Meet the creative behind the VIBAe x MOOMIN collaboration.
We sat our founder and Creative Director Ludo down for a chat. About Moomins, about VIBAe, about why this collaboration made total sense from the very first meeting. Here's the conversation, unfiltered.
Why the Moomins? What qualities do you feel we have in common with them?
Moomins are a story deeply rooted in childhood fantasies, and I love fantasies! How fortunate were we, when the Moomin management team approached us to create this collaboration. We were not only stoked by the trust, we all got on like a house on fire conceptualizing stories and product from the very first meeting. A perfect match! Not to mention the obvious. Both VIBAe and MOOMIN are Finnish!
The illustrations differ a lot from your own simple style. How did you approach designing the shoes?
This first collection has to be impactful. We're introducing the MOOMIN brand to a global audience that may or may not have heard of MOOMIN, and our medium is shoes! We don't have much real estate to play with. So our approach has quite simply been to introduce two of my favorite characters to our audience, working with our number one shoe, the ROMA.
Was there a specific reason behind choosing Moomintroll and Little My?
Much like our brand's hot and cold climates that divide our founders living in Helsinki, Finland and Malibu, California, Moomintroll and Little My are opposites. Moomintroll is the calm, sincere and adventurous type, whereas Little My is the feisty and mischievous one. Yet as a team they cover it all, just like us at VIBAe.
You make shoes for adults, was it clear the Moomin characters would appeal to the right audience?
This is where the "rock star" approach of our first collaboration comes into play. We're introducing the MOOMIN characters in a glam statement you'd expect to see on the feet of celebrities. Comic character patches embroidered onto our rich vegetable tanned leather ROMA style! A perfect blend of loud yet sophisticated.
What would you tell fans who know everything about the Moomins but are hearing about VIBAe for the first time?
The comfort of these shoes will make you feel so good, you'll smile like a rock star. Passersby will look you up and down and notice your MOOMIN x VIBAe shoes.
A little VIBAe x MOOMIN 101 for the uninitiated
Origin & heritage
The Moomins were created by Finnish author-illustrator Tove Jansson, first appearing in print in 1945, making 2025 to 2026 the 80th anniversary window of the Moomins.
Their stories have been translated into more than 60 languages and remain one of Finland's most loved cultural exports.
VIBAe was born the same way most good ideas are, on a camper trip through Finland, with founders splitting their lives between Helsinki and Malibu ever since.
What they have in common
Both brands are Finnish at heart, VIBAe in its founding, Moomin in its origin.
Both believe a good home, and a good pair of shoes, should feel like they already belong to you.
This is VIBAe's first character collaboration, built on the brand's bestselling ROMA silhouette.
