VIVVANT LONDON - UK ELLE PRINT FEATURE UNDER CLASSIFIED SECTION
“It’s a gentleman’s world. Vivvant, the shoe brand everybody should be talking about”
Inspired by the quintessentially British gentleman, Jonq-Jin Kuo swapped numbers out for a degree in Fashion Marketing and the tropical temperature of Taipei for the rainy streets of London. After gaining experience behind the scenes, working as a tailor in Saville Row and for Tom Ford at Selfridges, Jin took his knowledge to the streets and quickly gained notoriety with his successful fashion blog in mandarin. With one door closing - his fashion blog - another opened, leading to an exclusive book deal to publish ‘Just Like A Londoner’, a guide to achieve the stylish London-look, classic yet modern. After observing, altering, and teaching men how to dress, it was time to give them the basics to do it with and so, Vivvant was born.
Moving to London was not as much of a culture shock, as it was a vestimentary one. London is known for its clash of historical and state-of-the-art architecture. Jin observed this juxtaposition between old and new and saw how this was reflected in how & the way Londoner’s dress. “It’s wonderful and it became my muse,” says Founder Jin. “People in Taipei mainly dress for comfort, it’s hot and humid so somebody wearing a suit for pleasure, not for work, is something you barely see. It seemed like a whole new world. I saw suits in so many different styles and fabrics, each paired with a different kind of shoes or boots. It was something I had never seen before, was completely fascinated by and desperately wanted to completely immerse myself in,” says Jin.
Vivvant translates to living, shoes are meant to be worn and lived in. They stand for comfort, style and impeccable quality. “Originally, I wanted to open a tailoring shop, but from a practical point of view, this didn’t make much sense as a novice in the industry.”says Jin.
Luckily Jin’s love for suits was matched with his love for footwear. “No matter where in the world you go, men do and will keep buying different styles of shoes, no matter their job, fashion sense or journey in life. We want Vivvant to be right there with them.” says Jin.
“You have to pour all your passion into a project, otherwise, it’s not sustainable. Whenever I doubt myself or start overthinking, I tend to hold on to one of my proudest moments, which was the first time somebody asked me where I bought the shoes I was wearing. It’s little moments like these, that keep me grounded and inspire me to keep pushing Vivvant forward,” adds the Founder Jin.
For Vivvant, style is synonymous with quality, to ensure the shoes are produced to the highest grade of craftsmanship, they work with a small family-run business in the epicentre of leather goods: Italy. “Choosing the right shoemaker was one of the most tedious tasks, after visiting many places across Portugal, Spain and Italy, I found a highly-skilled family-run business in Florence. I’m very proud that as a young brand our shoes are enlaced with years of experience, says Jin”
Vivvant creates shoes for any occasion, however, this doesn’t mean one shoe all occasions. “We currently sell four styles of boots and one trainer; these can all easily be dressed up or down. For instance, by adding rubber soles to boots, these can easily fit with both jeans and suits, making them versatile while ensuring you’re still dressed immaculately,” says Jin. The Founder’s – and editor’s – personal favourite is the Trucker Boot, confirming that there aren’t enough boots fashioned in navy and proving that navy boots are a must-have item every fashionable gentleman needs in 2022.
When designing - or looking for - the perfect shoes, Jin, tells us we need to look for a balance between comfort and beauty, and to never sacrifice one or the other. “From an aesthetic point of
view, there is no right or wrong but when you look at the quality, that’s where you can tell the difference, and that’s where a true shoe faux-pas lays. You can have the nicest design, but if the quality of leather or vegan leather is subpar, the entire shoe is ruined.”
As for the future, Vivvant will be expanding its market East, introducing the classic gentleman design to an Asian clientele. His home audience in the UK can expect to see more styles of shoes hitting the racks as well as camera bags, the perfect accessory for any Londoner, and far beyond.
Vivvant proves to be the British answer to the Italian craftsmanship and luxury of Cuccinelli, and we can wait to step in his shoes.
Written by: Lupe Baeyens