SoleRebels is an Ethiopian brand of shoes from Africa, and they surprise us with recycled materials, colorful shoes, and originality. Its sole intention (pun intended) was to implant the brand in Barcelona for the first time. Located in Gracia, we had a very small place and a very limited budget with which to work.
The place was an old butcher’s shop with white and bright tiled walls. The coating did not fit with the brand and with the image that we wanted for the store, so we took out the tiles, but decided to leave the plaster gobs that held them, and painted in the now-textured walls with a stone grey with a gray glaze, so we kept alive part of the place’s history.
On the walls, for a new layer, we proposed a number of recycled items, such as pallets, ropes, and wheels that fit with the brand image and the idea that we wanted to convey. With minimal resources, we bet for a sustainable and original design.
We decided to use natural materials and neutral colors to highlight the product. The colorful shoes should be the element that attract and stand out the street walker and future client.
One iron piece in “U” form wraps the space and allows us to exhibit the most outstanding shoes. One store side is lined with pallets, which helps to increase exposure while giving warmth to the space. Some ropes tied to the pallets go up by the ceiling and come down to the other store side, where they also hold several wheels, reused to promote featured shoes. Everything is held between both sides and generates a sustainable tension.