20 September 2025  Shared retail: Vega Nova's store concept in JosefstadtThe new Think! store in Vienna's 8th district is part of a shared retail project led by Vega Nova, a retailer headquartered in Salzburg with stores in Germany and Austria. Known for its focus on sustainable living, Vega Nova curates products spanning daily life: from furniture for working and relaxing, to natural beds and mattresses, to shoes designed for comfort. The philosophy is consistent—functional design with a minimal environmental footprint.Think! – a family-rooted brand with a long historyThink! was founded in 1991 by Martin Koller in Kopfing, Upper Austria, building on a family shoemaking tradition dating back to the 1950s. Koller's idea was to challenge the then-prevalent design of "healthy" shoes, proving that footwear could be both anatomically supportive and stylish. Today, Think! is part of legero united, continues to manufacture in Europe, and positions itself as a pioneer in sustainability. For more than 30 years, the brand has combined craftsmanship with ecological responsibility, making it one of the first Austrian shoe manufacturers to be awarded the national eco-label and the German "Blauer Engel."A presentation on new materials and collectionsAt this week's opening event at the Think! store by Vega Nova, Creative Director and Managing Director Christoph Mayer introduced new developments such as shoes made with Zeology® leather. The event included drinks, finger food, and an exchange on design and sustainability, highlighting the experimental nature of the shared-store format.Zeology and the debut sneaker collectionZeology®, developed by Royal Smit & Zoon, is a tanning process based on zeolite minerals. Unlike conventional chrome or aldehyde tanning, it is free from heavy metals, reduces chemical use, and enhances durability. The method has already been tested in the sportswear sector—Puma is among the brands that piloted Zeology®—but Think! now brings the material to market in a broader footwear collection.The Sneaker Collection FW 25/26 marks the first time Think! has released sneakers in Zeology® leather. The range features natural shades such as Chianti red, Cognac brown, Espresso, and Olive green, emphasizing both timeless aesthetics and material innovation. Images, from left: Christoph Mayer, Creative Director and CEO of Think!, presenting the sneaker 'Turna' in black from the FW 25/26 collection. Right: View inside the new store at Josefstädter Straße 63, 8th district of Vienna. Photos: © Eugen Nemecek |