From that famous actress!? The surprising origin of #HepSandals

I'm Mune, the sandal guy who works on HEP.

This time, I'll talk about the origin of the name HEP.

We have updated the footwear known as Hep sandals for the modern age.

A long time ago.

Perhaps around the time of the previous Tokyo Olympics (1964).

Hep sandals were widely loved as everyday household items in Japan.

They were those things commonly called "tsukkake" (slip-ons).

You might have seen them yourself.

A rounded form.
A glossy look created by distinctive materials.
Unique decorations born from ingenuity.

Haven't you seen them at your grandparents' entryway?

Yes, that is undoubtedly a Hep sandal.

■Hep's origin

The "Hep" in this Hep sandal.

You're curious, right?
(I'm also curious about the pronunciation of "Hep" and such.)

Actually, this comes from the actress Audrey Hepburn!

A film that was shown in Japan in the 1950s and still boasts immense popularity today.

"Roman Holiday"

In this film, there is a scene where she wears a certain type of footwear.

Footwear that is open at the front and backless (no heel).
Something like a mule...

Japanese people who saw that footwear called it this with affection.

”Hepburn sandals”
...
”Hep sandals”!

■ The origin of fashion was movies

A long time ago, before the internet even existed.
The speed of information was completely different from today.

Back then,ways to adopt overseas trends and fashionmust have been much more limited than they are now.

In the era without the internet, many people likely adopted Western fashion frommusic and movies.

And many Japanese people did so at the same time.

For example, just as many young men wore mod coats after watching "Quadrophenia".

Just as almost everyone who loved British rock bands wore Dr. Martens boots.

■ Does everyone know? No, they don't.

The "Hep" in Hep sandals comes from the actress Audrey Hepburn.

And,actually, this is a very famous piece of trivia that almost everyone in the footwear industry knows.

However, since general customers probably don't know it, I have told this story thousands, even tens of thousands of times.

I think this origin story is truly wonderful.

That is because, have you ever seen "Roman Holiday"?

Let me briefly explain the story.

The protagonist, Princess Ann of a certain country (Audrey Hepburn), visits Rome, Italy. There, to be freed from her stifling life in the royal palace, she runs away from the castle alone.
In the brief time she spends in Rome, she dresses up in clothes she likes just like an ordinary girl, cuts her long hair, gains her freedom, and falls in love.

Set in Rome, she transforms from a princess burdened by obligations into a free, ordinary girl, and then falls in love.

That is the story.

The day after she escaped from the castle, she went out to a market in Rome to enjoy some shopping.

The first thing she bought at that market was the footwear that would later be called "Hep" in Japan itself.

It is the first memorable scene that shows her being released into freedom.

Don't you think that's a rather lovely story?

■Why this origin story is wonderful

Everyone I know in the footwear industry knows this bit of trivia.

However, few people know it in depth.

After learning the origin of this name, I watched the movie and saw the scene where she wears the sandals with my own eyes.

That is precisely why I noticed the deeper meaning behind this name's origin (though this is my own interpretation).

And I compared the process of gaining freedom from a stifling life with the concept of the HEP brand I am aiming for.

I aim to create footwear that allows everyone to spend their time more comfortably.

The launch (May 2020) is almost here, so please look forward to it.

■The typeface of the HEP logo

Thank you for reading until the end.

At the end, here is some trivia about our brand logo.

This logo design.

I shared the aforementioned story about the etymology with Mr. Nagasuna of SUNA, who worked on the logo, even before the brand was launched.

According to her, this logo "adopts a classic typeface reminiscent of that time, inspired by the impressive title font that appears in the film." she said.

When you see HEP packaging or the logo, please try to remember this bit of trivia.

See you again!