We've been following Stefan Sagmeister's work for many years. His way of turning big ideas into strong images, making complex connections easy to understand and always finding new ways of doing things has fascinated us for a long time. That makes us all the happier that we've now actually had the chance to work together on two shoes. For Stefan's new exhibition “Finally, Something Good.” at La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris, we turned two of his works into shoes together. The result is the Bring It On sneaker and the Like a Complete Unknown boot. Two very different shoes dealing with two very different subjects, yet both part of the same exhibition.
Finally, Something Good.
In the exhibition, Stefan looks at a question we find fascinating: How do we perceive the world, and what do the numbers tell us when we look back over a longer period of time? He works with data from sources including the United Nations, the World Bank and other international sources, turning them into images, objects, clothing and installations. This connects very naturally with what we do at ekn. Our claim is “Walking clean in a dirty world.” We know there is still a lot that can be done better. What keeps us going is the belief that we can make a real difference in the things we can influence ourselves: choosing better materials, working with good production partners, making shoes that last and producing only what is actually needed.
Stefan puts another part of the idea beautifully:
“Most of what I make waits in a room for people to come to it. A shoe does the opposite. It walks out into the street and gets seen by people who would never buy a ticket to an exhibition, and it does that every day for years. I am always looking for media that carry this message to a wider public.”
That is one of the things we love about this project. The works leave the museum with the shoes and become part of everyday life.
Bring It On
Bring It On looks at the current state of renewable electricity generation worldwide. It is based on figures from the Energy Institute, visualised by Our World in Data. For the sneaker, we translated Stefan's graphic into the design of the shoe. The full data breakdown can also be found on the footbed. Bring It On is made from chrome-free tanned suede and, like our other models, handmade in Portugal. €30 from every pair sold goes to Future Cleantech Architects, a Germany-based think tank for climate and cleantech innovation.
Like a Complete Unknown
The second shoe is about homelessness. Like a Complete Unknown shows how different the numbers of people living on the street or in public spaces are from country to country. The OECD figures used by Stefan range from 76 people per 100,000 inhabitants in the US and 46 in Germany to 5 in Mexico and 2 in Japan. The reference year is 2023 or the most recent year available.
Stefan says:
“So this isn't weather. Somebody decided it, and somebody can decide otherwise.”
For the boot, the graphic is embroidered directly onto chrome-free tanned smooth leather. We went through several rounds with our embroidery specialists to get the placement, size and execution just right. €35 from every pair sold goes to the Coalition for the Homeless in New York.
We only make what gets ordered
We wanted to keep production simple and sensible too. Both models can be pre-ordered from 14 October to 15 November 2026. After that, we produce exactly the number of pairs that have actually been ordered. Both shoes are handmade in Portugal. Delivery is planned for January 2027. Both models are available in EU sizes 36 to 46. Bring It On is €300, Like a Complete Unknown is €350.
See you in Paris
“Finally, Something Good.” opens at La Gaîté Lyrique in Paris on 15 October 2026 and runs until 18 April 2027.
We can't wait to see the two shoes there for the first time as part of the exhibition.
And, honestly, we're simply very happy that after following Stefan's work for so long, we now have a project together.
Stefan, thank you for the trust. We're really happy with how it turned out.
Both models can be pre-ordered from 14 October to 15 November. Delivery is planned for January 2027.