The (two) designers I admire are the founders of the brand Patta. My fascination with the world of HypeBeast, pop culture, and sneaker releases are where the Dutch duo Edson Sabajo and Guillaume ‘Gee’ Schmidt  step in. They bonded in the 90’s in the nightlife scene; saw a gap in the market in Amsterdam and combined their love of music and sneakers to create a brand. But to limit their brand to the cool wavy air max collabs and different apparel drops would be an understatement to the magnitude this company has achieved.

Welcome to team patta. Patta. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.patta.nl/pages/copy-of-patta-x-outsiderwear

“Out of love and necessity rather than profit or novelty” is the motto coined by this duo and one that still holds value (OSEI, 2022). Just making clothes has never been their vision. Despite being one of the most well-known streetwear aesthetics there is a humble story of their legacy. Two Surinamese boys with a deep obsession for sneakers. A simple goal: to travel the world scouring for the holy grail of shoes and buy in bulk bringing them back to Amsterdam to sell shoes that nobody else had. Perusing the streets of Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx to wheel and deal shoe prices and take giant shoebox stuffed bags through customs. They would stay on friends couches, map out their route, and come back with the treasure. No real business model, just pure passion.

Hong, C. (2021, February 5). Edson Sabajo and Guillame Schmidt built Patta on teamwork and quirkiness. Hypebeast. Retrieved February 28, 2023,
from https://hypebeast.com/2020/1/patta-interview-business-of-hype-jeffstaple-episode-60-edson-sabajo-guillaume-schmidt

They started as a just a mere shoe store. Internationally sourcing their shoes and occasionally selling their friends brands in store. What started out as a bond between two friends naturally grew into a signature brand while claiming back their own independence and driving the market. Community was instilled in their DNA and that was their vision. Use the talent of the community (musicians, photographers, and graphic designers) to guide the brand. Heritage is a big part of their image and the Suriname word for shoe is “patta”  hence how they got their name and the rest is history.

Welcome to team patta. Patta. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.patta.nl/pages/copy-of-patta-x-outsiderwear

They do a lot of collaborations along with their own pieces. Here are some of their works!

Citations:

Osei, W. B. S., & Writer, S. O. F. (2022, March 9). The patta story: Community first, streetwear & sneakers Second. Highsnobiety. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/patta-interview/

Welcome to team patta. Patta. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.patta.nl/pages/copy-of-patta-x-outsiderwear

Hong, C. (2021, February 5). Edson Sabajo and Guillame Schmidt built Patta on teamwork and quirkiness. Hypebeast. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://hypebeast.com/2020/1/patta-interview-business-of-hype-jeffstaple-episode-60-edson-sabajo-guillaume-schmidt

News, S. (2021, October 14). Patta continues its Nike Air Max 1 legacy with the global release of the “Monarch”. Sneaker News. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://sneakernews.com/2021/10/14/patta-nike-air-max-1-monarch-dh1348-001-release-info/

Patta New Balance family T-shirt oil green – FW22 – US. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://stockx.com/patta-new-balance-family-t-shirt-oil-green

Bottoms. Patta. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.patta.nl/collections/bottoms