Naranjo-Etxeberria clad the soles of HOFF’s TRIBE collection with an eclectic collection of fonts

Seeking to celebrate the diversity of different traditions and cultures, Spanish footwear brand HOFF turned to Madrid-based design studio Naranjo-Etxeberria for the sole design of their ‘TRIBE’ collection – with a host of leading typographers brought in to lend their eclectic catalogue of typefaces.

“We like to convey emotions by typography and, like the tribes, each typeface has its own personality,” Naranjo-Etxeberria’s Miguel Naranjo tells us, wanting to portray this cultural eclecticism through a typographic lens. On top of this Naranjo-Etxeberria also collaborated with writer Álvaro Talarewitz to direct the sentences that accompany each shoe and summarise “the most characteristic value of each tribe.”

Working with the likes of Morgane VanTorre, Margot Lévêque, Dinamo and Blaze Type, the variety of the type choices is a feat in its own right; opting for each individual typeface subsequently to their research. “We looked for inspiration to help us choose the right typeface and make each tribe unique,” Naranjo explains, “the inspiration could be their writing, tattoos, art or even fighting techniques,” he adds. 

This variety is similarly conveyed in the idiosyncratic configurations of the type, which are proudly emblazoned on the sole of each shoe. “We consider each sole as a poster,” Naranjo concludes, “a blank canvas where we could create interesting typographic compositions.

Naranjo-Etxeberria

HOFF