Talking with Virgil Nicholas, founder of VINNY’s
Talking with Virgil Nicholas, founder of VINNY’s
We chat with Virgil about how Scandinavian culture has shaped his brand, why the fisherman sandal will take over the summer, how he felt seeing his first ever product sample, and much more.
There are only a handful of brands injecting new life into loafers right now, and VINNY’s is one of them. Credit goes to Danish-born founder Virgil Nicholas for revitalizing a quintessential American staple.
The brand is named after his firstborn son, Vincent-Laurent, who’s also a fit king, yet its inception stems from a humorous observation. "I attended a baptism where I witnessed grown men confidently wearing bespoke suits paired with casual Nike Air Forces—not even Common Projects, which struck a chord with me," Virgil reminisces.
This mental image lingered, and days later, while flipping through old family photo albums at his parent's house, a pattern emerged: "I noticed a recurring theme—my brother's and my first walking shoes were always leather—ranging from fisherman sandals to derbies and brogues."
With his son nestled in his lap, Virgil experienced an epiphany. "It dawned on me that embarking on a creative journey to craft distinctive footwear would not only be fulfilling but also deeply personal—a way to celebrate self-expression and contribute to the evolving narrative of 'modern heritage'."
Though VINNY’s initially gained street cred for its refined, chic, and understated loafers, they've evolved into a footwear powerhouse.
From freaking a pair of loafers with a thick-ass crepe sole to reimagining boat shoes and taking over the summer with one fisherman sandal at a time—they do grown-up shoes with the best.
Virgil is one of the most stylish guys. He creates a clear vision and fosters a community that authentically reflects himself and the brand. It’s easy to pull style references from him, and he accessorizes like an M’FN champ.
We had the opportunity to catch up with him and discuss how Scandinavian culture influences his brand's aesthetic, what he and menswear gawd Aaron Levine are cooking up, the differing perceptions of loafers between the United States and Denmark, and how a blog he initiated some time ago proved instrumental in his entrepreneurial pursuits.
Give Virgil a follow here on IG, and check out the VINNYs brand too.
PS—huge thank you to Sara Abraham and Oliver Enné for the incredible photos on this piece.
What’s the Virgil Nicholas story?
I am a Danish-born kid—a product of political refugee parents with Congolese heritage. My upbringing instilled a deep-rooted desire to give back and make a positive impact. While I admit that expressing this sentiment might sound trite and cliché, it genuinely defines who I am at my core.
My background serves as the foundation, providing insight into the duality present in every creative endeavor I undertake, while my values serve as the driving force behind my actions.
I've always felt a profound need to repay my parents for the immense sacrifices they made when they involuntarily left their homeland. "Doing good" is not just a choice for me; it's an inherent part of who I am, manifesting in grand gestures and small, everyday actions.
Whether it's through education, personal expression, or simple human interactions, I find fulfillment in contributing positively to the world around me. Excelling isn't my primary goal; my existence feels incomplete without actively striving to better myself and the community I inhabit.
How did VINNY’s come about?
A few factors made VINNY’s become a reality—the biggest one being my firstborn son, Vincent-Laurent, who was just a year old. The spark ignited during a baptism where I observed grown men confidently sporting bespoke suits paired not with sophisticated dress shoes but with casual Nike Air Forces—not even Common Projects, which didn't sit well with me.
A few days later, while reminiscing over family photo albums at my parent's home, I noticed a recurring theme: my brother's and my first walking shoes were always leather—styles ranging from fisherman sandals to derbies and brogues. My inaugural pair was a striking set of red kiltie loafers.
With Vinny nestled in my lap, I was flooded with memories of my upbringing and my enduring fondness for classic American Sportswear.
It became clear to me that embarking on a creative venture to craft distinctive footwear would be not only enjoyable but also a personal journey—a means to celebrate self-love and contribute to the evolving tapestry of "modern heritage."
I yearned for a solo project at that moment, and this epiphany provided the perfect outlet. My motivation wasn't driven by aspirations of commercial success or widespread recognition; it was rooted in a desire to feel authentically myself, to weave together the threads of my street culture upbringing with my more formal inclinations and attachments.
VINNY's became a canvas through which I could articulate my life story, blending elements of tradition and contemporary expression into each design.
