What is your role at Clae?
I am the GM EMEA which involves taking care of the brand for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. I have been with the company for the last two years and have closely followed the brand since 2001.
How did Clae get started?
Clae was born in Los Angeles in 2001. The idea was to create sneakers using the highest quality materials and technology from performance sneakers. Our aim has been to follow a generation that grew up with sneakers who now want to adopt a more elegant and refined style to take them into the world of work.
What defines Clae as a brand?
Our values have been the same for the last fifteen years. We are built on timelessness and comfort, using only the highest quality materials. We make premium, classic sneakers that last.
What inspires Clae?
The brand takes inspiration from mid-century modern design. The 50s, 60s and 70s were intensely rich in terms of design. Some of the most iconic products ever surfaced during this time; the Eames chair or the Porsche 911 are both good examples. The beginning of the idea of connecting beauty and functionality really emerged during this period.
“Design is not simply an art, it is elegance of function.”- Ferdinand Porsche