Vibrant, vivid, summer colors or pale, pastel tones evocative of winter: the shoes of Serbian brand ABO merge a classic and timeless aesthetic with a contemporary style, with quality and eco-friendliness in the focus.
ABO was founded in 2013 by two Serbian sisters, Iva and Ana Ljubinkovic, who wanted to sneak back playfulness into shoe design. Iva studied architecture, but she and her sister decided to start a business together in the field of fashion. Ethical production, sustainability and high quality have been key aspects for them since the very beginning. The brand name comes from the first letters of the words „Art Belgrade Originality”, thus alluding to the values that inspire the designers the most. “We wanted a name that will always remind us of what is important to us, what inspires us and what keeps us going,” the designers told us.
“We create shoes that have a classic look, that will always be in style but can remain fresh owing to their unique color palette. To add more value to each pair, we manufacture our shoes in very limited quantities, so it is highly unlikely to meet someone wearing the same ABO’s,” they highlighted. The designer duo also explained that in order to keep their production eco-friendly, 90% of their shoes are made to order, by local craftsmen.
Their main material is the leftover and unused leather of large shoe brands—this also means that it’s quite unlikely that once their current stock sells out, the same tone will once again be available in their palette. Thus, their limited collections are much more diverse and varied in terms of colors than in terms of shapes and designs.
One of their iconic pieces reinvents the classic Oxford brogue: the model dubbed Dolly is one of the very first designs and has remained a bestseller to this day.
In addition to the characteristic shoes, ABO’s selection also features various accessories, including matching T-shirts and bags. The latter is Iva’s passion: all their bags are made based on her designs.
“In spite of all the challenges, having a small brand also has its positives. We control each and every step of our production and our business in order to keep loyal customers happy and our fashion slow. This is very important to us. We are surely planning to put ABO’s on the UK market very soon and that is our number one priority at the moment,” they added.
Go and explore ABO’s colorful classics and follow the brand’s Instagram page, where Iva and Ana will soon unveil new accessories and bags!
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