Alberto Deon: I approached NMR for a collaboration as a means of exploring the product in a way that was unconventional. That was in summer 2022. They came to the project with fresh eyes untapped by productive issues and feasibility worries. This allowed them to cut through the noise and make a handful of extraordinary proposals right away. When I approached the idea of working together, I was expecting a more “traditional” output. But as soon as I saw their sketches, I understood something more powerful could be unleashed.

NMR studio: We originally discussed designing the Demon e-commerce website. Now, we have fostered this relationship and have had meaningful discussions and exchanges throughout the years. Increasingly, we also felt the need to somehow approach past clients and collaborators to see if they’re interested in searching for a different dynamic besides the typical client relationship. That’s mostly how we reached a point where we all felt we’d like those discussions to lead to an actual object that can encompass thoughts and ideas that have been circulating in our group chats and WhatsApp calls.

NMR studio: The notion of feeling more safe in unknown terrain or uncharted waters, comparable to what you call home, always feels moving and says something to pay tribute to. Populations’ movement, whether forceful or not, has been a catalyst throughout the millennia for cultural exchange and the progression of civilizations. We know that very well, especially as inhabitants of the Mediterranean peninsula. I believe the most inspiring part was translating archaic DIY solutions into a culturally relevant and contemporary shoe design. Another big part was when we first started investigating proto-garments, shoes, and textiles from different eras and epochs; also, the different results depending on geolocation were quite fascinating too—from the Balkans to the Roman era, for example. And the question that was circulating a lot inside the studio was if, in the end, in our era, that of globalization, free trade, and so on, is it easier or harder to relocate or not, or does everything depend upon the advantages/assets/benefits you carry (willingly or not).

NMR studio: During the Covid era, it felt like the only way to have a cultural self and being was through extensive online presence. That fact for us seems to have accelerated the birth and death of online microsubcultures. This phenomenon was already taking place before COVID-19, of course, but we experience it right now in a post-Covid setting more intensely. I feel in our era the struggle of iconicity is real. Everything feels meshed into a pulp, all together. The algorithmic formulas that most of us either completely ignore or not make sense of making sure that scaling any event or culturally significant phenomenon happens through a synthetic interpolation in our own personal echo chambers. Nothing is allowed to grow organically anymore.

Alberto Deon: The situation of contemporary subculture is of paramount importance both for Demon and NMR. Our practices thrive on very specific audiences and scenes that are culturally aware. These scenes are more fragmented than they were in, let’s say, the 90’s or early 00’s and are intertwined within internet culture. Being honest, I think late-stage capitalism has diluted a lot of these. Sharpening the “edge” of what we do has become a riskier task because internet-based communities have a shorter attention span. And it’s becoming harder for “culture” to sediment.

NMR studio: We believe that all cities have their own emerging and significant subcultures. It all comes down to what interests you to look at. For us, there are many examples, such as in Istanbul or Tbilisi. But we are actively somehow trying to escape this sort of notion of “where to look next.” As Athenians, it was quite weird when we experienced that sort of “colonial gaze” after Documenta 14 (if a term like this can be applied).

NMR studio: Our references, our worldviews, and our ideas have been affected heavily by subcultures we experienced as part of the Athenian youth throughout the 00s and 10s. Those exchanges with people from every different subgenera of rap, punk, techno, etc. have shaped us more than universities ever did. Subcultures have always been our carrier of knowledge.

Alberto Deon: The greatest challenge for Demon was channeling a beautiful abstract concept into a tangible product. A myriad of procedural impasses that we sorted out as we went.

NMR studio: For us, the most intriguing challenge was to translate our visual language that mostly exists in a second world into designing an object from scratch. And also—to something wearable that needs to be functional. We had a lot of ideas and thoughts.  Alberto was there to figure out production issues and obstacles. I believe that was the biggest challenge for him, too.

I think the shoe speaks for itself. A perfect example of a post-internet European artifact, designed and produced within the same context that inspired it: Greece and Italy, the cribs of western culture.

NMR studio: Being able to showcase our research in a more substantial context, and specifically at an Athenian gallery that deeply resonates and reflects the cultural spirit of the city, was essential for this project. Both our new studio space and Saigon are located in a now defunct, century-old  textile factory that hosts various events throughout the season. So the history of the space inadvertently gets intertwined with the project itself.

Alberto Deon: I believe the event in Athens was key in understanding a model of working that taps into the network of our collaborators. Unearthing all possible connections with local spaces, galleries, but also musicians and artists that can come together and physiologically add value to the collaboration even by their mere presence at the event.

NMR studio: It certainly depends on the situation and the needs of each specific project. So far we’ve had the luck of working on very diverse themes and ideas, from projects concerning African heritage and colonialism in Lord Spikeheart’s The Adept LP to Travis Scott’s Utopia to Mavro Gala’s (greek punk band) explorations of dried-up Athenian rivers all while looking into historic populations movements for a shoe. Honestly, we don’t have the slightest clue what’s next.

Alberto Deon: For Demon, archeology is still, metaphorically and practically, a huge source of inspiration. A modus operandi when it comes to how we approach products, but also an Ockam’s Razor in helping us understand what matters. We are all part of a long (but relatively short) lineage of creators. Our job is to entertain the mind, allowing the human spirit to blossom with creativity and bathe in its beautiful kaleidoscopic complexity.