Common ProjectsMinimal Runner Sneaker

Common Projects is an American luxury footwear brand founded in 2004 by Prathan Poopat, a former art director at V Magazine, and Flavio Girolami, an Italian brand consultant. The duo met in New York's East Village and shared a vision of creating premium casual sneakers that bridged the gap between luxury brands like Gucci and athletic brands like Nike. Their inaugural model, the Achilles, challenged an Italian dress shoe factory to produce their first sneaker, resulting in a completely unbranded, minimalist design. Operating from New York City while manufacturing in Italy's Marche region, Common Projects uses premium Italian leather and hand-stitching techniques. The brand is renowned for its distinctive gold foil numbering system on each shoe's heel, indicating style, size, and color. Since launching, Common Projects has expanded to include various silhouettes and introduced women's footwear in 2009, all maintaining their signature clean, understated aesthetic that has earned cult status among fashion enthusiasts.