earthy, muted shades (greens, greys) and more vivid flashes of orange, blue and white, while a hefty structure gives the design weight – as at home in rugged landscapes and dusty workshops as a busy cityscape. With a sturdiness akin to walking boots, paired with the minimalist approach echoed in Superga’s other collections, the ‘Artifact’ offering provides a change in pace to the shoemaker’s usual tennis-inspired silhouettes and canvas regulars.
The S/S 2022 release is a continuation of Superga’s celebration of over 100 years of shoemaking (in 1911, they began to create shoes in Turin with vulcanised rubber soles). In light of their age, the brand have dedicated a series of videos to highlighting international artisans in care of their craft. For this latest collection, a new video shows woodworkers Dru Plumb and Barnaby Ash of Ash & Plumb at work in Sussex. Turning wood to create classic, sculptural forms and stitching ribbons of leather into cracks in their wooden vessels; the film delicately draws a line between the crafts of woodworking and leather stitching, celebrating the production of objects with a story.
Watch the ‘Artifact’ by Superga campaign film below.
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