Australian home brand Hommey is marking a new chapter with the debut of its first shoe model.
Launching as part of the brand’s new April collection, the company has introduced its new sheepskin slipper. Crafted from 100 percent Australian sheepskin, the debut footwear style is the company’s way of adding to its comfort offering – something Justin Kestelman, who founded Hommey in 2020, has been looking to do for some time now.
“With this launch, we are really leaning into the idea of total comfort and evolving our brand once again to include not only just bedding and apparel, but shoes too,” Kestelman told FN in an interview.
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The founder noted that it took nine months to develop the slipper. “When we were designing the shoe, we didn’t want to go down that route of making a traditional home slipper,” Kestelman said. “We wanted the sizing to be versatile, so we opted for small, medium, large instead of the traditional nine sizes, which also makes the slippers good from a gifting perspective. And I think we’ve done a really good job of finding a happy medium to fit most feet.”
As for how he sees the future of Hommey’s footwear offering, Kestelman is going for a slow and steady approach.
“We’re going to keep a close eye on the results of this initial launch,” he said. “But based off the early reaction we’ve received so far, we’re ready to pull the trigger on updating some colorways going into the fall season this year.”
And as for next year, the founder noted he is open to the possibility of creating something with another brand through a collaboration, or introducing a outdoor-friendly model.
“As I see it, the opportunity here is limitless,” Kestelman added. “But I think from a starting point, we want to get the product right and make sure that we’re getting all the customer feedback before we go too wide on this category.”
Bottom line, Kestelman just wants his customers to be worn frequently. “We want these slippers to be the first thing people put on the second they walk into their home,” he said. “That’s our North Star.”
Hommey’s new Sheepskin Slippers, which retail for $89, are now available in four colorways – cream, hazelnut, chocolate and wine.