The Shoe and the Happy Beast

FERA LIBENS FOOTWEAR IS PRODUCED WITH COMPONENTS OF NONANIMAL ORIGIN AND MAKE A STEP TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY

“In the Middle Ages, Ligurian coasts were oppressed by the Saracen incursions. According to a legend, one night the inhabitants of the village of Tellaro were suddenly woken up by the ringing church bells. A giant octopus had come out of the sea to warn them against the imminent invasion and the citizens could save themselves. This tale on how animals protect human beings is a source of inspiration for us, because we want to show that sometimes humans can be animals’ good friends too”, says Federico Guenzi, co-founder with Francesco Virtuani of Fera Libens, the brand of men footwear made with non-animal components. In Latin, fera libens means happy beast.

The material used for these shoes, thanks to the research carried out by the CNR of Vigevano, is microfibre: lightweight, breathable and hardly distinguishable from real leather, it is produced by artisans from Vigevano and the Marche – in the future though, recycled and vegetable origin materials. “This is not the first vegan shoes brand. What differentiates us is the immense attention paid both to the ethical and to the aesthetic and functional aspects of the shoes. We value the Italian tradition of beauty and craftsmanship as well as sustainability”, explains Guenzi.

Both Guenzi and Virtuani are Bocconi alumni and they met each other in Ireland, after they finished their studies. “It was Francesco, who is vegetarian, who thought about an ethical fashion project in the first place, while I had a footwear e-commerce on my mind. We agreed on the premise that you don’t need to be vegetarian or vegan to care about animals and this is how the idea of Fera Libens was born, in the autumn of last year.”

In June 2015, Guenzi and Virtuani entered Speed MI Up and they are now arranging the launch of the website and of online sales. They will resort to traditional distribution in selected retail stores and during specific trade fairs. “According to a survey by Eurispes, in 2050 50% of European population will be vegetarian. Foreign markets will soon become our main target because vegan issues raise more interest and the quality of Italian shoes is particularly sought-after. In the long term, we are also planning to create a woman line”, Guenzi concludes.
 

by Elisa Bazzani