How the Veja Football Sneaker Sidesteps a Crowded Post-Samba Market (EXCLUSIVE)
Veja, the French footwear company famed for its eco-sensitive footwear, is dipping a toe into trends. Not that Veja, with its prior Marni and Rick Owens collaborations, is fashion-agnostic by any means.
But Veja has mostly restricted its oeuvre to more classic sneaker shapes that only occasionally align with contemporary yens.
Now, Veja is having its cake and eating it, too.
The Veja Panenka, named for the "light touch" penalty kick perfected by Czech football player Antonín Panenka, is overtly inspired by all the classic terrace shoes, including one that currently dominates mainstream sneaker discourse.
It's a low-profile shoe, wearing "VEJA's softest leather yet" on its upper, according to a release.
Fresh as that may be, the Panenka's paneling and silhouette ought to be familiar to anyone familiar with today's big sneakers.
So what Veja's Panenka stand apart? Honestly, not much. But, at the same time, that's the point.
Already well-loved by folks seeking understated shoes with an eco-savvy bent, Veja already produces a few sneakers in a similar vein, including its Volley shoe, which turns 20 in 2025.
That's because though Veja's appeal is at least partially derived from its reputation for conscious production, its uncomplicated design language is perhaps even more important to the Veja-buying demographic.
As such, its entry into a sneaker scene currently owned by the many offshoots of Samba is less of a challenge to the status quo than an exploration of a similar parallel.
By its very nature, the Veja Panenka shoe, available February 20 on Veja's website, sidesteps much of the sneaker-world hubbub.
It's practically exempt, really, functioning more like a "grown-up" alternative to extant styles perceived as comparatively youthful (this is because those shoes are especially popular with kids: For proof, just check TikTok).
With its "adult" terrace sneaker, Veja claims an interesting edge.
Most of the other peers in this space are producing shoes either "hyped" or made terrifically exclusive by four-figure price tags. Veja's Panenka shoe is instead an object not directly tethered to any cultural context.
What's left? An imminently wearable shoe.
