Concept
The Trippen experiment Contrary to the popular opinion that a company can only be economically successful by ducking its production responsibilities, Trippen proves the opposite: modern design combines environmental friendliness, sustainability and social responsibility.
Since Trippen’s beginnings in the early 1990s, Angela Spieth and Michael Oehler have remained true to the idea of designing shoes whose individual components can be exchanged and replaced. Environmental regulations and ecological production methods are not only taken into consideration, but have a direct influence on the design. The result is a sustainable product which simultaneously offers the consumer great variety. The collections are designed in such a way that even small quantities can be produced in Germany and Italy at competitive prices. With the exception of Trippen’s own factory, 80 km north of Berlin, all other manufacturing takes place in small family businesses in Northern Italy. This proximity to the production facilities allows attention to be paid to customer requests and simultaneously guarantees a short delivery time.
Rather than simply modifying existing designs or following short-lived trends, Trippen searches for new solutions. Inspired by upcoming developments, the designs take fashion trends on board, but resist their throwaway nature. The shapes of lasts and sole units as well as the types of materials used remain unchanged. Repeatedly coming up with new ideas based on the same principles requires a great deal of creativity. The challenge lies in the pattern technique. Over the years, Trippen has developed its own characteristic style in this regard that has nothing in common with traditional shoe patterns. These unique pattern experiments form the basis of every collection. The new designs are supplemented by fashionable colour schemes. The collections are not replaced every season, rather existing styles remain available.
Social responsibility is another central pillar of the corporate philosophy. Trippen therefore supports local production. The construction of Trippen’s own factory, 80 km north of Berlin, not only reduced transport to a minimum but also created new jobs in a region otherwise lacking in infrastructure. Trippen has been using this concept with great success since 1992. In addition to Trippen’s own stores in Germany and Antwerp and partner stores in Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong, over 450 other stores worldwide stock Trippen shoes. Collaborations with well-known designers like Issey Miyake and a number of international product design awards underline this success.