A gift from the Gods
Impressed by its European manufacturing stance and strong branding, Camper has made its first purchase: Ancient Greek Sandals.
According to ancient Greek myth, the gods and goddesses had their sandals made on Crete by a gifted sandal-maker who enriched each pair with magical powers. The winged sandals of Hermes were forged by Hephaestus, the god of blacksmithing and fire, enabling him to fly as fast as a bird. Almost 2,000 years later, they would become the inspiration behind a footwear brand that sought to make Greek people proud of this heritage and propel the shoe from casualwear to sought-after staple.
The sandal has always been the world’s most democratic footwear, according to Ancient Greek Sandals, which designs its collections with “everyone and anyone” in mind. It was launched in 2012 by Christina Martini – a Cordwainers alumnus who had worked for Balenciaga and Louis Vuitton – and entrepreneur Nikolas Minoglou, who had taken over his family’s Greek footwear manufacturing business after completing an MBA in the US. The ethos is “locally made luxury” – boosting age-old techniques with modern approaches – and designs that convey simple elegance rather than historical reproductions. “When we started the brand, it was impossible to imagine that people around the world would wear our handmade sandals,” says Ms Martini. But only five years after launch, AGS was selling 80,000 pairs per year in 500 retail outlets, according to reports.
This global appeal, coupled with its strong Mediterranean heritage, was part of the attraction for family-run Mallorca-based footwear company Camper, which bought 60% of the company this summer. AGS founders remain shareholders and are staying in their roles, with Mr Minoglou as CEO, Ms Martini as creative director and Yiannis Vagenas as chief marketing officer. Crucially, Camper has said it has no plans to change the Greek manufacturing set-up. “Nikolas and Christina have built a beautiful brand that perfectly aligns with our own respect for quality and craftsmanship,” says Camper CEO Miguel Fluxà, the fourth generation of the founding family. “Their deep Mediterranean roots strongly resonate with our DNA.”
Local values
Camper was founded as a brand in 1975 but its roots go back to 1877 with the family’s first footwear factory in Mallorca. Its shoes are still designed and developed in Inca, in the rural heart of Mallorca, where a creative team work alongside artisans to create 500 models each season. It manufactures in Spain and Portugal, but it also sources some styles from Vietnam. Now in its fourth generation, the brand's footprint includes stores in more than 40 countries. “We’re people with local values and global horizons,” it says.
The acquisition, Camper’s first, could help support AGS’s growth by developing stronger international distribution channels, enhanced regional sales support and deeper relationships with retailers. Access to resources from the bigger group could also improve back-office technology, generate stronger customer data and elevate product development with increased access to suppliers. “Joining forces with a historic, family-owned company like Camper gives us the logistical, technological and commercial backing we need to reach our full potential, while allowing us the freedom to remain creatively independent,” says Mr Minoglou.
Staying faithful to traditional techniques, Most of the sandals are made from vegetable-tanned leather, with a small inner wedge inserted between the heel and the insole to elevate the back of the sandal. There is also a thin rubber anti-slip heel under the leather sole with straps and joined together mostly with platinum rivets. Hot stamps, lacing, cut-outs, printing, braiding, beading and embossing decorate the uppers and for its 10th anniversary collection, Ms Martini collaborated with art historian Xenia Ventikou to create a collection inspired by famous Greek sculptures.
Diversifying from the leather-based staples, AGS has also achieved the feat of having its jelly versions – made with PVC and which retail around the same price as the leather versions – named as reaching “cult status” this summer by online style guide Who What Wear, noting how many “influencers” have been spotted wearing the red Saionara flip-flops. Fashion magazine Elle has also described the leather Etheria style as “the perfect summer sandal for walking all day long”.
With significant investments and the push for greater profitability, brands often find themselves in a dichotomy that needs careful management in terms of balancing expansion and authenticity. There is a need to grow carefully and in a way that is faithful to the brand and manufacturing. The founders have spoken of Minoglou’s family connections with factories and components suppliers and how these helped the brand drive profitability from the start, and could also help it move beyond its current offering of sandals, clogs, boat shoes, slippers and wedges. It also looks likely the partnership will also help boost its accessories, adding to the rattan and crochet bags and small leathergoods that complement the aesthetic. “Since day one, Christina and I have been driven by our love for Greek shoemaking history,” says Mr Minoglou. “We couldn't be more thrilled for the journey ahead.”
Both Camper and Ancient Greek Sandals draw inspiration from their Mediterranean heritage. Credit: Ancient Greek Sandals
