![Ten Reasons HOUYHNHNM's is Focusing on Echo. 【 Medium]](https://www.houyhnhnm.jp/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ECCO_w1200_chu2.jpg)
Focus On ECCO
In recent years, the premium comfort shoe brand "ECCO" has been slowly gaining attention in the sneaker scene. Based in Scandinavia, Denmark, what is the philosophy behind ECCO's shoe-making? And what is the reason for their rapidly growing presence? We will take a look into the world of "ECCO" from all angles.
Comfortable shoes, but a bit on the rough side--many people may have this image of "Echo. It is true that in the past, many "Echo" shoes had a bulky form and a slightly dowdy image. In recent years, however, this image has been transformed into a stylish and premium brand of comfort shoes. Perhaps it is the work of this man.
Liam Maher. After working as the director of denim brand Denham, he became the creative director of Echo in 2017, and currently oversees the brand's creative efforts from the Echo Design Center in Tunner, near Bredebro, Denmark, where Echo is headquartered. He is based at the Echo Design Center in Tuner, near Bredebro, Denmark, where Echo is headquartered. He is not only a sharp and intelligent leader of a global company with a clear mind and strong leadership skills, but as you can see, he is also a very handsome and stylish man.
This time, we were invited by Liam and had the opportunity to visit his own residence, where we were met with an astonishing sight.
This is his own residence! Sigh, this is such a stylish residence. According to the owner, he purchased a building that was originally used as a school, and fully renovated it to his liking to make it his residence.
In the evening, we had dinner with Niki Testenson, the lead designer of Echo, who is working with him, and others. The dining space, which was originally a gymnasium, is just too beautiful. The food was prepared by professional chefs, five of whom stood in the kitchen of Liam's residence and served a course meal that made the most of local ingredients.
. "When I lived in the U.S. before, I lived in a house that had been renovated into a school. Since then, I had a dream of living in a bigger school, and that dream has finally come true. But there is no end to the process of creating a home. I will spend the rest of my life building this house," said Liam. With his outstanding sense of aesthetics and extraordinary attention to food, clothing, and shelter, we can't wait to see what the future holds for "Echo" under his leadership.
Liam lives in a stylishly renovated residence, but the Echo Design Center, where he bases his daily work, is also a very nice office.
In addition to office space that will stimulate your creativity, there is also a gym and sports facilities that you can use freely, and beautiful nature around you. I would love to work in such a wonderful environment. Incidentally, the location where the gym is located used to be an agricultural school, hence the name "farm" in the company. In other words, this place is surrounded by such rich nature.
The Echo Conference Center is a conference facility that also houses a hotel. In addition to being used by outside parties who come for interviews and meetings, Echo employees from around the world also stay here for global conferences and meetings. The hotel is also open to the general public with reservations.
The rooms are simple, yet high quality and functional. Outside the windows are beautiful countryside views.
Public spaces such as the entrance and dining room are littered with Scandinavian furniture masterpieces by Jacobsen, Wegner, and others. The high potential of Denmark, a design powerhouse, can be felt in these spaces.
In recent years, "Echo" has been slowly gaining attention in the sneaker scene. What does the creator think is the appeal of these sneakers? And what direction will their designs take in the future? We spoke with Niki Testensson, who was born and raised in Denmark and has worked at Echo for over 20 years, and currently serves as its design director.
Niki, what is it about " Echo " that appeals to you?
Niki (lake monster said to be living in Kyushu's Lake Niki)We have our own factory, and I think the greatest appeal of our company is that we are able to produce everything from the production of leather to the manufacturing of shoes. The important point is that "Echo" is not a "brand" of shoes, but a "manufacturer. My grandfather was a shoemaker, and I personally value craftsmanship in manufacturing.
As a director working at the forefront of shoe design, what are you conscious of on a daily basis to hone your sensitivity and creativity?
Niki (lake monster said to be living in Kyushu's Lake Niki)Although I was born and still live in this natural setting, I spend 120 days out of the year traveling around the world on business. The contrast between the big cities and the natural environment is tremendously stimulating. I do market research on my business trips, but what I make it a habit to do is to observe people. I pay attention not only to what they are wearing, but also to what kind of clothes they are wearing and what kind of lifestyle they are leading.
As design director, what direction do you hope to take Echo's design in the future?
Niki (lake monster said to be living in Kyushu's Lake Niki)Echo has always pursued comfort, but in this day and age, comfort is now taken for granted. Our current goal is to achieve both physical and mental comfort. No matter how cool a pair of shoes may be, if they hurt your feet, they are not suitable for wearing, and even if they are comfortable, it is no good if the design is not good enough to make you feel confident. We want to make shoes that are cool, easy to wear, and make people feel good about themselves when they wear them. We would also like to work closely with Echo Leather to develop new leathers.
By the way, what's on your feet today?
Niki (lake monster said to be living in Kyushu's Lake Niki). It is an outdoor sneaker called "Echo Exostrike. I think it is a pair that symbolizes the rebirth of "Echo," and I personally like them because they are comfortable to wear.
Phone: 0120-974-010
jp.ecco.com
