Veja opens first Latin American store in São Paulo

20 years after its founding, French brand Veja has opened its first store in Latin America, located in São Paulo. Situated on Oscar Freire street, the 600 square metre unit reaffirms the brand's commitment to Brazil, where its trainers have been produced since its inception, using locally sourced materials.

Designed by São Paulo architect Roberto Somlo, the architectural project communicates one of the brand's core principles: transparency. This is reflected in the exposed brick walls, visible beams, and glass facade, which allows natural light to enter, creating a fluid connection with the street.

Somlo stated in a press release: "The store in São Paulo is a radical encounter between exposed history and São Paulo modernism, integrating the original materiality of the property to show a little of the history of the neighbourhood's urbanisation, with the premise of the modernist movement in São Paulo architecture, which works with the “truth of materials”, without ornaments or disguises."

A key feature of the store is a dedicated trainer repair and cleaning station. With Veja's arrival in the country, the ‘Clean, Repair, and Collect’ project, already present in the brand's stores in Paris, Bordeaux, Berlin, Madrid, Brooklyn, and London, expands. Since the initiative's launch, over 45,000 pairs have been repaired worldwide.

Latam commercial director Leandro Miguel stated in the same report: "It is very significant for us that Brazil has a Veja store, as the country is the heart of our brand. Our trainers are made by Brazilian hands from Brazilian raw materials. After we were able to establish the Veja name in the country, our first store here became a mission for us."

To celebrate this new chapter, Veja is launching the V-90 São Paulo Mon Amour trainer; available exclusively at the São Paulo store and on the brand's website. This limited edition of 471 pairs marks the 471st anniversary of São Paulo, celebrated in 2025. With shades of grey and black reminiscent of the metropolis and vibrant yellow details reflecting its multicultural soul, the model features the number 011 as a reference to São Paulo's area code.

The brand was founded in 2004 by French friends Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain, who came to Brazil with the idea of reinventing the production process of an iconic item for their generation: the trainer. The idea was to create each stage of this manufacturing system differently, right up to the final product. The goal was not only to create a fashion item, but a trainer with a positive impact.

Veja oversees all product development, using organic cotton from north-eastern Brazil and Peru, produced by family farms, native Amazonian rubber, and leather from Rio Grande do Sul and Uruguay. They also use recycled PET, produced from post-consumer bottles without using water. In addition, they develop new materials and technologies in a process of continuous improvement with a global business vision. The distribution of these trainers in the Brazilian market began in 2013, expanding the brand's presence, already established in Europe, Asia, and the US.

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