Of course, the rest is history. The shoe was an instant darling, winning orders from world-famous retailers like Opening Ceremony (New York) and Ships (Tokyo). Demand doubled every ordering season, and soon, Common Projects was a full-on production. While the Achilles remained the brand’s signature shoe, Poopat and Girolami would go on to expand their design vision to other iconic silhouettes across both athletic and casual footwear. In 2016, Common Projects produces everything from suede Chelsea boots to mesh-accented runners, every pair still handcrafted in Italy using only the finest Nappa leathers. You can probably guess what this does to the price tag.

Impressions:

The Sistine Chapel; the Pagani Huayra; Michelangelo’s David. It is a fact of life that the world’s most beautiful objects are seldom born of compromise. By sparing no expense, an artist is limited only by their devotion to excellence – materials, prototypes, even ego melt away in the pursuit of pure vision. Left standing: the ideal form made concrete, heaven itself brought to Earth for the benefit of all mankind.

Either that, or Italians just make some beautiful consumer products. Case in point: the Common Projects BBall High. If the idea of a “luxury sneaker” seems contradictory, buckle in, fuccboi.