Finnish “morning slippers” are taken to the world with big money – a fierce marketing budget

Probably you have seen them: shoes that resemble leather morning slippers. This is the shoes of the Finnish Vibe brand. Vibe looks nice slippers, but are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

The wall of the roughly decorated store is adorned with a stylish bookshelf full of insoles packed in black boxes. Opposite is like an old archive cabinet – also full of shoes packed in black boxes. Candles burn on the tables and in an old, rusted neck. Fredrikinkatu has a serene atmosphere in Punavuori, Helsinki.

Serene, though, is not the word in which Minna and Kalle Gummerus It could be described. This is a crazy entrepreneurial couple who set up a shoe brand even in the most intense corona.

In addition to Gummerus, Vibe has two other owners behind the racket: Oak And Ludo Malmoux run vibea through the subsidiary in the United States. The shoe brand has two stores there, one in Malibu, one in Silver Lake in California. In addition, Malmouxie’s son has recently opened a subsidiary and a store in Australia in Vibe. Also responsible for e -commerce Hannu Salminen is part of Viba’s ownership.

The Gummerus had imported linen shoes, but setting up their own brand was invaded, and Vibe started. Minna is a hairdresser with a hairdresser, while Kalle is in the hotel and restaurant industry. They are responsible for the design of Vibe shoes themselves with their partners. Ludo is responsible for the last technical images of the products before going to production.

The Helsinki store is located in a fashionable area, and Vibe shoes have ended up from there and through the online store to the feet of stylish Finns. Kalle and Minna are friends with many of their clients, as well as Tammy and Ludo Los Angeles. Owners are often present at the store and meet users in their shoes personally. Ludo is originally founder and designer of the Otzshoes shoe brand.

In the pursuit of Los Angeles cream

At first, the banks did not believe in Gummerus plans, fortunately Business Finland believed and the company was funded.

With the relationship between Ludo and Tammy, Vibe also got the donors with him right away, and Los Angeles’s cream to visit his shops. Many celebrities or their assistants or stylists are fond of the idea where comfort meets fashion. In this way, the shoes ended up on the feet of actress Michael Douglas. He had linen “vibes” in his Formula depot in Monaco. Hunter Biden, the son of ex-president Joe Biden, has also been seen in vibes.

However, most of the sales are still through Finland and e -commerce. About 96 percent of the shoes went on to export the world last year. So far, about 150,000 pairs of Vibe shoes have been sold since the company was founded, ie in five years.

This year, Gummeruks has a tough goal: they intend to sell 100,000 pairs of shoes during the year.

About half of the shoes sold are leathery named Roma.

– In addition to the US, dealers have now opened in Paris and London, for example, and more will come. Merci, Toast, Free People, Minna lists.

Collaboration with other fashion brands has taken the vibe forward. Surprising contact came from the Japanese -French Comme des Garçons Homme fashion brand, with which Vibe decided to design and manufacture a collaboration in the spring of 2024.

Another cooperation that was delighted in Finland, especially in Finland, was worked with the Onar brand, known for its fur and leather products. In this collection, Vibae’s morning shoes dress in a fluffy fur. Now the leather bumps and their friends are also available on Stockmanni shelves.

The shoes of the Finnish brand will be in a spectacular part of the Osaka World Exhibition, with the Nordic pavilion in the Nordic countries dressing in Marimekko and H&M’s clothing-and slides vibe shoes. Most of the event visitors are from Japan, but international visibility, even to the right target group, is guaranteed.

Comfort meets fashion

According to Gummerus, the power of recommendation is one of the most important keys to Viba’s nascent success.

“Of course I praise these shoes, but it’s different when someone else praises someone else for buying insanely comfortable shoes,” Kalle says:

– However, if we do not make a noise about ourselves, no one else likes.

Gummerus has not made impressive commercial collaborations with influencers, but the Vibe brand’s social use is exceptional compared to many other Finnish fashion brands: the company spends a lot of money to advertise social media.

Giant sums to somebody

Even if you haven’t seen Vibe shoes on anyone’s legs, you may have come across them in social media.

-At the moment, we put $ 250,000 a month on social advertising. Little by little it will pay off, Kalle says in the eye of the eye and continues:

– Our goal is to get three euros per euro for advertising. Advertising in social media is extremely expensive.

Gummerus also refuse to sales, both vibe itself and their dealers:

– If you get on that road, customers always wait for Season Sale. Sometimes we sell out-of-the-range products or colors directly to our loyal customers.

Friends, Fools and Family

Direct head for international markets and big stakes towards growth. The Gummerus and their partners have taken the risk, if any other, but things have progressed day and move at a time. Possible sales of the brand and “exit” are in mind, even though sweat work still has to be done.

“The goal is to make Viba such an attractive brand that a big, international company comes, wants and buy us,” says Minna.

– Time tells. There are always new brands, so you have to do a lot of work.

“We’re such a Friends, Fools and Family Business,” Gummerus say.

Kale’s mother works at the Fredrikinkatu store and Minna’s father has welded the store shelves. Kale’s sister is responsible for the customer service of the online store and her spouse is pulling Vibae’s Barcelona shop. From friends writer Tara Lange There is a brain and a heart behind the texts of Vibae, for example. Another friend Jaana Jussi is responsible for the Fredrikinkatu store

The start of the company included pessimists and advisors who questioned everything. However, the Gummerus trusted that positivity would be their superpower.

– We do not focus on making others. We do not work according to any particular formula, but according to good vibes, Kalle Huikka.