Vinny’s
Q&A With Virgil Nicholas
Vinny’s makes great loafers, but the brand is about more than shoes.
Pinot noir, millennial hip-hop, and Oxford shirts are among the references and evocations written on the Vinny’s homepage. Loafers are a particularly symbolic footwear style, a rite of passage even. For many, they’re the first “real” shoes: school shoes, church shoes, the kind your parents insisted on polishing before assembly or Sunday service. Shoes that have memories and feelings built in.
That sense of nostalgia is a driving creative factor behind Vinny’s, a brand that was founded by Virgil Nicholas in Copenhagen in 2019, and named after his son. Nicholas explains that friendships, special occasions, and childhood memories all inform his approach to design and creating products. These evocations give the brand an approachable, creative edge, which is layered on top of the first impression of sartorial polish generally given off by a loafer or a brogue. Crafted by hand in Portuguese family?run ateliers, Vinny’s footwear is defined by the timelessness and quality that you might expect from a heritage brand, but with all of the vibe, and none of the pretension.
Below, HHV speaks with Nicholas about the ideas and inspiration behind the brand, and some of the ultimate accessories to pair with Vinny’s.
Hey Virgil, first up, what are some kicks that you owned that you remember from your childhood?
The Nike Vandal Supreme, blue satin strap-up. I mashed that pair into the ground. My mom literally had to hide them and throw them out because I refused to retire them.
What was the original inspiration behind Vinny’s? Specifically, what makes American and French style references so important to Vinny’s?
The short answer is my dad, my own coming-of-age, and my kids, past, present, and future.
My parents dressed us in French prep when we were little. I soaked up American streetwear and later sportswear as soon as I could pick my own fits. Those two worlds are just the lens I see style through. They’re not name-drops, more like muscle memory. It might sound romantic, but it’s also complicated when you don’t actually come from either place. Vinny’s is me making that mix work.
From boat shoes to brogues, how do you decide which styles are a good fit for Vinny’s?
Every shoe is a real story. The Aztec is named after my childhood friend’s break-dancing crew. We lived in three-eye lugs when Prestos weren’t spinning on the vinyl. The Peeters was designed for a buddy’s wedding and ended up sticking around. If there’s no personal hook, I can’t design it.
What do you think has made the loafer so timeless and appealing?
Because purpose never goes out of style. There’s always a reason to clean up, maybe a big occasion, maybe just for your own headspace. Either way, a loafer answers that call.
Do you have any favorite pop culture or movie moments that have inspired the brand’s footwear?
My favorite film is The Godfather, but it’s not dictating silhouettes. Ideas come from stuff I notice day to day, then show up on a mood board later.
Do you have a personal favorite from the Vinny’s catalog? What’s in your current rotation?
The Boatman. It’s hard to take them off, they just click with everything.
From watches to pants to scarves, what are some key accessories that you see as complementing Vinny’s footwear?
A good pair of sunglasses and a glass of pinot noir. Everything else is optional.
Shop Vinny’s in-store and online from HHV.
Words: Chris Danforth
