50 years of freaky Camper footwear

Half a century on from its inception in Mallorca, the Camper label has become synonymous with fashion’s online (and offline) oddballs. Scan the depths of TikTok, and you’ll find no shortage of the so-ugly-they’re-fabulous Kobarah sandals – a moulded, usually heeled, serpentine design – doing the rounds in GRWM content. Then, there’s the full-hog, mad-cap collabs, such as Ottolinger’s AW22 neoprene boots or the recent Issey Miyake slippers built from just an upper. All of them are cult classics, or about to be.

In fact, when we visited the manufacturer at its Inca HQ, we saw plenty of touch-ups in action, carefully processed by Mallorcan locals (some of whom come from an ongoing bloodline of Camper employees). But if any of that makes Camper sound a touch trad, then think again. In 2020, Achilles Ion Gabriel inherited the label’s creative director position for Camper Lab and then Camper, as a whole. Having previously run his own eponymous label, as well as consulting for Sunnei, Courrèges and Marni, the Häme University of Applied Sciences footwear design alumn has proven his more than up for the task, building a ready-to-wear line and overseeing some major commercial hits, such as the rubber-capped Junction design aired in 2022.

In another life, the Lapland-raised Fin modelled for Rick Owens and Damir Doma, living in the City of Light. Now living in Mallorca full time, he dedicates himself to work. So far, he’s created shoes that wearers can assemble and disassemble themselves (the six-piece Roku design) and led campaigns with the likes of Julia Fox and Martin Parr. These days, he enjoys a quieter set-up, residing spitting distance from the Palma-based Italian restaurant we’ve chosen to chat in. He has dental braces, a scruffy brown mop and chain smokes throughout our conversation as he unpicks Camper today, collabs and, funnily enough, Nicole Kidman’s 2001 divorce.

What’s been your proudest shoe that you’ve brought in during your time with Camper?

It depends. If I start with Camper Lab, like the first thing I designed was the Traktori boot. It became immediately successful, which gave me a little confidence boost.

And that was inspired by farmers?

Exactly. I mean, have I done farming myself? No. It’s how I would imagine a farmer would wear them. Then afterwards we did the Tossu – you can actually recycle them, and they’ll [use them to] make kids playgrounds. I do have to say that maybe Tormenta is my favourite just because its shape is something that could come from the late ​’90s, but clearly it didn’t. I’m a very difficult customer, and I wear it all the time.

That’s always a good sign.

For Camper [mainline], it also depends. At one point I was telling the guys, ​“We don’t have a loafer,” and I was told it doesn’t sell for us. Well, the season I launched it, it was the best selling thing. The there’s the other projects, like Roku – I don’t know if you know about it?

Yeah, you can build your own shoe!

It was a nightmare to make it happen. But we solved it. In general, for me, it’s the ones that are challenging. Because it’s shoes, they have to be durable. The most sustainable thing you can do with shoes is to make sure they last.

How did you approach Camper when you came in?

I would never take a job and be like ​“Okay, I’ll just continue where someone left. So, it was like, ​“Okay, if I take this job, I will change things but be respectful.” But Camper Lab didn’t mean anything. That’s why I destroyed it completely – I made it completely new. But Camper, yeah, I’m a guardian.

Nice. The Kobarah is a big part of the story so far, too. You suggested making it for men, right?

Yes, I mean, why not? It’s a stupid enough shoe to have for men as well. I’m not really a Kobarah person. I can’t wear it. I can’t wear heels. I would fall. But, I mean, why not?

You said the first time you saw a pair of Pelotas [the household design, famous for its signature balled sole] was in a photo of Nicole Kidman post-divorce.

It’s true. It makes sense that she was wearing the Pelotas because she has more balls than Tom Cruise!

What’s it like living in Mallorca? Before you were in Paris…

I lived in Paris for 10 years. During the lockdown, I moved here. I like it here because I travel way too much, so it’s nice to come somewhere peaceful. It’s really helpful for me because I can actually focus – I’m so ADHD. And I don’t have friends here, which is amazing. Otherwise, it’s like, ​‘Babes, let’s go for a drink! I can do that tomorrow.”

What was the thinking behind the Martin Parr campaign you ran?

I met Martin Parr like 15 years ago, and I always liked his work. I always thought that it makes sense for Camper – it’s not polished, it is what it is. It’s a bit funny. Especially in Mallorca, with all the tackiness we have here.

Who would be your dream to work with?

I would love to have someone like Angela Merkel, but I don’t know if she’d do it. Also, I don’t know if you know who Sanna Marin is? The Finnish prime minister who was in Vogue – she became a superstar, but she’s a politician, left, of course, almost a communist.