How is the brand's connection to Copenhagen and Scandinavian culture reflected in the footwear?
I hadn't consciously intended for it to happen, but I believe it occurred subconsciously. Over here, there’s an inherited national culture that is heavily influenced by not standing out too much and not being too loud.
Almost as an unspoken counter-culture, Copenhagen has become a style hub where everyone wants to be the most talked about in the room. It’s quite a paradox.
When conceptualizing VINNY's as a brand, I always viewed it purely as a business with ties to Copenhagen merely through its office and foundation. Our design was never meant to evoke Scandinavian sensibilities.
Yet, once our first loafer, the Townee, gained traction in the States, it was praised for its sleek and minimalistic design—characteristics shared by about 90% of brands from our region.
Combined with the “language” and approach of the brand, which was much less subtle than our countrymen, I think we subconsciously just landed here.
We recall Aaron Levine hinting at a collab on a loafer between you two. Can you share more details about this project? How’d you decide to work together?
Right! In short, we both wanted a loafer to wear on off days and gardening (no BS! We’re both in-but-also-out-of-town kind of people). So we peeled a few layers off, roughed and softened, tried and tested. We’re thrilled! A few more tweaks, and we'll catch you in May.
Aaron and I met in Florence a few years back. I had DM’d him another year earlier or so, but in a felt-cute-might-delete-later moment, I didn’t feel cute shortly afterward.
Ha ha! Anyway, we had lunch in Florence and hit it off right away. It was probably one of the most natural connections I’ve ever made, and we’ve linked in both Florence and New York ever since.
I think us doing a shoe together is a no-brainer, but also probably just the start of more good things we can do together. TBC, as they say.
Loafers are seen as a style equalizer. Could you elaborate on the contrasting styling preferences between the US and Denmark?
They do make up for a style equalizer, but the difference is that they are not part of our heritage or culture the way they are for you—thanks to school uniforms, etc.
In Denmark, loafers and hard bottoms are a much more conscious choice, typically only worn in corporate or fashion settings.
A fact that probably mirrors the contrast: you have a history of style and style icons from all kinds of artistry and creators; we don’t.
So, finding personal style in a small country like ours, that inspiration is somewhat influenced by a bigger picture that stems from overseas.
Over the years, our style has evolved, becoming more distinct and even benchmarked against established brands and lifestyle stores. The efforts of individuals from my generation, including ourselves, aim to contribute to this evolving heritage.
We observe a growing acceptance of our aesthetic, and now the goal is to solidify our presence as a recognizable name for future generations.
Loafers have taken over the footwear scene in recent years, especially with the fisherman sandal. Any advice on how to style them?
It's a big year for city fishermen. Last year was the fisherman’s run for office—this Summer, we inaugurate.
A good boxy T-shirt, layered with a crisp poplin shirt or a rich DB sport coat, some washed 501s, and the brown polido fisherman with slouchy socks is a beautiful, universal getup. Choose your colors freely. Aviator frames and a hat. Vamos.
We love The Vibe! editorial piece of the brand. What’s the importance of cultivating a community within a brand?
Shoutout for calling out the platform that built it all—Superbial truly taught me things! It even made me graduate from business school. The concept of "community" resonates with me just as strongly as "blogger" did back in the day.
We were a dynamic group, propelling blogging into the mainstream and transforming it into a vibrant community driven by shared passions.
While that community is still alive and kicking (and perhaps experiencing a resurgence lately), it has seen "community" itself evolve into a trend, a must-have, a buzzword. You either have that sense of community or you don't.
Shared values for like-minded folk, and you find a platform or universe to cultivate those. I appreciate your love of The Vibe! I don’t know if it’s a community, but I know the ton of love and feedback we get for these quick bites of insight into the vibes that have always interested us.
It's about shared values, finding your tribe, and nurturing those connections.
What are the similarities and differences between your men's and women's footwear collections? Are there any inspirations that play a role in the design process?
Right now, there haven’t been any differences. The female customer that buys VINNY’s loves that we don’t go all out on making women’s specific silhouettes.
This also means they might hate us in the future, but let’s discuss it in the community (see what I did?).
Streetwear, hip-hop, my childhood, my parents and their friends, and maybe Eddie Murphy are pillars in the inspo of VINNY’s, and they always will be.